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Craniotomy results

On October 14, I had the surgical procedure, called a craniotomy, to remove the tumor.   Based upon the brain MRI on Monday, the tumor was not in the brain, but in and around the skull.  This is a serious surgery to take out a piece of the skull, scoop out the growth, then screw the skull piece back into place.  It required a 3 day stay in the hospital.

To simplify, the doctor described 3 possible outcomes;  a benign tumor, a malignant tumor related to my CLL, or a malignant tumor unrelated to my CLL.  This was the order of severity since No cancer is always the best, the transplant would likely address the issue if related to CLL, but a new cancer would present a brand new major challenge.

On the positive side, I didn’t have symptoms of the tumor putting pressure on the brain such as headaches, dizziness, or cognitive issues.  And it was small, about the size of your smallest fingernail.  In fact, the doctor said if not for the pending transplant he would follow the “watch and wait” approach which is to monitor the tumor size with a regular MRI before taking any action.

Today I received the preliminary results of the surgery which are promising.  The quick analysis of the tumor is that they removed it entirely and it does not appear to be related to my CLL or malignant.  However I need to wait for the results to be confirmed by the radiologist that it was fully removed and by pathology as to what it was before moving forward.

Meanwhile, Connie and I are planning to return to Denver for about 2 weeks to recuperate prior to returning to Houston to resume the transplant process.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.  It is so powerful and humbling to know that I have such a strong support system.

With love,

Gary





Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 16, 2020 at 4:58 PM

    Awesome Gary! We're stoked for you, your clan, us, everybody!!!! :) :) Thanks for keeping us all posted. Belle and Mike

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownOctober 17, 2020 at 4:21 PM

    Prayer warriors here in Minnesota Gary! We are sending love and peace to you throughout this journey. May our heavenly Father bless you with healing and strength at this time! Marlys and Kevin Day

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nort PetrovichOctober 17, 2020 at 6:09 PM

    Gary, best regards and happy to see that the tumor was benign and small, and that you haven't had any symptoms from the lesion or the surgery! You are a strong fighter, and I'm pulling for you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. She's a Taniac!October 17, 2020 at 10:29 PM

    ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mary Kay De SpainOctober 19, 2020 at 8:12 AM

    Gary, I'm so thankful they found it and were able to remove it all!! Enjoy your time back at home and recover as you further prepare for your BMT. You've got this!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ward QuarlesOctober 19, 2020 at 10:50 AM

    Glad you have doctors providing the best care possible. Thanks for the continued updates.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dan GrieshaberOctober 20, 2020 at 11:41 AM

    Glad you are back home Bro. Only positive thoughts ... you've got this!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Doug MillhollinOctober 21, 2020 at 2:21 PM

    Thanking of you Gary! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownOctober 22, 2020 at 5:13 PM

    great news, sending you loads of love

    ReplyDelete

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