The Toxic Twinkie's Sister

It's official...the tumor's back. Since we called the first one the Toxic Twinkie, we'll call the recurrence The Toxic Twinkie's Sister.

According to the neurosurgeon I saw yesterday, the sister is smaller than the first-born, but recommends another awake craniotomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiation when I'm "feeling better" from the surgery. Really?

I should add that my husband and I got to spend about three hours at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). Total time with the doc=maybe 45 minutes.

I'm still consulting with doctors, and honestly, there is not a good time to do what needs to be done. I keep remembering how I was paralyzed following the first surgery (or as the neurosurgeon said, "you were a little weak") so I am anticipating that happening again, which is ironic since the purpose of the surgery is to keep the tumor from paralyzing me permanently.

The chemo the doctor proposes me taking is called Avastin, a drug not approved by the FDA for brain tumors, but still a standard second -tier course of treatment. It is also given on an outpatient basis, but I would not be able to take it at home.

As for radiation...never had it, but it will require daily hospital visits for perhaps six weeks.

I was going to go see my sister-in -law get married, and I was going to go to my 25-year high school reunion.

But I may spend my summer just being sick.