bastard tumor is back

2/13/15

okay...here is the deal...gin has asked that I share the "basics" so that friends and loved one can send positive thoughts, prayer and energy our way. three months ago we had our standard (every three months) oncology visit and learned that ginny's body needed a chemo holiday. after four and a half years of actively treating the disease the symptoms from that treatment were taking its toll. So in december we stopped treatment. yesterday we returned to mayo. ginny had been experiencing new symptoms in the past weeks and we figured something was up. we were right (unfortunately). ginnys cancer is once again growing. the tumor is pressing on other "systems" and we need to respond. chemo is a slower route and we (docs) are not sure about its effectiveness. so, tuesday we will meet with a doctor in the radiation department to see if ginny is a candidate for radiation. i learned yesterday that there is a lifetime limit on the amount of radiation they will expose patients to and ginny had been treated quite aggressively in previous occurrences with her cancer. so, If she is able, we will start with radiation next week. the hope is that it will shrink the bastard tumor and that the pressure on other organs and systems will be relieved. if she is not a candidate we will hit chemo aggressively (i think). we are optimistic. we are not panicking. we will update as we go. KNOW that she feels good in many ways. she is still very active and busy being gin. Post Script: Ginny's mother has started with Hospice care. Has fallen several times and has a broken pelvis.