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A mom was diagnosed with brain cancer after the tingling in her arm was dismissed as anxiety.
Kelsey Stokstad, 32, started experiencing numbness and tingling in her left arm and hand but doctors told her it was anxiety-related and prescribed her Beta blockers.
But when she had a grand mal seizure – a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions – four months later a CT scan revealed a mass on the brain.
She underwent surgery to remove 98 percent of the tumor and a biopsy later revealed she had a grade 3 astrocytoma with an IDH1 mutation – a cancerous brain tumor.
The mom-of-one had 33 rounds of radiotherapy with 12 rounds of chemotherapy – which she completed in January 2025 – and now requires MRI scans every four months to monitor the cancer’s growth.
Stokstad, a stay-at-home mom, from Madison, Wisconsin, said: “I started feeling numbness and tingling in my left hand and arm.
“It was very unnerving. I thought it was heart-related, so I went to the ER, but when I arrived, the symptoms stopped – it was very confusing.
“The doctors thought it could be anxiety-related, which I feel is a common misdiagnosis for women.
“I was given a beta blocker, which didn’t do anything, because the numbness and tingling continued.”
After initially experiencing numbness and tingling in her left arm, doctors sent Stokstad home with beta blockers.
The symptoms persisted, and four months later, in August 2023, Stokstad was working alone when he had a grand mal seizure.
“I noticed the numbness and tingling were starting to radiate towards my leg,” Stokstad said.
“I was on the phone with my husband at the time, and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor.
“My husband was screaming my name. It must have been five minutes where I wasn’t answering.
“I had a grand mal seizure. When I came around, I was so confused.”
Her husband Sean, 33, a business consultant, drove Stokstad to Meriter Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, where she underwent a CAT scan that showed a 4cm mass on the brain.
A few days later, on August 17, 2023, doctors performed a craniotomy and were able to remove 98 percent of the tumor, which was sent off for biopsy.
Stokstad said: “Doctors told me that the numbness and tingling I was experiencing were small seizures.
“My tumor got big enough that it was pressing on my brain.
“I was then admitted for immediate surgery, where they were able to remove 98 per cent of the tumor – which was incredible.”
In September 2023, Stokstad was diagnosed with brain cancer.
A further biopsy then revealed that the astrocytoma had an IDH1 mutation, which meant it was less aggressive and slower growing.
Stokstad said: “I was just in shock, I couldn’t believe that this was happening to me.
“I was thinking of my daughter, Raya, aged three, and how I didn’t want her to grow up without a mom.
“Initially, they told me my prognosis was three to five years, which was really hard.
“We then found out that due to the mutation, my prognosis was 12 to 15 years and when they told us that, we were so happy.
“This is all still really hard, but I am grateful to be here and hopeful in my journey.”
Stokstad underwent egg retrieval for IVF in case Stokstad and Sean wanted to grow their family in the future.
She finished radiotherapy and chemotherapy in January 2025.
“Since then my scans have been stable, I have had some swelling, but nothing to be concerned about,” Stokstad said.
Stokstad will have to undergo an MRI scan every four months, with her next scan taking place on December 8, 2025.
If the scan comes back stable, Stokstad and Sean, want to start IVF and grow their family early next year.
Stokstad said: “If it is stable, my oncologist has cleared us for starting IVF.
“We are so excited. I am nervous, but excited.
“We will be able to start growing our family from early next year, and we can’t wait.”
