This is really the inspirational story of my Father and my sons. I hope after reading their story you feel peace within.
Biggest Accomplishment? Raising two beautiful sons. Trever and Tyler. Both the spittin’ image of my Father, Deputy Charles Dobbertin, shot and killed in the line of duty before my sons were even born. The boys Dad (my ex Scott), left when Trever was eight years old in the hospital with a ruptured appendix and Tyler was a newborn. So it was us three Musketeers for a long time. We were VERY, VERY CLOSE.
Both boys were healthy, handsome, intelligent, full of manners, and had a love for life. Tyler played two seasons of football and two seasons of basketball every year since the first grade. On Labor Day 2002, Tyler had a scooter accident, and had a head injury and broke both ulna and both radius in both arms. One year later Tyler was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was born with it but the head injury caused it to grow (we think)... Tyler had his first brain surgery December 14, 2003. It was supposed to be ten hours long, but the surgeon came out after two hours. He said it was a stage two cancer, they only gave him a 20 percent chance.
We went on a Make a Wish Trip. We went to Disney World (not much fun because Tyler was in a wheel chair at the time) and we met Tracy McGrady who was with the NBA MAGIC at the time and playing against our good friend Eric Strickland (who taught Tyler basketball). When we got back home, Tyler had another MRI it revealed his tumor had grown a one eighth of an inch. The surgeon said, “You can do one of three things, 1) Do nothing and enjoy him for nine months, 2) Radiation and have him for five years with zero quality of life, 3) Another surgery.” I asked, “What makes you think the surgery will work this time?” (The last time the surgeon had to quit due to nerves being involved). He said, “I don’t know that it will work.” The tumor was located in the PONS (brain stem) REGION, which controls breathing and balance. The surgeon said there was an EXCELLENT chance Tyler would NOT be able to breathe on his own after surgery...
I have an online prayer group of over 500 people. I send them a prayer request and they pass it along to their friends, families, churches, prayer websites, etc. I requested that Tyler be prayed for at the EXACT time of his second surgery and asked everyone to be very specific in asking that: 1) The surgeon hands will be guided by GOD 2) The nerves just pull away and the surgeon is able to get all the tumor/cyst 3) The tumor be a JPA (Juvenile Pyloctic Astrocytoma, which is benign), This surgery took place April 30, 2004 and was supposed to be ten hours long. Once again the surgeon came out after only two hours (which is NOT good news usually), this time he said, “I have never seen anything like it, the nerves just pulled away, I was able to get at least 90 percent of the tumor and it is a JPA.” PRAYERS ANSWERED.
I saw them wheeling Tyler into the elevator and ran and jumped in. His back was to me. I thought he was still asleep. I asked the nurse how he was doing. Tyler rolled over and said, “AQUA DI GIO MOM.” That is the cologne my boys wore and it was our “code word” that Tyler was to tell me if he was doing alright after surgery... Today Tyler is a seventeen year old senior in high school. He is 6’1”, a body builder, and very handsome, He is on the Honor Roll, and is an assistant basketball coach. He will go to college and to become a personal trainer/rehabilitation (which he has been through alot of). Tyler has to have regular MRI’S because of the remaining tumor. The second surgery left him with some disabilities. He has left facial paralysis (sixth and seventh nerve palsy), he can’t track the left eye to the left (he had two eye surgeries this past summer), he can’t shut the left eye all the way. The right side of his body is numb. BUT he is our Angel Among Us and keeps everyone’s spirits up. Today, we are getting ready for his homecoming dance which is tonight, He will sure look sharp in his black slacks, black shirt, white tie and hanky... PROUD MOM HERE... He has to fight the girls off...
