It's Over

Radiation is officially over! 30 for 30. Done! I'm still so tired and without my hair but, we won't be making the daily drive to Stanford. Guess what!? The grand opening of the Stanford Cancer Treatment Center is in July...in San Jose. Turns out I missed being radiated in my hometown by weeks.

I guess I was expecting to feel excited, different on the final session. I felt the same as I did for 30 days - I felt nothing as I laid there. Though it feels damn good to know I don't have to go tomorrow.

The Radiology Technicians were so wonderful. It almost makes me want to go back to visit them. Almost...

The fatigue is expected to last at least a month more. In about a week, my head should start to peel. I'm really hoping my hair grows back.
The next step is Chemotherapy. But, I'm looking forward to a break first. 

My brother-in-law summed it up well... "Congratulations? Is that really what you wanted? It's like congratulating you on having a tumor. I'm so glad it's over though." You have to know him to know this was a really sweet comment!

Open Invitation - To Walk With Us!

Next Saturday (May 2nd) we will be walking to raise money to support brain tumor research in San Francisco.

See event details below.

We are walking in memory of those lost and in honor of those living with cancer. If you're in the area and your life has been impacted by a brain tumor, or if you just want to walk with us, please join us! If you haven't registered for my Team, please do so and you will receive a T-Shirt. The recommendation of raising $500 is just that, a recommendation.

PS: We know many of you have baseball game and soccer game conflicts and we understand if you can't make it this year. We feel your support in many other ways. Thanks!

Event Details

Team Mick

How Sweet It Is!

I can't describe how exciting this delicious surprise was for us! It was so fun to come home to find such a sweet treat. Thank you for thinking of us and for such kind words, Laura.

The notes of support that I've been getting mean so much. I feel grateful that friends are still thinking of me. Some days, are really hard and the support lifts my mood and gives me motivation to keep moving forward. Thank you.

Only 3 more days of Radiation!!!

Life Has Two Rules

I got a nice card from some friends in the mail today. It reminded me how many people are thinking of me and pulling for me. Thanks to Adam & Julie for boosting my spirits.

Spring Break went by fast. We had some fun and enjoyed a nice family birthday dinner for my mother-in-law. And, even though I'm totally exhausted, I actually started two projects. They're taking much longer than I had planned and much longer than Fay and the kids would like. Luckily, my father-in-law is close by and can help me out. 

Not much new to report. Pretty much the same old, same old - Radiation, naps, walks...But, Radiation is almost over! It will be so nice to have that chunk of time back every day. My Technicians told me today that I won't get to ring the bell at the end of my 6 weeks of treatment. I have to admit, I'm a bit disappointed.
Thanks to Ron for filling in for Fay today and taking me to Radiation. As she likes to say, "it was awesome!"

I was looking forward to getting back to Speech and Occupational Therapies but, we recently found out that our insurance declined payment on all of my sessions. Once Radiation is over, I hope to figure this issue out.

Overall, I feel OK. Fay thinks I'm grumpy, peri-menopausal, and looking for a fight. Maybe she's right...

Only 6 more days to go

I picked up all of my health records from Stanford Hospital this week. This consisted of 3,677 pages detailing my care and over 14,000 images from 2015 alone.

Click to enlarge

Here is one of the CT images - during my stay. The grid was placed on my brain during the first surgery and was removed during my third craniotomy a week later.

Crazy enough image, but if you look closely you will see the two prior tumor resection sights. They're in the upper right corner where the seizure grids bend in a little. This grid was placed on February 2, 2015, You can also see the 4 or so wires that are coming out of my skull and were wrapped up and connected to a seizure monitor for the week. They monitor each number on the grids for any seizure activity. This didn't go so well as I had to have an emergency surgery two days later to deal with bleeding in the brain. But, everything was sorted out by Monday of the following week when the grid was removed, a seizure focus sight was removed and 80% of my tumor was removed. It's amazing the pictures they can get.

I asked the radiation therapy technicians today if anyone has sneezed while in the mask (you cannot speak once you are in it because it locks in your entire head including your jaw in place) - they said yes, that it has happened a few times and assured me that I didn't want to sneeze. I didn't sneeze!

With six days left of radiation, I'm getting excited - as excited as one can be for ending radiation.  I'm trying to think of ways to smash my radiation mask - any ideas, submit below. I have times when I have some decent energy so here is a picture of me relearning front flip 180's. For those not familiar, yes, I'm supposed to be sideways. For those that know, I haven't landed a rodeo yet but I'm getting close!

I've been walking, skipping rope and even running in between my bouts of fatigue. Thankfully, other than that, the hair loss is the only symptom I've had since I started.  I'll start doing occupational and speech therapy again as soon as radiation is over.


Feeling good today that I only have a few more radiation treatments to go!