This is to give a summary report on what is happening with our son. First of all, Dan and I want to thank everyone for their prayers and concerns for us.
* Friday, June 30 - We received the results from an MRI that indicated a tumor of the brain in the left frontal lobe and "something" in the left rear of the brain.
* Monday, July 3 - We meet with the neurosurgeon and surgery to remove the front tumor was planned.
* Wednesday, July 5 - Sam's surgery was successfully done at Florida Hospital Orlando.
* Friday, July 7 - The final lab results were back. It was not benign and not malignant, but in between. The follow up treatment could be 1) monitoring with periodic MRIs, 2) 12-18 months of chemo and/or participating in an experimental drug project.
* Monday, July 10 - Sam is up and walking. He no longer needs the pain medication and IVs, so he can go home. He has not needed even an Advil since.
* Thursday, July 13 - The Neuro Case Conference met; all physicians on the team are in agreement that the follow-up from this surgery need be no more aggressive than periodic MRIs to monitor. Concerning the spot in the back, all on the team were in agreement that it looked so significantly different than the front tumor and they were not suggesting another surgery, but rather to monitor this with the periodic MRIs. This is very good news. No chemo. No second surgery between now and the start of school.
This has been a stressful time of extreme concern, hard decisions and needing the services of medical professionals with specialties that we never wanted to know about.
We are thankful for many things. Our experience at Florida Hospital was the best. It was reassuring to walk in the main door that morning past the huge banner on the building about FH being one of the best hospitals and to have NEUROSCIENCE listed second on the list right after HEART. It was a blessing to be here rather than in Gainesville or Baltimore , Memphis or Minnesota . We were there for 12 nursing shifts and can say they were all "angels of mercy." There are no bad or even marginal stories for us to tell.
Thanks again for your prayers. We have some bold friends praying for the back lesion or whatever it is to JUST DISAPPEAR. You are welcome to join us.
Rhonda and Dan Jeffus
PS: He got to keep his hair. They shaved only a finger's width from ear to ear over the top of his head. Here is a picture from the morning of 7/5/06 .
Here is link to an essay in Time Magazine about the lighter side of Brain Surgery you might find interesting.
