BRAIN TUMOR UPDATE

Name: Oligodendroglioma

Grade: 2

Well, the pathology kind of came back. The tumor is an Oligodendroglioma.  It is a stage 2, which is a slow growing tumor.  The oncologist says it could have been there for 6 months, a year, possibly even longer than a year.  This type of tumor often develops from a with a single cell deviance on chromosome #1 or #19. However, there is still a pathology problem --the tests didn't come process correctly.  But the deviance comes from at least one chromosome, either 1 or 19.  It still could be both.  If it is both, the chemo will work much more effectively.

For now, I am scheduled for more brain surgery on Monday afternoon (12:00- just got the call).  I'll have another MRI right before to help guide the neurosurgeon. That means I'll probably have to go into the hospital by 9:30 am. I still have a fair amount of tumor in front of the hole left from the previous surgery, which should come out easily.  Behind the hole is a smaller part of the tumor.  But the tumor appears to be growing that direction. And that direction has critical brain function, unlike in front.  So the neurosurgeon will "push" to get the tumor gone from that part, but without "pushing" too much.  The area between the tumor and leg paralyzation is about 1", so there is a lot of room, he just has to be aggressive, but not too aggressive.  My hospital stay should be only a few days, as before.  (I am expecting to be home Wed-Fri, depending on how I recover, and how I handle the nausea, which is usually my downfall. :)  They will then send new pathology out for testing (NIH) to see if they can get a clearer pathology result.

After I recover for about 3 weeks, I will start chemotherapy.   It is pretty easy, as far as chemo goes. Chemo will be given once a day for about 5 days, then I'll recover for about 3 weeks.  (one month cycle).  This will repeat for 6-12 months.  I should be able to go to school part time or work part time during the chemo, with the understanding that the 5 days on chemo, I will be much sicker than the 3 week recover afterwards. I plan on taking a class or two from NOVA while taking an independent study class from BYU. If Chemo isn't too hard on me, I am aiming to return to Utah in the summer. But, if the Chemo is harsher, and I react poorly, I might not return until next winter semester... And a year away from my home... Kills me.

We love our oncologist and are liking our new neurosurgeon better and better.  They are both listed as one of the best in their fields for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. My recovery is going great and I am anxious to get this next surgery done quickly.  (One reason we like the doctor.  He really listened to me and adjusted his surgery schedule to fit me in quickly since that is what I wanted....)








So, my old friend Freddy (Winifred) is being taken out in an invasive, slightly risky, surgery. And he is not too happy about it. Heck! If I were being removed piece by piece from my home, I would not be too happy about it. Especially if I was just a baby! And poor Freddy is just so young... He'll have a tough time being away from his mommy, but I'm pretttty sure that his mommy will be better off without him (as sad as that sounds).


Anyways, that's all for now- more confessions to come.


- J