This is just an update really. I met with the Neurological team at Addenbrooks on Thursday after a long drive undertaken by my brother; Cambridge is about 100 miles from my home in Norfolk, on the plus side, it is one of the best hospitals in the country for neuro and is able to offer cutting-edge treatment for brain tumours. I finally saw my scan picture, to be honest couldn't really judge whether it was bigger or smaller than last time, but then five years is a long time and my memory's not that good!
I am going to the Norwich & NOrfolk hospital on Monday for a MRI scan with contrast ( they failed to find a vein for the injection last time!), this should give the sergions a clearer image to work on. Then I will be booked into Addenbrooks for a navigation scan, followed by surgery the next day.
It is difficult to completely remove brain tumours, as their edges are undefined, but now *(unlike 5 years ago) they will give me a drink called 5ALA a few hours before surgery.tThis causes cancer cells to glow bright pink under blue light, giving the surgion a better chance of removing more of the tumour. They will also analyse my tumour there and then, if it proves to be a high grade glioma (like last time), they will insert small chemo wafers in the hole left by it@s removal. this allows chemotherapy to wor straight away directly at the tumour site, it also means they can use a smaller dose than if it were injected into my veins. I won't know until after surgery whether chemo has been successfully implanted. daunting as it all is, I'm now keen to get this all over with as soon as possible so I can relax and recover.
Thankfully I am also now taking steroids aiming to reduce the odema (swelling)around the tumour whic causes aot of my symptoms such as severe left sided weakness (can't use my hand much at all!) dizziness, drwsiness and saliva dribbling (just as beautiful as it sounds)generally I don't feel too bad though, am glad things are slowly getting sorted!
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