Gila Vista teacher recovering from surgery

A Gila Vista Junior High School teacher has returned from a Phoenix hospital and is now recovering from a brain tumor, according to her family.

Ashley Wagner, 26, is a special education teacher who works with autistic students. She developed a brain tumor and was transferred by air ambulance to the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix on Sept. 16, according to her husband, Jason Wagner, who is a criminal justice teacher at Kofa High School.

Just prior to that, Ashley had three wisdom teeth extracted and lost all feeling on the right side of her face, Wagner said. After an exam determined it was not because of anesthetics or the dental procedure, Ashley was examined by a physician who thought her condition might be because of a stroke. But an MRI showed the presence of a 1.5 centimeter tumor on her thalamus, Wagner said.

The thalamus is the structure at the midbrain that relays sensations and motor signals to the cerebral cortex along with regulation of consciousness, sleep and alertness. Her tumor is called an astrocytoma that is typically found only in 8- to 13-year-old children. Medical science does not know what causes it but her tumor is benign, Wagner said.

For those with malignant tumors, survival rate is usually only one to three years. But for low-grade astrocytomas, removal of the tumor allows survival for many years and five-year survival rates are more than 90 percent.

Ashley had two surgeries, yet an MRI showed the procedures did not completely remove the tumor, Wagner said. She will have additional MRIs to monitor the tumor over the next several weeks and doctors will decide what type of radiation therapy she needs, if any, he added.

On Thursday, Ashley was transferred to Yuma Rehabilitation Hospital. Doctors will observe her recovery and determine whether she can recuperate at home. Typically recovery requires two to three months, Wagner said.

"She's more concerned about her students and she wants to return to teaching as quickly as possible. As for her cognitive ability, she's still all there. She's the same person I've always known and she's bound and determined to do whatever she needs to get back with her life."

On Monday, Ashley began a program of physical therapy. Her right side motor function is still diminished and she must have assistance to walk, Wagner said.

"I know she is really looking forward to getting back on the road to recovery because teaching is her passion."

Rusty Tyndall, Gila Vista principal who visited Ashley on Saturday, said news of her tumor was quite a shock to the school community.

"She has an excellent prognosis and we hope to have her back as soon as she is able. She misses her kids but her priority is getting well, so returning to work takes a back seat."

Even though she appeared in great shape and was "talking up a storm," she still has a ways to go to a complete recovery, Tyndal said. He also said the school is  very grateful she was diagnosed quickly and then turned over to the right hands, where she received outstanding care.

"Of course we miss her and she's a big part of our staff. We have a substitute in there now but we are looking forward to having the first string back in there."

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William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.comor 539-6858.