Covid craziness and Consonance

pictoral proof that we celebrated Easter.

Consonance. Aligning with things that are the same. Agreement. in this specific case, things that help. I was hopeful that my surgery would net some significant changes, but it seems like there are only slight changes. Surgery slight significant. It’s both steps forward and back. I can probably get further in the long run. In the short term though there are some deficits. I’m still weak. I’m still very tired. But I didn’t have to stay long at the hospital at all. I was only there one night. The crazy COVID situation probably made them as eager for me to leave as I was eager to leave. It seems like things were aligned.
I’m not trying to be critical of any care I would receive at the hospital. But my private nurse, my wife, fortunately and unfortunately has plenty of experience caring for me, specifically, after brain surgery. In essence, I was probably better off at home under her watchful eye, and the hospital was probably better off dedicating space and resources to other people in need. “Lucky” me but also lucky me.

I have a follow up coming up in a few days, Wednesday, April 15, with my neuro-surgeon and my neuro-oncologist. Not only will they check on the state of things, AKA the state of my incision, but they may have at least a preliminary plan for how to proceed. A few weeks ago there were three areas of concern. Surgery took care of the accessible one. The material collected in the surgery should assist in formulating a plan for the remaining spots. Possibly some combination of radiation and immunotherapy. Chemo has already ravaged my bone marrow, so I’m told. After my short visit with the drs. we’ll retreat back into our crazy covid inspired quarantine with a new plan.

A man, a plan, a canal, Panama.

The Panama Canal back in the day. A man, a plan, a canal, Panama- is a palindrome (the same forward as back like radar or race car or go hang a salami I’m a lasagna hog).

Friday I had an MRI. My neuro-surgeon was around so he reviewed the images. Monday I have a phone-call with my neuro-oncologist to discuss more. From the images it looks like there are 3 areas of concern: 1) behind my left ear in the cerebellum, 2) in the cavity of the original tumor site, and 3) in the front right part of my brain. The solution we settled on, when looking at the calendar, is a surgery on Friday, April 3. It can still be adjusted, it can still be cancelled, but that’s the plan right now. Surgery on the 3rd to remove the concerning area behind my left ear.

This isn’t a great time to hang out at the hospital (is there ever?). But the reasoning is there is a lot of unknown and this is a way to resolve some of the unknown. All the tumors are likely the same because that’s a thing in the brain - tumor - world which I am, unfortunately, a part of. (I wish I were apart instead.) By removing one spot, that spot no longer needs to be dealt with by other means. Surgery provides matter that can be tested to see what therapies might be the most effective on the remaining spots that aren’t as accessible for surgery. This particular spot also houses some seeming liquid that is good to get out of there. Liquid, like blood or something, has the potential to spread baby stem cells of the tumor to other areas, so getting that out as soon as possible seems wise.

That’s also why surgery now - or soon. To do it right requires some prep work, and there’s my discussion with my neuro-onncologist Monday. And it provides a chance to gather relevant questions from family and friends. And it provides me a chance to breathe. And my neuro-surgeon could do it then (mostly that).

Amidst the Covid craziness (trademark) the hospital has some restrictions on the surgery and such. The biggest is that I’ll only be allowed one visitor (spoiler Julie’s going to be that visitor). Even when I come home, after a few days, we will probably maintain our quarantine - I’ll be even more susceptible after surgery. So no visitors but I’m open to well wishes and good thoughts. Things will probably only get crazier in the coming week, and weeks, so the sooner I have surgery the better. I don’t have any inside info. That’s just an educated guess.