Trials, clinical and otherwise

So much has happened in such a short time...

After the marathon, Dad had a nice week. Went out to dinner, took walks, shopped, watched Anna play soccer, tried to catch up with MJ on her scooter, ate nice meals at home together. Anna insisted on reading to Grandpa every night before she went to bed, and MJ always wanted to be the first to wake him up in the morning. Dad even went to Anna's last Brownie meeting and helped the girls make their annual scrapbooks.

On the medical front, Dad met with part of the highly competent team of cancer doctors at UW on Tuesday to start talking about his treatment plan, which they thought would include a clinical trial. On Thursday he met with more doctors who then ruled out the clinical trial because Dad was on a blood thinner. However, the chemo doc reassured us that being on the blood thinner could actually be just as good as being in the clinical trial -- without all the nasty side affects, such as green skin. Apparently, something about the blood thinner, or those on blood thinners, helps the radiation work better. As Dr. Robins said, "I actually get excited when I see people with this condition come in with blood clots!" They respond well to treatment.

So, going in to the weekend, we all felt good.

Then Saturday morning hit us like a brick.

I woke up to see Dad looking perplexed. When he tried to explain what was wrong, he started slurring words and eventually could barely talk at all. I rushed him to the ER, wondering if he was having a stroke. But a new MRI revealed tumor re-growth, only a few weeks after surgery. I've spent 24 hours in the last two days with Dad at UW hospital. He is walking around, eating and looks very healthy. But he cannot make all the right connections to communicate. He's frustrated.

Tomorrow the brain tumor board meets to discuss his case and make a recommendation, which most likely will include a second brain surgery. We have decisions to make. As I write, Heather and Chuck and Charlotte are just pulling in the driveway. Linda is on her way...