Mallory was diagnosed with NF2 at age 25 when MRI results showed a vestibular schwannoma on her left side auditory nerve and a large ependymoma inside her cervical spinal column. Additional monitoring showed small tumors in her lumbar spine, a second brain tumor, and thickening of the leptomeningeal layer that surrounds her brain and spine. In November 2017 Mallory developed hydrocephalus which is a build up of pressure on the brain due to the inability to drain cerebral spinal fluid. It is believed that the leptomeningeal thickening caused this. She underwent brain surgery to have a VP shunt placed which helps drain the excess fluid from her brain.
Now 31, Mallory experiences a lot of shoulder discomfort in both her left and right arm that may be attributed to the ependymoma in her cervical spine. She feels fortunate that her latest MRIs have not shown any recent growth in her tumors, however she will always live with the fear that they will grow more and cause serious side effects. In addition to NF2 Mallory has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was 7 years old. Managing her blood sugars while under surgery and during post surgery healing, is an added complication for Mallory and her medical team.
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