Mom, 29, Who Felt 'Off' Was Told She Was Having Sinus Issues But Worsening Symptoms Revealed She Had a Brain Tumor

Moore's health journey began in February 2021 when she woke up one morning feeling "off". She stumbled out of bed and struggled to steady herself onto her feet. She described her face had begun to "lose feeling" according to an interview with 7 Life News.

She took the proactive step of consulting her doctor who suggested she was having "sinus issues."

"I've had (sinus issues) before, so that was nothing new or scary," Moore said.

She then told her husband, "These symptoms are completely different to what I'm used to'".

Moore went back to the doctor except this time to her ear, nose, and throat physician. While at her appointment, she said her doctor "instantly knew" her symptoms were not sinus related. She underwent an MRI scan which revealed a brain tumor the size of a marble.

"I was kind of shocked," Moore said.

"Brain and spinal cord tumors form in the tissue inside your brain or spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system (CNS)," the National Institute of Health (NIH) describes.

These tumors are not all the same and while some may not cause symptoms others can "kill or displace healthy cells or disrupt their function," the NIH says.

Although some brain tumors can be malignant (cancerous), fortunately for Moore hers was benign (noncancerous). In May of 2021, she underwent surgery to have the tumor removed.

"It was nerve-wracking," she described.

During the procedure, doctors were not able to remove all the mass because the tumor had wrapped itself around Moore's facial nerves. This meant it was impacting her ability to move her facial muscles.

"My face kept getting more numb, I was getting a bit dizzy, I started to lose hearing in my left ear," Moore described.

Although a second surgery was expected, in the meantime, Moore was told to monitor her condition because she had become pregnant. The experience deeply impacted her emotionally.

"I was definitely scared, there was definitely quite a few days of tears and stress," Moore said.

Amid the normal challenges of pregnancy, Moore also dealt with lingering symptoms of her brain tumor.

"The symptoms of brain tumors can be either dramatic or subtle," National Institute of Health brain tumor expert Dr. Mark R. Gilbert said to NIH News in Health.

"A seizure is an example of a dramatic symptom. About 3 of every 10 patients with a brain tumor are diagnosed after having a seizure," Dr. Gilbert continued.

Brain tumors, depending on where they are located, may also cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and difficulty balancing or walking among other symptoms.

Fortunately, Moore managed to give birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy in July 2022 – undoubtedly a bright spot amid her tumultuous and emotional health journey.

"He was a big blessing in all of the mess," Moore said of her son.

By this time, her facial nerves impacted by the tumor left her with facial paralysis. The left side of her face was "stuck with permanent paralysis" and she also lost her ability to hear in her left ear.

Moore and her family were left with three options if she wanted some semblance of relief, although nothing was without risk. Her doctors said they could remove her hearing and facial nerves around the tumor. They could also take a "watch and wait" approach, but this meant she may not be able to have any more children. Her third option was radiation therapy, which involves using high-energy beams to kill cancer cells.

Moore chose radiation therapy, which began in February 2023. Her treatment involved six weeks of radiation, but she won't know the results until September of this year. If radiation proves unsuccessful, more surgery is the next treatment suggested.

"With the facial paralysis, I feel like I'm just sitting and waiting and hoping. It's been a big mental challenge," Moore said.

Throughout her journey, Moore has tried to remain positive.

"It can absolutely be hard to maintain this (positivity)," Moore said.

WATCH: Positivity matters.

When patients work to keep a positive mindset, it can have positive impacts on their overall health and prognosis Dr. Zuri Murrell who is an oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center tells SurvivorNet.

"I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this (positive) attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease," Dr. Murrell said.

Moore says she tends to rely on finding humor in life to keep her spirits up. It's an approach she says is working while continuing to battle her brain tumor.

"I'm glad I can have a laugh about different things through it all and that most definitely helps with my positive attitude!" Moore said.

How Radiation Treatment Can Help Treat Brain Tumors

Katrina Moore will spend about half of this year undergoing regular radiation therapy to hopefully eradicate tumor cells impacting her brain. During radiation therapy, high-energy beams such as X-rays are focused directly on the tumor or cancer cells.

This treatment method is also what actress Shannen Doherty underwent earlier this year when she revealed she had a tumor in her brain. Although, her diagnosis was different than Moore’s.

Doherty has been treating her stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. This means her breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, including her brain.

She underwent radiation treatment this past January to help treat the cancer in her brain.

When it comes to radiation to the brain, the treatment itself is not painful and may last 10-30 minutes, according to MacMillan Cancer Support.

Radiation to the brain can lead to side effects, which may include:

• Fatigue
• Appetite loss
• Hair loss
• Headaches
• Nausea

The specific side effects people experience may depend on the person's age and health, the radiation dose used, and the size and location of the area targeted.

Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these side effects from radiation treatment, as they may have ways to help manage them.

Radiation treatment is often done in combination with surgery when treating brain tumors. Sometimes during surgery, neurosurgeons are unable to remove all of the tumor such as in Moore's case. When this happens, radiation therapy becomes another option for surgeons to get the remaining tumor cells.

WATCH: What Does Radiation Feel Like?

Board-certified neurosurgeon at Emory University School of Medicine Dr. Kimberly Hoang previously told SurvivorNet that the radiation may help "keep those tumors from growing or shrink them down."

Although radiation therapy is a useful tool when treating brain tumors, it may bring side effects.

"Radiation treatment can cause swelling in the tumor as the tumor 'dies' and the surrounding tissue can also become swollen as the treatment takes effect,"  Dr. Krishanthan Vigneswaran, a neurosurgeon with UT Health Houston and Memorial Hermann, previously told SurvivorNet.

"This swelling can cause symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, and neurological loss of function based on the location of the treated lesion. Similarly, surgical resection (to remove the tumor from the brain) can also induce swelling in the area that was operated upon, however, this is more transient than the effect of radiation," Dr. Vigneswaran added.

Coping With Emotions During Treatment

Since Moore's brain tumor journey began in 2021, she's run the gamut with her emotions. Thankfully, she's able to find levity through humor to keep her in a positive headspace. A cancer diagnosis can be extremely emotional, and those feelings can be wide-ranging.

"People have a range of emotions when they're diagnosed with cancer," psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik explains.

It's important to remember, it's normal to become emotional as you cope with your diagnosis. During times like these, having a support system filled with loved ones or surrounding yourself with people also battling a similar cancer or disease can be helpful.

SurvivorNet has a list of resources to help you cope if you find yourself struggling to maintain your mental health.

Here are some things you can do to boost your positive mindset and mental health.

• Connecting with others via support groups
• Adding more physical activity to your routine
• Seeking professional help from a psychiatrist or therapist
• Mindfulness and meditation
• Learning healthy coping skills
• Medication such as antidepressants
• Adjusting your sleep schedule

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Mental Health

• What can I do if my emotions begin to feel overwhelming?
• Should I consider medication such as antidepressants?
• What are the potential side effects should I decide to begin medication?
• Are there approaches that don't involve traditional therapy?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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