E-mail from Julie

Hello all,

 

Thanks for the many kind messages, prayers and offers of help. They encourage us, and bring forth lots of tears as we face this new challenge in our life! We're certainly thankful we're not in it alone! (If this does turn out to be what we assume it will be...we'll start some sort of blog or caringbridge website to communicate news/updates. For now, I'll try to keep you up-to-date via email or facebook postings.) For those who have called, we'll work on getting back to you, when we have for info or strength to chat. (But thanks for calling!)

 

So, there's a bit of news to share, but we're still waiting to hear more news re: the diagnosis, which will likely come Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. But, for now, this is what I know:

 

Patrick's biopsy went well this morning...there were, thankfully, no complications. He's having some headaches and dizziness now, when he moves his head, but that is to be expected after having had a drill enter one's brain, no? The neurosurgeon, who performed the surgery, said from first glance, the cells extracted from the "enhanced area" appear (to him) to be lymphocytes (cancerous). We're waiting for final confirmation of that, which will also tell whether it is the same cancer that he had before, or something different. The right protocol would then be matched to his needs accordingly. We're not 100% sure it is cancer, although they are fairly certain that is.

 

We'll receive word from them next week (hopefully), along with whether or not they'll be able to take on Patrick's care here. So far they are proceeding as if they will, but that decision will need to be made by them before chemo and radiation begin.

 

So that's the news so far. I'll let you know when there's a clear diagnosis and plan/place for his care. Patrick's sister, JoAnn, is getting married this weekend in Seattle, but unfortunately PK won't be able to join us for that, given the risks of flying, being in a new place w/o known medical care, etc. So that's an equally hard blow for the family in the midst of this.

 

Thanks, again, for all of your love and prayers!

 

Gratefully,

Patrick, Julie and Ceci (who is completely oblivious to all of this, and immensely enjoying time with her Marmie, my mom!)