Not Much NEW News - 08/01/2012

I thought I would update my blog with the little bit of news that I have.  I am scheduled to have my brain surgery next Wedneday (Aug 8th) - which just happens to be Kurt and my 14th wedding anniversary!  We will meet with the neurosurgeon again on August 7th for pre-op stuff.

I had an appointment with my oncologist yesterday (7/31).  Basically we just went through some of the many options of medications (chemo drugs, etc) that are available.  I won't start any of that until after I have the brain surgery and radiation.  In fact, I will have another PET scan at the end of August and then we will determine from there what medication route I should take.  She did talk about a 1st stage clinical trial that is going on down in Detroit currently and is showing pretty good results.  Since it is already going, I don't think I would be able to get in on it currently but that is always an option as well. 

I find some comfort in knowing that there are 'options'.  When I was diagnosed in May of 2011, there wasn't many (if any) FDA approved drug treatments specific to melanoma and now there are several.  This offers hope that they are continuously working on a cure for this devastating cancer!

In my last blog I wrote about a couple that we met while I was waiting to have my MRI.  I received a message from the man - I plan to call him this weekend to see how he is doing.  It will be nice to talk to someone who knows exactly what we are going through!

And, I'm excited to report that I have gone back to work!  Last week I did three days part-time and this week I am working the whole week but only until I get tired.  I don't want to stress my body out before surgery.  I will work Monday next week and then will be off until I am told I can go back to work after surgery.  It's been nice to be back doing something 'normal'.

If I don't blog again before my surgery, I will make sure that Kurt does a 'guest' blog when I am done with my surgery! 

I continue to believe....