This is an update on what’s happening. “Just the facts…” sorta. I figured that since I already control this space it could serve to provide some insight to anyone lacking. Friday, May 20th, I had a brain surgery after a routine scan revealed a, “problem.” They couldn’t remove everything without chancing serious damage and all the surgeons concurred that another more extensive surgery was not preferable. A well scraped out jack’o’lantern is good but not a head, not my head. BUT, more surgery remains an option if alternate methods prove unsuccessful. After a few days in a plush hospital room I moved to a much more modest space on the rehabilitation floor. The aftermath of this surgery left me very similar to pre-this surgery, as opposed to the dramatic changes last time. On Wednesday, June 1, I came home. The pathology of the tumor revealed it as slightly more aggressive than the last, in the same spot but a little smaller (since we caught it much earlier). With 4 months between scans it went from non-existent to substantial enough for surgery. But because it failed to grow much between Monday (the reveal) and surgery (which removed some) there isn’t an extreme hurry. This Monday, June 7, I will meet with my neuro-oncologist to lay out the plan going forward. It likely includes some sort of chemo pills (same as before, still the prime mode of treatment and statistically this tumor responds better) and targeted radiation. Additionally I may qualify for a clinical study of a “check-point inhibitor” that Cedars (my hospital, Cedars Sinai) is running. The trial does nothing to change my other treatment plans, just adds some more meetings and labs. Basically I’m home now, figuring out what pills to take when (I only have two) and waiting to learn the next step on Monday.
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