Shingles is apparently not the worst thing I have to deal with this year

This isn't an easy thing to write, and it probably won't be a fun thing to read either. As at least a few of you know, I had a seizure in August before Worldcon. At the time it was believed to be caused by stress and anxiety and not likely to recur. However, last month I had two more, and an MRI was scheduled for this past Wednesday. The MRI revealed that I have a tumor in the brain (it was initially described as two tumors, but a neurosurgeon has now told me it's only one). It's impossible to know what kind of tumor it is without getting some cells to look at. Right now I'm scheduled to have surgery next Thursday, but there are still some decisions to be made about which procedure I'll choose to have. Unfortunately there are still a lot of unknowns about what I'm facing, but I thought I needed to let people know at least this much. My mom and sister came up to keep me company in the consultation with the neurosurgeon, and they will be here for the surgery too. I've been in shock since I got the news on Wednesday, but I feel slightly less anxious since seeing the neurosurgeon. I've got a rough road ahead of me, but I'm blessed with a great family and a lot of great friends, so I know that I won't be facing whatever I'm facing alone. I'll keep you posted. If you want to talk to me, please ask before calling. Thanks!