Family Life and Friendship Network

I got to met with Julie's doctor last week to discuss pending changes in Julie's treatment plan. She is finally done with her Temodar treatment, but the battle isn't over yet. Julie still has some cancer cells that resist Temodar. The new cancer cells are all developing very close to the top of her spinal column, but still in her brain. The new spots are very small, and Doctor Glantz is confident we can successfully treat them. The new treatment plan will begin in a couple weeks, with two different forms of chemotherapy. The first will be administered in the hospital every 2 weeks at least until the second form starts this particular treatment is very targeted to her type of cancer cells, and does not cause hair loss.

The second form is a new idea discovered by Dr. Allison. She discovered that these particular cancerous brain cells are vulnerable to a chemotherapy drug used to treat breast cancer. There are two ways to administer this chemotherapy treatment. They can perform a very lengthy spinal tap every 2 weeks, or they can place a tiny reservoir just under the scalp that has a tube that passes through the skull. Then they can administer the chemotherapy directly through the reservoir in just a few minutes. On the surface, you might see a tiny bump where the reservoir is, but that's all. The reservoir method works a little better because it's closer to where the chemo needs to go, and it's easier for it to fall down the spine than to climb up.

Julie's come a long way. She still has some fighting to do, but she'll make it. I thank my family, friends, and ward. I thank God and His gift of knowledge to modern medical research. I thank Julie's doctors. Because of your thoughts, prayers, and efforts, my wife is alive, and doing well.