physical

Tomorrow Marie will have a complete physical with our family physician. It's important to have a doctor watching her from now on in case there are no more treatments in store for Marie. This way our family doctor will have a good representation of her current health and then be able to judge changes as they occur whether they are due to the tumor or future treatment.

If the tumors continue to grow, then I would expect all the original symptoms and problems to occur. With a medical professional following her condition, as it changes, we will be better prepared to deal with things as they happen.

unforeseen

Okay I received a message from Marie's oncologist in Omaha. MD Anderson had an unforeseen delay in Marie's case. We should have some news soon. This is when it's fortunate that it's a slower growing tumor.

doing well

Guess what? Still no news. Marie's doing good anyway

hope

Hope. No hope. Some hope. No hope. Maybe some hope. Wait and see if there's hope.

So goes the life of this brain tumor patient and caregiver.

monday

I spoke with Marie's oncologist on Wednesday evening. He's been in contact with the oncologist at M D Anderson and it sounds like they may have an idea. Anyway the doctor at M D Anderson was going to preset the case again this week to the tumor board. Our doctor here in Omaha thought that he should have something to tell us on Monday.

always

Still no news and nothing happening. Marie, though is doing good. We're going out to dinners and movies. Just generally having a good time. Always enjoy the good times.

no news

Still no word back from M D Anderson. That's not unusual though. In the past her case was presented to their tumor board. I believe it meets once a week. I think they meet on Friday's. Maybe we'll hear something this week.

life doesn't stop

When you're reading the blog about the past ten years, waiting for news was just a posting away. But when you live it in real time it's frustrating and nerve racking. You don't know what you will hear or when you will hear it. Life doesn't stop, it pushes on. That's great when you're busy and time goes fast. When you're waiting to hear what life holds it drags on slowly.

today 1/12/11

I talked with Marie's oncologist in Omaha today. He hasn't heard beck from M D Anderson yet but he promised to check with them again. I'm hoping no news is good news at this point.

our goal

Marie had a doctor appointment today with our family physician. He's going to keep seeing her on a regular basis, so this way someone would be staying up with her general health. If we can't get rid of the brain tumors, we can make sure that some other problem doesn't start, without our knowing about it. As the tumors grow any thing could happen. Our goal now is the best quality of life.

too busy

Things were hectic at the time. Two teenage children, both of us working and taking care of a house. We were too busy for an illness. That happens to other people anyway. Not us.

How could I allow symptoms like that to go unchecked.

fainting

Before the tumor. Here goes.

There are subtle things that happened before the discovery of the first tumor in October 2000 that should have tipped us off that something was wrong. About two years prior things started to occur. I would come home from work and in the normal conversation of the day, that a husband and wife would have, Marie would mention-oh yeah, I fainted in the shower today. Of course I would question what do you mean that you fainted. She would explain how she blacked out for a moment and sometimes how she would also throw up.

I believe now that she was having seizures caused by the tumor. The medicals said that the original tumor was growing for 5 to 10 years. At the time we talked about the fainting spells and decided that she was taking showers that were too hot or she ate something bad. I know I mentioned this in an earlier post but it still bothers me. Why didn't I recognize this as a much more serious issue.

what happened first

It's actually difficult to write the blog right now because there is absolutely nothing happening. No treatments, or medications for the tumors. We are in a point of limbo. Waiting on MD Anderson to contribute their opinions on what, if anything else Marie should do. As long as we're waiting on the medicals I thought I could tell a little about what happened before the tumor was diagnosed.

time to recover

Marie's shingles appear to be changing. I'm hoping that means they are getting better. The medicals will be telling us what else we can do. Or should do. Being New Years weekend I'm sure no one is around right now, so we just have to wait. My guess is that we will wait for a couple of weeks. In the meantime there is really nothing to do except let her body recover from all the treatments and medications.

start new

Happy New Year.

Let's hope so.