Have you just been diagnosed with a benign brain tumor?
Are you trying to make sense of the confusing words being thrown at you?
Is your head spinning, trying to figure out what to do next?
Do you have some really big decisions waiting to be made?

Here are few helpful tips to get you through this:

• Support Mechanism
  1. align yourself with a support group whether it be family, friends, a local support group or a website like IJB or all of the above
• Self-Educate
  1. educate yourself as much as possible about your type of tumor
  2. be your own best advocate – your doctor may not always have the time to keep up with the latest treatment techniques or clinical trials
• Obtain 2nd or 3rd opinions
  1. take good notes when discussing proposed treatment methods so you can obtain 2nd or 3rd opinions
• Choose the best hospital or treatment center for you
  1. do your homework
  2. research different treatment facilities
  3. evaluate the proximity to your home
  4. weigh the pros and cons
  5. choose the one you feel the most comfortable with
• Keep a diary and calendar
  1. record when you start and stop a particular treatment
  2. document how you felt during the treatment and what results were obtained
  3. keep track of what treatment combinations you may have had – some combinations may produce worse side-effects than others
• Contact your health insurance company
  1. ask questions concerning what is and isn’t covered
  2. verify your medication coverage
  3. ask whether ‘experimental’ treatments are covered
  4. find out if there is a yearly coverage to you plan
  5. be sure to check any new plans you obtain to ensure pre-existing condition coverage