Hi folks.
Last Wednesday (5/27), we met with doctors at the UW Medical Center to
hear the results of Brian's biopsy.
There was hard news and hopeful news.
In the spirit of our approach to this whole experience, we're choosing
to stay positive. As Yoda says, "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear
leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." We're choosing love and light and positivity.
The hard news: Brian's tumor was diagnosed as brain
cancer. It is a grade 3 tumor (on a scale of aggressiveness from 2 - 4).
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Note!
Please be careful in Googling brain tumors in general as there are lots and
lots that all act differently. Keep in
mind, as one doctor told us, Brian's brain tumor is unique to only him and the
names/grades/statistics are simply categories.
The hopeful news: Of the grade 3 tumors, research shows
that Brian's is one that can respond to treatment. Due to the location of the tumor,
it is not surgically removable. The goal is to stabilize or shrink it so that
the tumor stops growing and Brian can continue as himself. The tumor will
always have to be tracked. We have an
amazing team of doctors working for and with us at UW and Seattle Cancer Care
Alliance and we are incredibly confident in their abilities.
The plan: The doctors have a very clear plan for us. We are looking at about a year of treatment.
He will have 6 weeks of radiation starting within 2 weeks, a 4 week break, and
then up to 3 rounds of 4-6 week chemotherapy treatments.
Support: We will need you! We will need your continued
positivity, hopes, thoughts, prayers and messages. We will need rides to the
doctor, food (in moderation) and visits in the backyard. We are so thankful for
the wide net of support we have, and although we may not have returned your
emails yet, we deeply appreciate your thoughts and words. We are really lucky people and you fill us
with love.
Follow Brian on Instagram! Link here: https://instagram.com/b.tracy22/
Lots of love to all of you,
Kim and Brian
