We received the finalized MRI results and the tumor has shown some mild growth.  Devestated?  No.  Disappointed?  Yes.  We haven’t been nearly as aggressive in the DMSO therapy since my last scan and in fact hardly did it in late November and December because of the holidays.  It probably wasn’t the best decision, but it’s hard to want to smell like DMSO when you know you’re going to be around a lot of people celebrating the season.  Who knows if that contributed to the tumor not remaining stable, but it is what it is, and we’re onto the next step!

 It is still presenting as a low grade tumor, which is some of the best news we could’ve received.  This tumor, as you’ve seen, is supposed to be a higher grade (3), rather than 2.  We have been so blessed that it has remained this way since beginning this treatment in June.

What’s the next step?  We have decided to start chemo on Monday.  The chemo is an oral pill and I will do it 5 days in a row, followed by 23 days off.  I will continue to do some natural therapies that will compliment the chemo, but also help off-set the side effects.  The most common side effects with this medication is headache, nausea, fatigue and constipation.  The latter, I’ve noticed, is the biggest complaint from people online.

We thoroughly remain confident that we can beat this tumor.  We believe that God will bring healing, but he apparently isn’t finished with this chapter in our lives, yet.

I’m waiting to hear from my neurosurgeon, Dr. Linda Liau.  UCLA hasn’t always concurred with my local radiologist on the reading of the scans, so I never consider the results truly official until I hear from her.  I’m hoping to hear from her sometime next week. 

We are doing well, otherwise.  We’ve had 2 very sick kids in the house, getting anything and everything that seems to be going around the school and the church nursery.  a.k.a. Ground Zero.  Just when we thought we were turning the corner with these colds, Tyler now has an ear infection.  Poor guys.  I’m happy to say that I haven’t gotten anything, yet, (aside from this tumor), so my immune system must be working well! 

Thank you so much for all of your love, prayers, emails, notes of support over the last few weeks.  I’ve said it before and Ill say it again.  It takes a village to get through a cancer diagnosis and all of the things that come with it.  I would never survive the agony without God’s grace and all of you investing in our lives in the ways that you have. 

I will post, again, when I hear more information.  I have not received the PET scan results, but based upon the MRI, I would think that the PET should correlate with the MRI results.  Until then…