The Loneliness that Comes with Brain Tumors

April 2011 was the beginning of a new phase—the brain tumor phase—of my life. Since then all life events are measured from that point. Happenings occur BBT (before brain tumor), PBS (in preparation of brain surgery) or ABT (after brain tumor).
During PBS I thought I had a good comprehension of what would be happening and why it needed to happen. Simply stated, I needed to get the fist-sized tumor off my brain, then I needed to recover. But I had no preparation for what non-surgical side effect came with the procedure.
I felt incredible loneliness.
I found that friends didn’t know what to say to me after surgery. Few people understood what I was going through and many seemed uncomfortable in my presence.
That’s why community is so important, and places like Brain Tumor Talk and Meningioma Talk are so important. These are places where you can reach out with a question … share a fear … spew a rant, and everyone understands. No judgment. No loneliness.
How do you combat the loneliness you face while dealing with your (or a loved one’s) brain tumor?