Diagnosis In, Treatment Begins Monday

It has been quite a whirlwind of activity, but since May 13th, we've found out the following:

• The Mayo Clinic is probably the best medical facility in all the land.  Can't say enough about the level of care, doctors, and facilities.  Unbelievable.
• The numerous MRIs and CT Scans, stereotactic biopsy and multiple doctor appointments has revealed a Grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma in the right (and likely the left) temporal lobe.  
• Recommended treatment is six and a half weeks of radiation (to be done in Omaha) alongside pill-form chemotherapy.  Chemo will continue monthly (five days each month) for six months to a year.  Scans will be taken at regular intervals to monitor progress and the state of Dad's remission.
• Doctors are very encouraging and positive on how well Dad will tolerate treatment due to his overall great health, relatively young in age, lack of symptoms (perhaps indicating we caught it early) and great attitude/support system.

Thanks for all of your ongoing support, checking in, mowing the lawn, getting the mail/papers, and for stopping by!  I'll keep this updated as I can from Portland, and when I travel back to Omaha regularly this summer/fall.  

Feel free to add comments to the posts, or just overall messages of support!

Mary