Possible Treatment

Yesterday I met with Dr. Albert Lai of the UCLA Neuro-oncology team. He went over a couple of treatment options for me, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. He would like me to start one of the treatment options in a couple of months time when I’ve recovered some more. Dr. Lai stated that if I had had a complete resection of the tumor that the course of action would be to just observe via periodic MRI scans. However, because I still have about 25% of the tumor left, he recommends some course of action to further minimize future tumor regrowth.

Radiation therapy would consist of going in every business day for a five week period. Possible side effects are subtle brain damage such as slight loss of memory, concentration, etc. Chemotherapy would consist of taking temodar orally everyday for the first week of every month for a period of either one to two years. Side effects could include fatigue, nausea, and stomach issues. I have a meeting with a radiation oncologist in a couple of weeks to get a better understanding of what radiation therapy would entail and the advantages and disadvantages compared to chemotherapy.

Staples removed 2.5 weeks later

Open Biopsy Pathology Report

Good news. Just spoke with Dr. Liau and everything looks good. She was able to remove about 75% of the tumor. It is a very low grade oglioastrocytoma. The proliferation index for a low grade tumor is 5%. Mine is less than 1%. MRI scan in three months to determine whether any treatment needed. Good news.

Craniotomy Photos

Without wrapping

Post-Op

Pre-Op getting prepped

My Preliminary Schedule

Tomorrow night, my mom, my sister, and I will be heading up to UCLA and will stay in Westwood. My dad and brother will come up early Thursday morning. At this point, the specific time of my surgery has not been set yet. I have to call in tomorrow between 2-4 PM to find out my check-in time.

For Thursday, according to Dr. Liau, my surgery should last somewhere between 5 to 7 hours. My poor family. Luckily, Maddie’s Room looks comfortable and also the cafeteria is literally right next door. Hopefully, the wait will not be too bad for them. After the surgery, Dr. Liau will come and speak with my family. If all goes well, I should be discharged by Sunday afternoon.

Maddie's Room (waiting room)