Finally some progress

I have an appt. with the radiologist 3PM Wednesday and he will start radiation about 3:30.

So little to say

The Radiologist seems to be in slow motion. I called them and they are to make an appt. for me Wednesday Sept. 1. Maybe I will finally meet the guy and find out in more detail what he is going to do. In the mean time I am doing fine

A Little More

A little more to say. The feeling in my hand and the left of my face was getting worse. The Dr. put me back on steroids till at least Monday and it definitely has helped. He figured some swelling was causing the problem. In the mean time the Radiologist wanted another MRI which happened this morning. He seems to be in no hurry to get the radiation started.

Regarding those comments that want more. This is not a diary for me. I will only keep you up to date on the treatments I am getting.

RADIOLOGY UPDATE

Very little to say. The radiologist did what they call 'the scan'. They gave me a thing in my mouth much like when dentist takes an impession, and fits me to a mask that looks like spaghetti. And they connected it to the mouth thing. The mask has alignment points for the machine. Then the machine runs a scan which is cat scan and records every thing and gives the DR, a picture. IN about a week and a half he will aim the machine, calculate dosage and they will call back and I guess set up a schedule When I go for the radiation, I put on the mask and the computer figures out every thing from there.

Don't look for anything here till then.

Had a visit with the Radiation Oncologist. Actually I will not see him till Monday after which I will update this blog. Monday I go in for what they call the scan. This where they take measurements, for a head fixture, feed parameters into their machine, set up levels, etc. A

After that I suspect I will have aschedule for the radiation. treatment. More MOnday

Neurological Oncologist

Saw him today. Interestingly enough he reserved a whole of hour of his time for Bob and me. He has a fellowship in brain tumors and seems to be up to date on latest therapies. Cutting to the quick, he explained that the follow up is necessary because microscopic remnants of the tumor are probably there and will come back in 5 years or so unless something is done. The 'done' will be radiation for 6 weeks concurrently with drug called Temodar. The Dr. says this is the current way of handling all this with minimum side effects. I meet the radiation oncologist early next week to get all this started.

Update 8/6

Meet with the surgeon this AM. He went over the pathology report and gave me a copy. I had an astrocytoma, anaplastic tumor. It was level three which in my words is low level malignancy. He said pulling it out there were tendrils so there is probably a little left. He was anxious that I see a neurological oncologist and I have an appt. with one friday , Aug 7. He said there would be probably chemo and radiation followup. They seem to be anxious to get right on it.

I have learned a little more from my primary care Dr. who read the pathology report. i see the surgeon. thursday next week. the tumor is a astrocytomas. Good reading on it on http://neurosurgery.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=159. There are apparently four different levels and the follow up is to make sure they have it all. Stay tuned after Thursday