#256. “I Had Awake Brain Surgery…” Her Glioblastoma Story Artwork

Fast to Faith: Weight Loss & Hormone Support for Women Over 35

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Dr. Tabatha illuminates the gaps in conventional gynecology while empowering you to navigate your health issues with confidence and faith. Grounded in a Christian perspective, she delves into the latest insights from the worlds of wellness and functional medicine, exploring topics such as the microbiome, environmental toxicology, nutrition, and epigenetics, all through the lens of honoring the body as God's temple. She firmly believes that gut health is the foundation of gynecological well-being and spiritual vitality.

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Fast to Faith: Weight Loss & Hormone Support for Women Over 35

#256. “I Had Awake Brain Surgery…” Her Glioblastoma Story

May 20, 2025 • Dr. Tabatha • Episode 256

From Brain Tumor to Bold Faith: Karen’s Journey Through Surgery, Glioblastoma & God’s Grace

In this moving episode of the Fast to Faith Podcast, Karen Bartram shares her unbelievable story—from a small limp and fine motor issues to a devastating diagnosis of a grade 4 glioblastoma. What began as a suspicion of a pinched nerve turned into an emergency room visit, brain surgery, and a life-changing faith journey.

Karen walks us through her awake craniotomy, the moments of fear and surrender, and how years of prioritizing her health and spiritual growth prepared her for this unexpected battle. She opens up about combining conventional treatment with holistic healing, and the role prayer, perseverance, and community have played in her resilience. If you’ve ever wondered where God is in your pain, Karen’s story is proof He’s been preparing you all along.

If you liked this episode, watch it on YouTube! 👉🏻 https://youtu.be/CxUuQizMero

Chapters:
0:00 - From Certified Coach to Patient: A Shocking Diagnosis
3:28 - The Symptoms No One Expected
5:05 - The Brain Tumor Discovery & Emergency Hospital Stay
8:00 - Awake Brain Surgery: Faith in the Operating Room
13:00 - Grade 4 Glioblastoma & Finding Strength Through Faith
17:00 - Combining Conventional & Holistic Treatments
22:00 - Discerning God’s Plan When Doors Close
24:21 - Perseverance, Purpose, and the Book of James

If this episode gave you hope, share it with someone who needs a reminder that God always makes a way. 🙏

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You don’t need permission to take your health seriously—and you don’t need to wait for another doctor to listen. You’re allowed to heal. You’re allowed to lead. And you are...

From Brain Tumor to Bold Faith: Karen’s Journey Through Surgery, Glioblastoma & God’s Grace

(00:00)
Dr. Tabatha: Welcome back to the Fast to Faith Podcast. I am super pumped about this conversation today because it’s totally unexpected. One of my certified coaches has gone on a very different path recently—and she’s brave enough to come here and talk about it. She’s going to bless you with her story, so please take the time to listen to the entire episode.

(00:27)
Dr. Tabatha: If you need to pause it and come back, do that. And then share this with everyone you know—because this episode is a reminder that God’s got you, even when life feels heavy.

(00:39)
Dr. Tabatha: We’re all in a season of wondering, “Where is God? Why am I struggling?” And my guest Karen today is going to blow your mind with what she’s walking through—and how she’s walking through it with such grace.

(00:57)
Dr. Tabatha: I believe this is going to put everything into perspective and give you the hope you need to get through another day. So let’s welcome Karen. I’m just so excited that you’re doing this.

(01:12)
Karen Bartram: Thank you so much. I’m so honored to be here with you, Dr. Tabatha. This is a great opportunity and I’m just happy to be here.

(01:23)
Dr. Tabatha: You are such a blessing. I still remember when you first came to my medical practice a couple years ago. It was for hormone imbalance and some weight issues, and you were just this happy-go-lucky person dealing with a few things.

(01:44)
Dr. Tabatha: But then I started Fast to Faith, and you stuck with me through that journey too. And recently, you said something to me that hit hard—you said if it wasn’t for the faith you’d built through Fast to Faith, you wouldn’t have been prepared for the challenge you’re facing now.

(02:06)
Karen Bartram: That’s absolutely true. This has been a journey. When I started with you, I had a totally different set of issues. But my faith has become the backbone of my day-to-day life—especially now. It’s grown, it’s changed, and it’s not always clean or neat. But it’s strong.

(02:28)
Karen Bartram: It’s messy, but it’s a process. And I’m so grateful to you and your team, on both the medical and faith sides, because what I’ve learned has truly been a blessing in my life.

