It has been a while since we’ve talked.
Quite frankly I haven’t known what to say. It’s not often when you catch a preacher with no words. I have started a new FDA approved treatment called Optune. Doing my research into Optune forced me to face life expectancy for those with Glioblastoma. Common results for Optune are 2-5 years additional years of life. I asked my oncologist what my life expectancy is right before going on my November break from treatment. She said at the top of the bell curve statically I could expect a year and a half.
Quite frankly it was a “gut punch.” I hadn’t allowed myself to go down that road. It was heartbreaking to think of leaving these people that I affectionately call “Team Phelps.”
“””I want to be around to hold grandkids and to see my daughters fall in love and to walk them down the aisle. I want to travel with “Baby Luv” to all the places we have dreamed of going. Quite simply, I want to live longer! Pray that I will live longer and prosper. Did you know that Leonard Nimoy who played Spock took these words “Live Long and Prosper” from a Jewish blessing?
My oncologists are very positive. They say that I have the type of cancer that is responsive to chemo. Here are some pictures of my latest MRI’s for all you doctors and radiologist out there. My oncologist fully expected what they saw. They prepared me for pseudo growth. The chemo and radiation cause swelling in the brain which can cause the tumor to look like it is growing when it is not. The tumor is the stuff in white. That is my technical doctor language. I will have my next MRI on January 5th. You can pray that we see some shrinkage in the tumor on the January 5th. Pray that I will have perseverance. The Optune treatment is much more difficult than I expected. If it can extend my life, then I am willing to go through the difficult process. It isn’t painful but it is onerous and interferes with normal life like sleep and going out in public. You know minor things like that!
Thanks to all of you who have sent the encouraging results of the Duke break throughs in treating Glioblastoma. We will leave no stone unturned. I have already had a brief chat with my doctors about the Duke trial.