HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — "The people I play with just make it more fun and they've become my family in my life. I just like playing with them. Softball just stuck with me," said Jessica Mead.
Since she was four, Jess Mead has always played softball. From travel ball to the Hudsonville softball JV team, she loves being on the field. But that was almost taken away from her at the end of 2022.
"I'd get really bad headaches, I was super tired so I'd come home from school and sleep. And those headaches would make me throw up. And every time I woke up in the morning I'd feel sick getting ready for school," said Jess.
"I called the pediatrician and we set up an appointment for her to come in. She examined her and said lets try these two medicines, one was for headaches, one was for nausea. And if this doesn't work within a week call me back and we'll schedule an MRI and I thought wow that's really quick I thought maybe they would get her on a different medicine or try something else," said Karen Mead.
Jess's symptoms continued through the week of Thanksgiving. On December 5th the 16 year old went in for an MRI and got results that no one could have expected.
"I was just sitting there and then she said 'you have a mass on your brain' and I didn't understand it at first. I was happy that they found out what was wrong with me but I didn't understand that it was serious.
"I don't remember hearing the word tumor but I remember seeing the image and knowing that it was a tumor. And of course all the bad thoughts run through your head like is this cancerous, is this fatal, is she going to die?" Said Pete Mead.
Just three days later Jess had a 13 hour long surgery performed by Dr. Michael Bercu at Helen DeVos Childrens hospital. They soon confirmed through pathology that the tumor was benign.
The next two weeks were a challenge, learning how to stand and walk again.
"Standing up was all I did for one day and it was like oh my god or I was walking around the hospital floor slowly with my walker and people were cheering me on and it didn't seem that big to me but it was frustrating to me how little progress and how you have to take it slow and slowly build your way back up," said Jess.
Less than three weeks from finding out she had a brain tumor, she was able to skip treatment at Mary Free Bed and come home for physical therapy, just days before Christmas.
"Not surprised because Jess has that personality of being super competitive, type A, wants to do everything right. And always wants to improve on things so we were not surprised that she was such a fighter on that," said Karen.
That fight didn't stop there. Just two months after having the golf ball sized tumor removed, Jess was back at the batting cage and soon back with her team.
"That's all I was thinking about the I was in the hospital was just how much I wanted to play. It's what I spend all my time doing really so just not being able to do that for so long. It just feels weird but now that I'm back it makes me feel normal again, it makes me feel whole," said Jess.
Her entire team at Hudsonville has been nothing short of supportive and welcomed her back with open arms. Jess has already scored four home runs this year, not missing a beat and she considers herself lucky to be standing where she is today after how much her life changed just six months ago.
"I think it's lucky that I was able to get through the situation. I think it's good to be grateful for that. Just to be grateful for the way that everything turned out positive for me and I'm grateful for that every day.
For more scores, highlights, and the latest news on high school sports in West Michigan, go to the FOX 17 Blitz page.
