Wisconsin Mom’s ‘Anxiety’ Turns Out to Be Brain Tumor After Grand Mal Seizure
A Wisconsin woman’s persistent arm tingling, initially dismissed as anxiety, was ultimately revealed to be a symptom of a brain tumor after she experienced a life-altering grand mal seizure. Kelsey Stoksted, 32, is now sharing her story to raise awareness about the importance of advocating for your health and seeking second opinions when symptoms persist.
Kelsey Stoksted first noticed a strange tingling sensation in her arm in May 2023. “It started at my fingertips, and it just went all the way up to my shoulder,” she explained in a TikTok video. “It kind of felt like when you fall asleep on your arm… I literally just couldn’t move it, couldn’t control it.” Fearing a stroke, Stoksted and her husband, Sean, called for an ambulance. However, by the time she arrived at the hospital, the symptoms had subsided.
Bloodwork came back normal, and due to financial concerns, Stoksted opted to forgo a CT scan and instead followed up with her primary care physician. “We had already called the ambulance, and we knew that was going to be expensive,” she said. Her doctor attributed the tingling to anxiety, prescribing a beta blocker – a medication commonly used to manage the physical manifestations of stress. However, the medication proved ineffective.
The symptoms resurfaced in August while Stoksted was working at her mother’s boutique, this time extending down her left leg. “I noticed it started going down to my left leg, which had never happened before, and really started getting nervous,” she recalled. She immediately contacted her husband, instructing him to lie her down and lock the door. Shortly after, Stoksted experienced a grand mal seizure while still on the phone with Sean, remaining unresponsive for approximately five minutes, according to her husband.
Following the seizure, Stoksted was rushed to the hospital where doctors discovered a 4-cm brain tumor causing the neurological episodes. Surgeons were able to successfully remove the tumor, finding it “very accessible, right on top of my brain.” Initially, her prognosis was grim, with doctors estimating a life expectancy of just three to five years.
However, a subsequent discovery of a genetic mutation altered her outlook dramatically. The mutation indicated a less aggressive form of cancer, extending her prognosis to 12 to 15 years. “Due to the mutation, my prognosis was 12 to 15 years, and when they told us that we were so happy,” Stoksted shared.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Stoksted remains optimistic. “This is all still really hard, but I am grateful to be here and hopeful in my journey,” she said. She also expressed profound gratitude for the advancements in modern medicine, stating, “Modern medicine is the reason I’m still here. Giving myself and my family a chance at living life together.”
Stoksted’s story serves as a powerful reminder to prioritize health concerns and advocate for thorough investigation, even when initial diagnoses seem plausible.
