Podcasts · Aunty M Brain Tumours Talk Show
Brain Surgery at 10 Weeks Pregnant: My Pilocytic Astrocytoma Story
· 25 min · Explicit
Episode Brain Surgery at 10 Weeks Pregnant: My Pilocytic Astrocytoma Story
Lauren was eight weeks pregnant when doctors discovered a life-threatening brain tumour.
For months, her symptoms were attributed to pregnancy — nausea, vomiting, dizziness, mood changes, neck pain. But what was happening inside her brain was far more serious.
A tumour on her cerebellum was completely blocking the flow of spinal fluid, causing dangerous brain swelling and herniation. She was rushed for emergency, life-saving surgery.
Lauren shares:
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The early symptoms that were dismissed as pregnancy
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Rapid neurological decline
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Being told she may not survive
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Emergency craniotomy while pregnant
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Waking up to relief after unbearable pressure
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Learning she had a grade one tumour
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Watching and waiting while growing a baby
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Delivering by C-section before a second brain surgery
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A diagnosis change to hemangioblastoma
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Genetic testing and the fear of Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
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The mental health impact after survival
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Learning to slow down and give herself grace
Lauren is a registered nurse who spent years caring for oncology patients. Suddenly, she became the patient.
This episode is about survival, motherhood, vulnerability, and the strength it takes to heal — physically and mentally.
⚠️ This episode discusses emergency surgery, pregnancy complications, and life-threatening brain swelling.
This is Day 3 of 31 brain tumour stories shared during Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026.
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