LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The added pain and stress of pregnancy can be tough for many mothers. However, Louisville doctors discovered a first-time mother also had a brain tumor.

"I have a lot of life to live," Lauren Lydon said.

It's been 11 years of love and laughter for Lauren and Sean Lydon. They couldn't have been more excited when they found out Lauren was pregnant with baby Penelope.

Lauren Lydon overcomes brain tumor

Lauren and Sean Lydon couldn't have been more excited to have baby Penelope.

"My husband's a big golfer," the first-time mother said. "He thought that Penny Lydon was a good golfing name for when she becomes a collegiate golfer. That is how we picked the name."

As her pregnancy progressed, so did the overwhelming neck and head pain.

"Starting in early September, I had terrible headaches," Lauren recalled.

Everyone told her it was all just part of being pregnant, so Lauren dealt with it. She tried to ignore the pain all the way through Christmas before finally going to the emergency room.

"Within a few hours, they found that I had a brain tumor which was really shocking but also relieving," she said.

Her University of Louisville Health doctor, Dr. Akshitkumar Mistry, is an assistant professor of neurosurgery for the health system. He said it's unclear if Lauren's pregnancy caused the tumor.

"Given the rarity of the situation, I think more research is due," Mistry said.

It was slightly bigger than a golf ball and near a major vein in the back of Lauren's head. To top it off, doctors also found swelling and brain pressure high enough to kill her.

At more than 25 weeks pregnant, Lauren would need surgery. The UofL Health team also prepared her for an emergency C-section just in case.

Despite the pain, she kept a positive outlook.

"This is just one setback," Lauren said. "I remember, I woke up from surgery and I immediately grabbed my belly because I knew that we both had made it through surgery and we were going to be okay."

Her surgery was successful, and the tumor is now gone. Baby Penelope is expected to arrive on April 9.

Lauren and Penelope have their whole lives ahead of them. Now, Lauren biggest concern is what color to paint the nursery.

"There were so many things that could have gone wrong," Lauren said. "I feel like I had the best outcome in every case."

It's all because Lauren advocated for herself and her health. That's the lesson she hopes other expectant mothers will take away from her story.

"If I had waited any longer, I think the outcome would have been a lot different," she said. "I feel really good about the future, that I'll get to do the things that I wanted to do."

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