Well we need to be at MassGeneral by 6:30 am Monday, Liam is the 1st surgery of the day.
KEEP US IN YOUR THOUGHTS!!!
Spending the weekend at the Cape (Why Not??!!!)
Headed to Nauset Beach now for pictures and to look for seals, then we are having ice cream for dinner.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tuesday
Wow.. been a while since I was posting daily.
Surgery has been scheduled for July 2nd.
Dr. Ryan /Dr. Masiakos will be taking the tumor out.
Dr. Yock will be administering "intraoperative radiation therapy".
Meeting with the team @ MGH later this week to review all the details.
Surgery has been scheduled for July 2nd.
Dr. Ryan /Dr. Masiakos will be taking the tumor out.
Dr. Yock will be administering "intraoperative radiation therapy".
Meeting with the team @ MGH later this week to review all the details.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Monday
Obviously last week was devastating for us all, and difficult just waiting…. I left Mansfield Friday night, headed to the Cape feeling helpless not having heard from the Dr.'s office by the end of the week. Then at 9pm, en route I finally got a call from Dr. Friedmann.
After ½ an hour on the phone with her, I found myself finally starting to get my strength back for the next battle.
Our first step is surgery; get the tumor out asap, it’s too close to the mediastinum.
During surgery, have the Radiation Oncologist ready to administer radiation to the tumor site while Liam’s on the operating table. This allows them to target the tumor site, and shield other organs in the area. There’s one operating room at MGH that has the setup to get this done… our target is about a week and ½ out. Should know the date by Wed/Thursday.
The other option was to try six more weeks of chemo to shrink the tumor before going in for surgery, but as noted above, we’re a little too close to some other vital organs to take that chance.
Meanwhile, Dr. Friedman (and crew) will work out plans for the combination of drugs/therapy to line up next… initial thought was that we are looking at 10 more months of chemotherapy, and additional radiation.
In addition to this all, we’ve contacted Dana Farber / Children’s to arrange for a second opinion. All of Liam’s scan’s, reports, etc... are on the way to Dr. Holcombe Grier. He of course wants the DFCI experts to review everything, and go in front of next week’s tumor board… So no appointment there until July 5th.
Sooo, a little bit of a race here, either way – we want the surgery asap, so If the surgery date comes up before the 5th, we are going ahead as planned, otherwise, we’ll give Dr Grier and team a chance to review Liam's situation as well.
After ½ an hour on the phone with her, I found myself finally starting to get my strength back for the next battle.
Our first step is surgery; get the tumor out asap, it’s too close to the mediastinum.
During surgery, have the Radiation Oncologist ready to administer radiation to the tumor site while Liam’s on the operating table. This allows them to target the tumor site, and shield other organs in the area. There’s one operating room at MGH that has the setup to get this done… our target is about a week and ½ out. Should know the date by Wed/Thursday.
The other option was to try six more weeks of chemo to shrink the tumor before going in for surgery, but as noted above, we’re a little too close to some other vital organs to take that chance.
Meanwhile, Dr. Friedman (and crew) will work out plans for the combination of drugs/therapy to line up next… initial thought was that we are looking at 10 more months of chemotherapy, and additional radiation.
In addition to this all, we’ve contacted Dana Farber / Children’s to arrange for a second opinion. All of Liam’s scan’s, reports, etc... are on the way to Dr. Holcombe Grier. He of course wants the DFCI experts to review everything, and go in front of next week’s tumor board… So no appointment there until July 5th.
Sooo, a little bit of a race here, either way – we want the surgery asap, so If the surgery date comes up before the 5th, we are going ahead as planned, otherwise, we’ll give Dr Grier and team a chance to review Liam's situation as well.
Besides all this, Liam is enjoying the time at the cape. Thankfully He has no idea what all the fuss is about....
Friday, June 22, 2007
What Cancer Cannot Do
I find myself reading this several times a day to keep going....
Cancer is so limited.
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot invade the soul.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the spirit.
No word on the the schedule for next week. We are headed to the cape tonight as originally planned and will take it one day at a time.
Cancer is so limited.
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot invade the soul.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the spirit.
No word on the the schedule for next week. We are headed to the cape tonight as originally planned and will take it one day at a time.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Back to square one
I wish I had some good news to report, but I don’t, and I apologize to those who will receive this news online rather than in person.
We spent the day at MGH today (Tuesday), for the first of Liam’s CT scans off treatment. The Chest scan showed new tumor growth on his lung. Not good.
So we are right back where we started in December. The doctor’s are formulating a new plan, and we should hear in the next day or so, but I think we are looking at surgery as early as next week, different more aggressive chemo, and radiation treatment this time around. I am angry and numb.
We spent the day at MGH today (Tuesday), for the first of Liam’s CT scans off treatment. The Chest scan showed new tumor growth on his lung. Not good.
So we are right back where we started in December. The doctor’s are formulating a new plan, and we should hear in the next day or so, but I think we are looking at surgery as early as next week, different more aggressive chemo, and radiation treatment this time around. I am angry and numb.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Catching up...
First the Liam updates. He is doing well, and we had a great time at the Cape celebrating his first birthday. The weather was nice enough to spend the day at the beach. Liam has some of the same traits as his brothers… He loves the water like Owen, and eats the sand just like Jack!!!
We are still waiting to hear on the appointments for Liam’s chest and bone scan; obviously we are anxious to get through these and get a clean bill of health for the summer. Last weekend, we were part of two great events. A Texas Hold’em tournament-fundraiser and the Southington relay for Life. Lot of great people came out to support great causes. Thanks again to everyone involved. I've caught up with pictures from the last two weeks below. Stay tuned for news on the scans...
We are still waiting to hear on the appointments for Liam’s chest and bone scan; obviously we are anxious to get through these and get a clean bill of health for the summer. Last weekend, we were part of two great events. A Texas Hold’em tournament-fundraiser and the Southington relay for Life. Lot of great people came out to support great causes. Thanks again to everyone involved. I've caught up with pictures from the last two weeks below. Stay tuned for news on the scans...
Last Chemo treatment 5/29
Birthday on the beach.
Peter, Liam, Uncle Wayne and Tim
Team Liam
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