(02:44)
Dr. Tabatha: And we think you’re a blessing—because even in the hardest of circumstances, you’ve continued to teach all of us how to just show up. So let’s get into it… what happened? How long has it been since you got your diagnosis? Walk us through it.

(03:06)
Karen Bartram: So earlier this year, not long after New Year’s, I started having some strange symptoms—fine motor issues in my left hand, like missing buttons while typing. Little things I brushed off at first.

(03:41)
Karen Bartram: Then people started asking if I was limping. It was subtle but concerning. Eventually, I saw a doctor, got an MRI, and still thought it was a pinched nerve. I even tried the chiropractor for weeks—nothing helped.

(04:54)
Karen Bartram: It got worse quickly. I ended up in the ER, and after a CT scan, they found a large brain tumor. It was surreal. I was telling the nurses, “No, I’m healthy! I’ve got my supplements!” But they were like, “Ma’am, you’re not okay.”

(05:40)
Karen Bartram: I was admitted to the hospital, and within 10 days I had to undergo brain surgery—a nine-centimeter mass had to be removed from the right side of my brain.

(06:05)
Karen Bartram: The surgery was over 8 hours… and I was awake for a large portion of it. I was so grateful afterward. I had done it. Successfully.

(06:43)
Dr. Tabatha: Wait, explain that to the listeners—why were you awake during brain surgery?

(06:49)
Karen Bartram: They sedated me, then woke me up during surgery. The surgeon had people next to me having me do tasks—like moving my fingers and feet—so they could map the nerves and avoid permanent damage.

(08:00)
Karen Bartram: I could hear the surgeon the entire time. He’d say, “This is helpful, let’s keep going.” It was wild. But I cheered him on. He called it a home run afterward—he removed 99% of the tumor.

(09:00)
Dr. Tabatha: And four weeks later, you look like you didn’t just have open brain surgery. That’s incredible. But I know what came next was devastating.

(09:48)
Karen Bartram: Yeah. After surgery, I got the pathology report. It came back as a grade 4 glioblastoma. What’s wild is—it was the 9-year anniversary of my father-in-law’s death… from glioblastoma.

(11:06)
Dr. Tabatha: That’s heartbreaking… and heavy. But instead of giving up, you said, “Okay God, what do I do next?”

(11:54)
Karen Bartram: Exactly. It was devastating, but I had to keep going. I’m currently in radiation and chemo, with a break coming up, then more treatment. We’re also researching everything—from immunotherapy to supplements and clinical trials.

(13:00)
Dr. Tabatha: What I love is you haven’t just accepted one path—you’re doing the work, researching, praying, and asking God for wisdom with each step.

(14:08)
Karen Bartram: I had to surrender a lot. I was so focused on doing things naturally and holistically, but I realized quickly—this was serious. I had to combine the best of both worlds.

(15:30)
Karen Bartram: So I’m doing standard chemo and radiation and exploring integrative approaches. We’ve talked to other patients, looked into trials, and I’ve read every book Amazon will deliver.

(17:02)
Dr. Tabatha: And through it all, you’ve kept God at the center. You’ve said “We’re praying on it” every time we talk. That discernment is so powerful.

(18:30)
Karen Bartram: We’ve had a lot of doors close—some options just weren’t available, and we took that as God saying “Not that way.” It’s helped guide our path.

(20:00)
Dr. Tabatha: And you’ve declared: “I will not give up hope.” That choice alone makes all the difference.

(21:00)
Dr. Tabatha: The Book of James says: “Consider it pure joy when you face trials, because it builds perseverance.” And your word for the year… was perseverance. Before any of this happened.

(22:15)
Karen Bartram: It’s crazy, right? My words for the past three years were strength, faith, and now perseverance. God was preparing me all along.

(23:00)
Dr. Tabatha: And now your test is becoming your testimony. You're helping others grow stronger in their faith just by how you’re showing up.

(24:10)
Karen Bartram: I feel like I’ve been training for this—not just physically, but spiritually. Getting healthy before this diagnosis gave me the strength to recover, and now faith carries me forward.

(25:30)
Dr. Tabatha: If someone listening is being nudged by God to take care of their health—this is their wake-up call. It's not about vanity. It’s about preparation for what’s ahead.

(26:43)
Dr. Tabatha: You’re a walking miracle, Karen. And I know your journey is far from over, but we’re here to celebrate the healing already happening.

(27:30)
Karen Bartram: Thank you. I’m so grateful to be here, to share this, and to remind people: never lose hope.