Okay, well you guys are good! NO SURGERY!!!! Dr. Handler said it made no sense since the treatment would be the same - radiation, so why jeapordize Alex's life and put him through a very painful operation. YEAHHH!!! I am sooo relieved!! God bless you all for your prayers.
Okay, here's the bad news, you had to know that there was another side to this tale. Well, since "it" (assuming it is a low grade tumor that is not responding to chemo) has grown during chemo we will go to plan B; "failure treatment for low grade astrocytoma". That means surgery to swap his mediport for an external port. Conformational radiation and chemo treatments five days a week, for six weeks at the Fitzsimmons hospital under anethesia. No school during this treatment and after six weeks, treatment is done. Fini! The next 10 to 14 days will be spent planning, organizing and arranging for a lot to happen. Steve and I really only have an inkling of knowledge about what the next two months will be like.
The other bad news is that radiation only works 50% of the time. And if it does work that there is a 3-4% chance that radiation will lead to a fatal secondary malignancy.
So when I asked Dr. Foreman "what do I pray for?" He said, "pray that radiation works." So that is my request to you. Please pray for Alex, for Zoe, for Steve and for me but most of all please, please, please pray that this treatment combination works and gets rid of these nasty tumors in our beautiful boy's big brain!
There are several side effects to all of this but we'll deal with those later.
Okay, I have to say I feel better. At least we have a gameplan and that is HUGE. I know what to pray for and that is HUGER!! (I know, huger is not a word!) Steve and I have decided to spend a few days processing before we make any decisions about jobs, time off, etc. So much to be done.
I thank you all for your prayers and wish I could hug each and every one of you. I have always believed in the power of prayer, and will continue. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You may notice that I changed the post's layout and have allowed some advertising on this blog. Please don't think that I am taking advantage of Alex's situation. It is simply a means to get some extra income at a time when it is needed and would greatly benefit our situation.
God bless! Have a wonderful day and may you all be safe during this stormy season!
G
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3 comments:
To all of you,
I am thrilled that there is a game plan! I continue to request that everyone in my life pass your blog on to the next person for support and prayers. We are all pulling for Alex to come through on the other side of this horrible intruder. Stay strong and know that your whole family continues to be in the minds, hearts and prayers of friends as well as those who haven't been blessed to meet your wonderful family.
Courtney and Steven Burns
Hang in there, Kasnoff's. You've got a whole community around you to rely on - so please use us for anything.
You're in good hands with the people at Fitzsimmons. Mr. Bill will take great of you all and the doctors there are wonderful.
Dr. Foreman recommended anesthesia for Ben while undergoing radiation treatments, but we never needed it. The first session is the hardest (and the scariest), but the staff at Fitz helped him through it. We were told that anesthesia adds about an hour to your treatment time due as they recuperate. You know Alexander the best, so follow your gut.
We've put together a stuffed animal drive for the radiation center in memory of Ben. Hopefully Alexander and Zoe will find a little comfort in a snuggly animal.
I am so glad that a game plan is at hand. I cannot do much more than send good mojo and pray to who ever or what ever will listen. So I am doing both. This is the part of life where baby steps are the best, because if you look to far ahead all you see is confusion and black. All my thoughts to you.
Hugs,
Shantell Gutierrez
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