I can't believe I'm actually writing this or even that my family is dealing with this. This is something no one ever really wants to think about and it feels like I am living someone else's story!  I can’t seem to wrap my mind, thoughts and feelings around the fact that this is happening when it feels like a really bad dream.

That said, about 2 hours ago I found out my step-father Byron Walker has a brain tumor. To say it came as a shock would be a staggering understatement, and I'm just feeling numb and really, *really* unsettled right now. And I am miles away unable to comfort either Byron or my Mom and I don't know how this is going to turn out because they just found it from a brain scan taken minutes ago and the details are getting to me from the mainland as my Mom gets them.  Mr. Petty wasn’t kidding when he said, “The waiting is the hardest part.”

He (Byron) basically went in to the hospital this morning to check out a few “issues” he has had over the past week with time loss and general confusion… Next thing my Mom gets a call from the E.R. saying they’re admitting him to run some testing which progressed to pin-pointing him needing a brain scan, then minutes later they tell us he has a tumor in his brain!  So here we wait for the next course of action... I honestly have no other information than that.

This whole thing has just come completely out of the blue and my poor Mom is just falling to pieces.  I can literally hear her on the phone trying as best she can to “keep it together.”  I am trying my best to stay positive for him and her and that is why I am emailing all of you now… 

Please, keep Byron in your prayers.  Pray that he is sent great comfort and strength in the midst of all of this madness, for all of our family to remain optimistic, strong and prepared for whatever may come. 

I’d be lying if I did not admit that I myself am terrified. I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know if it will all change tomorrow, I don't know if my step-father is going to live through this....and that's not something I'm ready to deal with. I'm trying to remain positive, because we're not in a dead end situation, my faith reaffirms that ANYTHING is possible.  However, this is putting my Mom and Byron through hell. I hope and pray he comes through this intact but, wow...this is all beyond words, even for me.