Message from Michael

• Tuesday, January 20, 2009 10:43 AM, PST
Hello! I want to thank everyone for the wonderful messages, cards, and Bday presents. This has been the best bday ever, which was simply spent with my family; including my brother whom I haven't spent much time with over the years. Its rather ironic since this time last year I didn't think I would celebrate another bday. As mentioned in previous updates, the news has not been good lately, with the additional spreading of the tumor. The news was equally bad this time last year, so I feel very lucky to have had the last, extra, year; I've learned and experienced much during this time. We all live with the perverbial clock ticking but its strange when you're told it will stop soon. With your continued love and support, I hope to ignore the doctor's prognoses for another year; not that I'm that eager to reach fifty, but it beats the alternative.
Love and hugs, hjertelig hilsen og stor klem, - Mike

Speaking from the Heart

• Thursday, January 15, 2009 9:02 AM, CST
This month has been a month of visitors, which we really enjoy. Know that while we love having visits, it's best to gage the length of a visit by how Mike is doing. His fatigue appears to increasing, so he may at times just say a quick good-night, and see himself off to bed. Don't take it personal, he's been given permission by the all and powerful, me, to do so without explanation. Mike's fatigue is not always from something strenuous, it can often just be from system overload.
This Sunday will be Mike's birthday. We will be celebrating it with Barbara, Bob, the girls, and our boys, up in Clearlake. I encourage all of you to send Michael a birthday greeting either here or through the mail. He loves to receive cards, and I have created a scrap book so that he can go through them when desired.
Mike and I are putting our energy into being full of love and appreciation each day. I want to encourage all of us to not take each day for granted. We never know what's around the bend, so lets take full advantage to tell each other how we feel. Speaking from the heart is not as easy as it should be, so start flexing that muscle now.
Love. Dan

New Year's Wishes

• Sunday, January 4, 2009 5:52 PM, CST
I want to thank everyone who have sent Mike their well wishes. Your words of support truly touch our hearts and remind us of the safety net that our loved one's provide. We welcomed the New Year quietly with a few friends, and enjoyed recent visits with Mike's mother and short trip to visit my parents.
Mike appears to have tolerated the new Chemo without any major side effects. We will now be patient, and let the medication do it's job.
Love. Dan

Happy Holidays

• Tuesday, December 23, 2008 9:27 AM, CST
Happy Holidays to all of you. I originally planned to send out the link for this web page last month, but Michael and I chose to wait until we had more information from his doctor.
Yesterday Michael had a new MRI scan. Unfortunately the news was not what we wanted to hear. In spite of the ongoing treatment, the cancer has spread. For those who don't know about this type of tumor, Glioblastoma, you can remove a significant part of the tumor during the first surgery, but the tumor does have tentacles that are not always detectable. Eventually those do begin growing, which causes there to be other growths in various parts of the brain. This recent scan confirmed that this has occurred. The main symptom that has been evident for Michael has been an increase in small seizures. His doctor has added a secondary medication to help manage this symptom.
Given this recurrence, the next question is where do we go from here. The doctor would like to find a new clinical trial that Michael can consider, yet there are no appropriate trial openings at this time. His doctor feels that while the Avastin has not kept the tumor from growing, it has most likely slowed it down. For this reason, although Michael will no longer participate in the clinical trial, he will remain on the Avastin. Michael will also be given a change of chemotherapy. He will now begin taking Lomustine, known as CCNU. This is still a pill form of chemo, which we hope will also help stabilize the tumor.
Needless to say we have felt the emotional blow of this bad news. We feel wounded, but will persist in fighting this cancer. Please keep Michael in you thoughts and prayers. Please send him your supportive messages through this web page, and remember that we cherish all of you.
Love. Dan

Happy Thanksgiving

• Tuesday, December 2, 2008 10:22 PM, CST
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. As with last year, we are continually challenged, but also quite blessed. In October we celebrated two very special occasions, Mike's 1 year anniversary of being a survivor of this cancer, and our exchanging of vows. A year ago we were blind-sighted by this diagnosis, and didn't quite know what was ahead for Mike. Our hopes were high, but the prognosis was low. What a unexpected joy to be standing on top of a beautiful hill, one year later, professing our love and commitment to each other through our wedding vows. Truly we are blessed.
It is also with a tone of concern, that we provide all of you with an update of Mike's condition. His most recent MRI was on 11/26/08. At that time Mike's doctor shared with us that there may be a new tumor growing in his right temporal lobe, just below his initial tumor. Without getting into too much detail, and medical jargon, his scan showed evidence of some pressure or swelling in that area of the brain. Mike will continue to receive his bi-weekly treatments of Avastin, and return in one month for another MRI. The doctor hopes that with another month of treatment he will be better able to guide us in what direction to take Mike's treatment. If it is decided that this current medication regimen has run it's course, there are a number of other medical trials that Mike can benefit from.
Of course we are approaching this period with concern, but also with a great amount of optimism. If the cancer wants a fight, let it be warned, we are warriors.

Michael's Story

Michael's Story

As you all know, Mike was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma Multiforme stage 4, brain tumor, in October 2007. Although he has had a great year since his initial surgery, Mike's journey continues. We will use this site to keep all of you up to date on his condition.
You may also leave messages for us. We would love to hear from you.

Hi Everyone.

Just a short note to keep all of you up to date. Mike had his most recent MRI on 6/26/08, which gave a continued thumbs up. His oncologist says everything continues to look good, meaning there is no growth in the tumor site, and Mike continues to respond well to all his treatment.

Best wishes to all.

Dan