Please Tell

Let me know things actually communicate. Maybe it will me be stronger to the page…

2 Comments (+add yours?)

Cindy McGirr
Mar 22, 2012 @ 10:05:10

Hi Erin and Barbara.
My name is Cindy McGirr and my husband, Steve, and I live in Folsom. In 2008, he was diagnosed with a Grade II Astrocytoma and then in May 2011 it was changed to a Grade IV Glioblastoma. He has done two years of Temador and then his tumor grew. He did radiation and six weeks after completion, a spot developed and grew and he had that removed and that is when we found out his tumor had transformed. He also went on the chemo CCNU and his tumor grew on that so now they have him on CPT-11. We will find out in April if this chemo is working. I read your blog regularly and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I was also hoping that we could meet/talk because we have a lot in common. We have two kids (ages 4 and 6), see Dr. Peak in Redwood City and both of our families are dealing with this horrible cancer. Barbara, I’m interested in your thoughts/feelings as caregiver and I’m interested in Erin’s feelings/thoughts as well.
You may contact me via email at mcgirr@sbcglobal.net or phone at 916-947-4755.
Cindy

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Kate Dee
Oct 11, 2012 @ 08:00:51

Hi Erin,
Heard about your blog from Liz (aka The Liz Army). My husband was diagnosed with a Grade 3 Oligoastrocytoma/Oligodendroglioma in January 2009 at the age of 33. He had an 8 hour awake craniotomy to remove the tumor from his right frontal lobe the size of a large man’s fist a few days after diagnosis. After 5 weeks at home he went back to work as a full-time hospital pharmacist (yup! you heard that right) the same day he started his six week daily radiation/Temodar treatment. Looooong story short, after almost 4 years on 350mg of Temodar taken 7 days on then 7 days off along with Avastin every 2 weeks he continues to work full-time while enjoying the craziness of life with our now 5 and 8 year old boys. My point is, there are always some people like you and my husband where the doctors just scratch their heads and are amazed at what came to be. They had originally looked at him with those grim eyes that you probably know all too well that told us there was little hope. Here’s the little twist, my father also had brain cancer. It was a Stage 4 GBM and after 2 surgeries, Glial wafers and CPT-11 he unfortunately passed away on my birthday in 2000. We’ve come such a long way since then! We have been very active in the fight to get oral chemotherapies covered the same as infusions on both the state and federal level since that is another fight we have endured throughout this journey. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers:) Please know that there are others out there who share your courage, tenacity and strength and feel free to read a little more about us on our website http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patrickdee

Kate

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