Biopsy is a go

Met with the neuro sugeon yesterday. We were at the Cancer Treatment Center yesterday from 10am – 5pm. Long day, especially with my new normal. Started out with an appointment with the Neuro Surgeon, Dr. L. This time the doctor was much more personable and had a much better bedside manner. He met with the tumor board this past Friday. They decided it was more beneficial to do a surgical biopsy of the tumor. The reward of knowing how much to map out treatment outweighed the risk of the biospy. Of course there are risks associated with any surgical aspect. With a tumor in this location, it is generally not advisable to biopsy as the brainstem feeds a wealth of information down to your other parts. Some of the risks would be brainswelling, loss of swallow control, breathing anomalies, and loss of motorfunction. Many docs got together at the tumor board and discussed my situation and they trust that the biospy could give a better case for chemo/radiation treatment. I will trust their capable hands.

After the Neuro Surgeon appointment, they sent me for an MRI of my head and neck, to pin point the location of the tumor and with a plan of biopsy. I was asked what I’d like to listen to and I told the MRI tech what he had on was fine. Some oldschool Michael Jackson… However, he did not play it through the headphones. So I just sat there with the constant humming and whirring of the MRI machine. Not to worry, I can just focus beyond this sound and close my eyes. I really have to say the staff and everyone we’ve met thus far at the Treatment Center had been wonderul and nice to us. It is quite comforting to feel this when you are at a place of such magnitude. Once the MRI was done, we had lunch. Hospital food has come a long way in the past few years. I had a great taco salad. So yummy. The girls all had egg salad sandwiches. My wife, mother and mother in law accompanied me to the all day adventure. After lunch, I had an EKG for preoperative testing. After EKG, I had some bloodwork done, more preop testing. Lots of waiting. All in all it was a good day spent with loved ones. Just physically and mentally draining.

So I go in Thursday for the biopsy. A small hole will be drilled into the base of my skull. The surgeon will then under CT, place a needle biopsy into an exterior location of the tumor and extract some cells. They will then send that off for testing to see what type of cancer cells there are invading my brain space. I’ll be kept overnight for monitoring. Keep sending your positive vibes and prayers. I could use all the love and help I can get. This is not the end, just the beginning.