Chemo Starts Monday

Vince starts his chemo treatments on Monday 2/22. 

Last week he had surgery for port insertion.

His chemo will be once per week, four weeks on, two weeks off to start.

This is all very scary.

Vince ate crackers soon after his port insertion surgery.

The surgeon who did the port surgery, I'll call him Dr.Surgeon, was the same pediatric surgeon we met over two years ago.  I had taken Vince to Dr.Surgeon to consult about removing that little ball-lump-thing at the the base of his skull, on the right in the back. 
"He should have an MRI beforehand," Dr. Surgeon said. "I'm worried it's entangled in the nerves."
Kevin and I discussed this and agreed to Vince having an MRI to see exactly what that lump was.  They found the brain tumor as a surprise.  So if it wasn't for that lump, if it wasn't for Dr.Surgeon's good instincts to suggest an MRI, we'd never know about Vince's tumor until much later. I am forever grateful to Dr.Surgeon.

On Thursday (1/21/15) Vince had his follow-up MRI.  He also had an MRI of the spine. The spine is good.

The brain tumor is back.  Again.

Because this is third recurrence, the treatment options are more specialized.  The neuro-oncologist will consult with the rest of the neuro-oncologists, the neuroradiologists and the neurosurgeons to develop a treatment plan.  We have an appointment Monday which is after their meeting and we'll know more then.