02/11/02-MRI
02/12/02-Met with Dr. Rodas, Neuro-oncologist.
02/15/02-Dirk enters Bromenn Hospital.
02/16/02-Dirk has biopsy of the mass. Everything went well. Dirk does not remember the procedure.
02/17/02-Dirk home from hospital.
02/25/02-Met with Dr. Rodas re: biopsy results. The mass is a tumor called a Mixed Oligoastrocytoma. Grade II. The tumor is in his left temporal lobe. It is slow growing and inoperable. Dr. Rodas suggests radiation.
03/05/02-Met Dr. Buatti at University of Iowa Hospital-Holden's Comprehensive Cancer Center for a second opinion. He confirms Dr. Rodas' diagnosis and suggests chemotherapy.
Currently- We are trying to decide which treatment path we should go down. We are weighing the pros and cons of each.
03/14/02-Scheduled to meet Dr. Carlisle in Iowa City regarding Chemotherapy. Dr. Buatti will meet with us Thursday, also.
03/14/02-We met with Dr. Buatti and Dr. Carlisle. They gave us some good news! The pathologist at U of I thinks that the tumor is a Oligodendroglioma and is grade I! This is a better type to have! Something still needs to be done, since it is affecting Dirk, due to the size and location of the tumor (left temporal lobe). There is still no consensus on whether to go chemo or radiation. They should get the results of one more test next week. This test (1p, 19q) will tell us if there is a certain type of chromosome in the tumor that responds well to chemo or not. We will probably delay our decision until we hear that outcome. We are scheduled to go back to Iowa City 04/04/02. We will keep you posted!
04/04/02- We went into today's 10:30 a.m. appointment without knowing the results of the (1p,19q) test, but mentally prepared for chemo. The results did not come back until midway through the appointment. The test came back negative, which means that the tumor may not be as chemo-sensitive as we originally thought. Therefore, we have decided to go the radiation route. We will go back to Iowa City for a 6:45 a.m. appointment on 04/09/02. They will do a MRI, and fit Dirk with a mold that will be used in the radiation process. We suspect treatment will begin the following week. We are confident with our decision, and now need to work out the details of having Dirk in Iowa City, 5 days a week for 5 weeks. We will update with more details regarding the radiation treatment after our Tuesday appointment. Thanks again for all the positive thoughts and prayers.
04/09/02- We were in Iowa City today to prepare for the radiation treatments that will begin next Monday, April, 15. Dirk began the day with an MRI, then had a CT scan, a upper jaw mold, a mask made of his upper face, and had a pillow mold completed. The MRI and CT will aid in directing the radiation beam, the mask, the jaw and pillow mold will keep Dirk in the same position for all of his treatments. We have asked my Uncle Marc and Aunt Rita if Dirk can stay in their Iowa City home during his treatment time. They have graciously agreed. We plan on Dirk staying in Iowa City during the week and then being together on weekends. The main side-effect of radiation therapy is fatigue. It sounds like this hits midway through treatment. A special thanks today to my niece Cara for staying overnight with the girls and getting them to school. Thanks also goes to my sister CeAnn for picking them up from school! I will go with Dirk to his first treatment on Monday, just to make sure they are doing it right!
04/15/02- Dirk and I traveled to Iowa City in two seperate vehicles so Dirk could begin treatment. The trip went smoothly, even with the muffler on the Honda blowing out! His appointment was at 12:15 and the whole process was complete by 1:00. The remaining 24 treatments will be at 10:30 a.m. each day and shouldn't take as long as today's did. Dirk is set up at Marc and Rita's house. We really appreciate their hospitality! Thanks also to my good friend Dena for taking the girls to soccer, feeding them and getting them to bed! Thanks to CeAnn for picking them up from school. I will continue to update this site to let everyone know how the treatments are going! Thanks for all of the support!
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last updated 12/22/2007
This page will be updated as we have doctor's appointments and make decisions. Feel free to email us if you have any questions. We are becoming very educated.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will make your paths straight"
Proverbs 3:5-6
Sorry about all of the pop-up advertising!
Life's Pathway
At times, life's path
seems filled with things
that make the going rough,
And we wish there were
a smoother road,
for we feel we've had enough...
But, if we pause a moment
and remember Who's in charge,
The hills that loom ahead of us
no longer seem so large,
And every rock before us,
when we know we're not alone,
Becomes, not just a stumbling block,
but one more stepping stone.
Emily Matthews
If you would like to email the webmaster, my email is [email protected].
For information about brain tumors:
www.abta.org
