I sit here and am unsure about what to post because this week has been good and there is no new medical news to report. As I wrote in the last post, Robert will take his sixth and final round of chemo treatments beginning this Sunday. Funny story- Each month it has been a process to get the chemo and anti-nausea medications. The oncologist office has to fax the order to the pharmacy and the pharmacy has to schedule the delivery with us... This process tends to take 2-3 days. The medications come via FedEx and must be signed for by an adult in the house. Of course- this morning the FedEx man comes while I am in the shower. Bryce came in and yelled, "He's here." I sent Bryce to yell through the window that I was coming and ask him not to leave. Let's just say- he waited and had a serious look on his face as I thanked him over and over again. I'm shocked that he didn't either laugh or run from me as I opened the door with a soaked head and no make-up on. I told Robert that I have a new relationship with the FedEx guy.
We hope that everyone has a great weekend.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
My Condition - Glioblastoma Multiforme (or GBM)
I was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). This condition has four different grades (I - IV). My tumor is a grade IV GBM. This is the most aggressive GBM tumor. I have included a little section of The Essential Guide to BRAIN TUMORS below to describe the condition more completely.
Astrocytoma
An astrocytoma develops from star-shaped glial cells (astrocytes) that support nerve cells. These tumors can be located anywhere in the brain, but the most common location is in the frontal lobe. Astrocytomas are the most common primary CNS tumor.
The physician, usually the neurosurgeon or neurooncologist, will discuss the type and location of an astrocytoma. The pathologist will assign it a grade. Astrocytomas are generally classified as low or high grade. Low-grade astrocytomas (grades I and II) are slow growing. High-grade astrocytomas (grades III and IV) grow more quickly. The main tumor type is listed for each grade. There are additional tumor types in each of these grades.
The WHO classification divides astrocytomas into four grades:
- Grade I Pilocytic Astrocytoma
- Grade II Low-Grade Astrocytoma
- Grade III Anaplastic Astrocytoma
- Grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (or GBM)
Characteristics
The characteristics of an astrocytoma vary depending on the tumor’s grade and location. Most people are functioning normally when diagnosed with a low-grade astrocytoma. Symptoms tend to be subtle and may take one to two years to diagnose. This is because the brain can often adapt to a slow-growing tumor for a period of time. Highgrade tumors may present with changes that are sudden and dramatic.
Symptoms
- Headaches
- Seizures or convulsions
- Difficulty thinking or speaking
- Behavioral or cognitive changes (related to thinking, reasoning, and memory)
- Weakness or paralysis in one part or one side of the body
- Loss of balance
- Vision changes
- Nausea or vomiting
No comments:
Post a Comment