Operating on the brain is a delicate surgery to go through and many things can go right or go wrong.

Your mother sounds like she does not have any choice but to have the surgery.

I do not want to scare you but your mother could be left with deficits physically and mentally. It could be mild deficits or it could cause major deficits such as learning to walk again.
Ask the doc what the percentages are on risks that could be incurred. He should be able to name
percentages such as 1% risk of stroke, etc

In addition, have friends and family start praying for a good outcome, because prayer will help.

I just had a friend go into intensive care for a disection (is what they were calling it)...The had him on a blood thinner instead of doing brain surgery. They claimed his was possibly from an old head injury as well but he isn't really prone to having head injuries and has no memory of any of them.

I was shocked that they were treating this with medication which thins the blood since part of the problem was that it was already leaking into the brain area. You might ask your doctors for a second opinion. I don't know where you are located but they are often times working toward using less invasive treatments as opposed to cutting people open to do brain surgeries.

And, doctors like to keep you as informed of the worst case scenario AND try not to panic you at the same time. You hear of the more difficult surgeries and side effects because the people who complain - complain...if it went well you would never hear about it. As it is...they told my buddy the same thing...chance of stroke...and a few other things - but he is home now and his levels have been fine - and its been almost 2 weeks.

Its odd because you are describing everything he was diagnosed with except it wasn't a tumor, it was what they were calling a disection. They also told me 3 different things before i was standing with a nurse and heard her say what it was exactly...they were calling everything from a clot to a leak to a distention...to finally a disection. If you weren't with your mom when she was given the diagnosis and treatment explained - make a list of questions and write it down and ask them of the doctor or nurse next time there is a visit. You might be surprised at some of the answers.

First they called it a cyst, then a brain tumor, and yes, they said it was from an old head injury.She has had a couple of head injuries. She is already on a blood thinner. She'll have another CAT Scan soon so we'll know more. Thank you and God Bless!