We had a good meeting with the oncologist today. She made Lindsey feel very comfortable... hugged her as she arrived, acknowledged her feelings and she listened to her, which right now can be painful as she struggles for words.The tumor is affecting the language/speech area of her brain, and it appears to be getting worse pretty quickly. She made us feel as if we were friends, vs a doctor patient relationship.
It's overwhelming. There are so many things to consider and each option has inherent risks. Don't operate and the chemo may not stunt growth quick enough. Do operate and complications from the surgery could occur. Consultation with the large clinics such as MD Anderson and Mayo will most likely not yield better results because of Lindsey's history. Qualifying for clinical trials is unlikely due to her previous tumor which limits the use of radiation. We're learning that the treatment options from the various institutes are similar. As Dr. Taylor shared today, we are asking all the right questions, evaluating our options, doing the right research. We need to go with a decision that we're comfortable with, that feels right, and don't look back. And unfortunately, time is not on our side right now.
Tomorrow we drop off the MRI's for KU's tumor board to review. Will they propose anything different? We will see.
The "good" that Lindsey heard today was around the side effects of the proposed Chemo. This particular Chemo (Temador and Avastin) does not result in hair loss.
Thank you God for that delivery of news.... Lindsey needs some rays of sunshine to come her way as she copes with this chronic illness.
Tonight, Bob and I will help Lindsey complete her durable Power of Attorney and Living Will. We must.. while it's painful to think about, we must be prepared and only pray that it is never used. I would advise all parents of adult, unmarried,children to do this now vs waiting until it's medically necessary. It's much easier to think about when it's pursued as an effort of preparedness.
Today's encouraging quote from Hannah to Lindsey...
"There is no telling how many miles you have to run while chasing a dream." We say, keep on running and chasing the dream Lindsey!
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