scenarios

Meeting with neurosurgeon done...They have to firm some things up, but it looks like Aly's surgery will take place on Monday!  We got a little mis-information in that this new tumor they found is on her right side and not the left, which makes things a little easier but there are several different scenarios.  All will involve surgery and they will remove the new tumor first so they can figure out exactly what they are dealing with before proceeding.  I'll go best to worst:

1.  One explanation is the one that I've mentioned, that they are looking at these new spots being an infection.  It may be a type of fungal infection which the neurosurgeon has seen before in other cancer patients.  It is more common in brain tumor patients who have gone through chemotherapy and their immune system has been compromised because of the chemo.  This would be the best case scenario as it is treatable with antibiotics.  When we asked about other symptoms of infection not showing, he said it depends on what type of fungus it is.  There are many and not all show symptoms.  When the new tumor is removed and if they find it is a fungus, the surgeon will not go any further at this point.  He will close the surgery and Aly will be treated for the infection before anything else takes place.  He said he would not want to take a chance of spreading the infection.

2.  Another explanation is that it is the germ cell tumor spreading.  If that is the case, he will remove the new tumor and go on in and also remove what is left of the original tumor.  The other areas are too deep into the brain and would be too dangerous to operate on so they would not try to remove them.  Once Aly has recovered she would continue on the path of radiation.  It sounds as if they would target these new areas of growth as well as the original spot.

3.  The last and worst scenario is that this may be a different type of cancer all together.  If this is the case it is an aggressive one.  They/we will have to make further decisions on how to handle it.

In any case, the surgeon said doing this surgery is Aly's best chance.  He said if there were any question in his mind he would not proceed in doing the surgery.  He said he will go in "with a happy heart" because he knows this is the best thing to do in this case.  They need to figure out what they are dealing with in order to know how to deal with it.

I continue to be amazed at Aly.  She takes these detours like another day at the office.  She hears the news and then comes home and wants to head right outside like it is no big deal.  I just wish something in this process would go the way it is supposed to go.  We've had so many things come up that aren't normal, that are rare, that throw us on an emotional roller coaster.  Maybe we need to follow Aly's example and go with the flow.  Take it one day at a time.  It is not easy in the adult world though!

JUST KEEP PRAYING PLEASE!