Hope and Jason: May 2011

memorial day 2011

our cancer story {beginning}

well it all started with a seizure December 22, 2009. After amulance, ER, ambulance, ER, ICU, Neuro care unit, we were informed jason had Stage IV metastasized Melanoma. there was one tumor in his brain and 7 in his lungs. And were sent home on Christmas eve {great way to spend the holiday!} With the course of treatment chosen then jason had a 6-8% chance of living and would be lucky to make ten years {oh! he was 21 at the time} well, that treatment{IL2} was tried...once and was/is no longer an option.so Jason received full brain radiation {and lost ALL of his beautiful hair} In June of 2010 2 days after finishing radiation we were given the option of hospice {they could no longer do anything for us} so we found another hospital {CTCA} in Arizona and shortly after started a clinical trial {ipilimumab} in Idaho. Brain surgery the 2 of DEC, to remove 2 of the 6 tumors. came home the 4 :) got the pathology report the 8, which informed us the first/main tumor was dead but the 2nd was still alive {which leads us to believe all the other 6 tumors are alive} now we are waiting to decide whether jason will undergo a 2nd brain surgery or more radiation..Jason had to quit the trial due to steroids and surgery so now we are waiting to hear when/if he starts it back up..this is definitely "in a nut shell" version of our cancer story...but it gives somewhat of a background without having to read the entire blog! :)

Sunday, May 29, 2011