Episode #4 | Living a Double Life After My Brain Tumor Diagnosis: Smiling Outside, Struggling Inside
🧠Episode Description
In this episode of I Have A What? Surviving a Brain Tumor, Johnathan “TeflonJohn” Smith opens up about a part of the journey that many survivors never talk about. It is the season after the diagnosis, when everyone expects you to be strong, but inside you are still searching for peace.
After the first visit to UVA and hearing the words “watch and wait,” life was supposed to return to normal. But how do you live normally when there is something inside your head that could change everything? Johnathan reflects on what it felt like to wear a mask every day, smiling for friends, coworkers, and church members while quietly carrying the fear of the unknown.
Late at night, he turned to Google, scrolling through brain tumor forums and survivor stories, trying to find reassurance that he was not alone. Every story he read brought both comfort and anxiety. He was trying to understand what might come next, but the deeper he searched, the more he realized that peace does not come from information. It comes from faith.
Through prayer, reflection, and the lessons of his grandfather, Johnathan began to find balance between fear and faith. His grandfather’s quiet wisdom reminded him that true strength is not about having all the answers. It is about continuing to show up every day, even when you are scared.
This episode is a reminder that healing is not just physical. It is emotional, mental, and spiritual. You can appear fine on the outside and still be searching for peace on the inside, and that is okay.
💭 In this episode:
- Living a double life after diagnosis
- Balancing faith and fear
- Searching for peace late at night
- Finding strength in the wisdom of his grandfather
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☕ Support the show: BuyMeACoffee.com/TeflonJohn📱 Follow I Have A What? Surviving a Brain Tumor for more stories of faith, resilience, and hope.
#IHaveAWhatPodcast#SurvivingABrainTumor#TeflonJohn#BrainTumorJourney#PodcastStorytelling#FaithOverFear#HealingJourney#ResilienceAndRecovery#RealLifeStories#TheArtOfReinvention
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