Back to Detroit - Rock City - 10/26/11

Well, more information now....

My oncologist called me this morning and let me know that Karmanos will do the stereotactic radiation on my brain tumors (or as they call them lesions).  We will be going down on Sunday, meet with the doctors in the afternoon on Monday, hang around Detroit that evening and then Tuesday I will have the radiation.  Again, I will go there, they will put the halo on and start the process of mapping the radiation sites.  It is possible that they might not be able to do it all in one day; if that is the case, I may stay in the hospital with the halo on or they may take it off and then do the second round of radiation on Wednesday.  We won't know this until we meet with them on Monday (or possibly not even until Tuesday).  The poor woman who called me to discuss this had MANY questions.  She was very kind about answering all of them.  One of my questions is that I had stereotactic here in Marquette and my biggest fear of having it again is getting the halo off without sedation.  I would definitely do it again - the pain was horrible but I will take that pain for that short amount of time.  She said we would discuss that further at the Monday appointment.

After the radiation, I will start zelboraf (vemurafenib) - the twice a day chemo pill specific to melanoma patients with the specific BRAF mutation which was recently FDA approved.

While I definitely cried (didn't look to good going back into my workshop after those few calls with tears and puffy eyes but oh well), this information has definitely lifted my spirits again. 

Thank you to everyone for all of the thoughts, prayers and love!

I believe!
Jodi