This web site chronicles my continuing journey with a brain
tumor. My name is Joe Vitale. I was born on July 26, 1965, in Newark, NJ. I'm
a married, software engineer currently living in Odenton, MD. My wife, Debbie,
and I are happy to report that on November 10, 2003, the Lord blessed us with
our first child. Emily Hope Vitale came into the world at 9:47am weighing in
at a healthy 7lbs 4oz.
On Sunday, August 19, 2001, I received the startling
news that I had a brain tumor the size of a healthy lemon (6cm x 6cm x 3cm)
living in my head. The tumor was located in the left frontoparietal lobe and
had infiltrated the corpus callosum and pre-motor strip areas of my brain.
Four days later I was having brain surgery. Three days after that,
I was already back home recuperating. Two weeks later I went back to work. Everything was happening so
fast it was surreal.
When the results of the pathology report came back classifying the tumor as a WHO
grade II astrocytoma, I knew my life would never be the same again.
Click here for a picture
of me and my wife, Debbie
Click here for
a picture of our beautiful daughter, Emily Hope
Click
here for a picture of our black lab puppy, Maggie
