Kristy's Story...Life Goes From Bad to Worse

Shane had a new MRI done Monday. Yesterday Michael and Kristy went to Siteman Cancer Center to get him prepared for the Gamma Knife procedure. I had the kids here so they stopped to pick them up after their appointment. I knew as soon as I saw them there was big trouble. They both looked like they had been crying and Kristy could hardly walk. Michael's tumor had grown so big they can't do the Gamma Knife. It is close to the size it was when Dr. Friedman removed it less than a month ago. The Washington University doctor said he has never seen a tumor grow that fast. He then told Michael he was not going to survive and there was nothing that could be done.

But Eric, the first person we met with at Washington University, was also in the room with them and as they were leaving he stopped them. He said there was one other option, he could use an extension to the Gamma Knife. There are only four in the country and he has one of them. It is a radiation treatment with the precision and strength between regular radiation and the Gamma Knife. The radiation treatment would have to be done over several days by sectioning the tumor off into smaller sections. He wants to see them on the 31st to go over his radiation plan and start Shane on chemotherapy.

In the mean time they have calls in to Dr. Friedman at Duke. They want his opinion and maybe even the possibility of removing it again. We should have an answer from him soon. Pam (Kristy's mom)