Watch and Sweat (Wait) #33

 

It's nearly 15 years since my last surgery and once again Dr Walker has found no sign of changes on the MRI image when he compares the latest image to twelve months ago, five years ago, and even ten years ago they all look the same. This means no sign of another recurrence and I can relax for a little while, at least.

Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrence and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrence and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #29	4-Jul-22		13.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #30	10-Nov-22		13.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #31	25-Jul-23		14.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #32	23-Nov-23		14.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #33	19-Mar-24		14.8

Watch and Sweat (wait) #32

 Another visit to Dr. Walker today for my regular four-monthly check-up and once again, I was given the "all clear", no signs of recurrence!

As the scorecard below shows, that's 14 and a half years Tumour-free! Woohoo!!!

OLIGO SCORE CARD
Birthday:	7/8/1954
Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #29	4-Jul-22		13.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #30	10-Nov-22		13.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #31	25-Jul-23		14.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #32	23-Nov-23		14.4

Watch and sweat (wait) #31

 

Once again, my four-mounth review has come up clear when I saw Dr Walker yesterday. Hopefully, this will continue. My biggest fear is that it will return as a high-grade tumour, but so far, so good. it is now fourteen years tumour free, a new record!

Here is my latest oligo score-card:

Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #29	4-Jul-22		13.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #30	10-Nov-22		13.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #31	25-Jul-23		14.1

Watch and Sweat(wait) #30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again I had a four-monthly checkup with Dr Walker Today. This appointment was scheduled back in July, but just three weeks ago I had a minor stroke(see previous post), so it was an opportunity to talk about that and why it happened.

Dr. Walker suggested that the question to ask was "Is this related to the radiation therapy I had previously?". Of course, there is no way of knowing for sure but there is such a thing as Radiation-induced vascular disease which may have reduced the blood flow in part of my brain making it more prone to a blockage of the type I experienced three weeks ago.

Anyway, Dr Walker found no signs of regrowth and this is how my Oligo score card is looking now.

OLIGO SCORE CARD
Birthday:	7/8/1954
Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #29	4-Jul-22		13.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #30	10-Nov-22		13.4

Oh, no. Now I’ ve had a stroke!!!

Dear followers,

Now I’ve had a @#$&*# stroke! 

Can you believe it? That was most certainly NOT on my radar! A tumour recurrence maybe (and that’s why I have an MRI check every four months), but not this thing which has weakened my left  arm and made my left hand pretty useless. They reckon my hand will recover with enough therapy, but it will take months! I suppose I’m lucky that it really is a mild stroke and I just need to soldier on with the rehab.

The stroke was an Ischaemic stroke, meaning a blockage caused by blood clot or plaque. The blockage was near the area of previous surgeries for the brain tumour, but I haven’t had a good explanation for why that should be the case. It could be just coincidence and I may have had the stroke regardless of the Oligo.

My first rehab exercise was to unscrew these wing-nuts with my left hand.

The light in this photo also highlights the lumps and bumps I have in my skull as a result of the three craniotomies I’ve had over the years to deal with my Oligo.

Watch and Sweat (wait) #29

 Once again My four monthly review has come up clear with no sign of a recurrence (phew). That makes thirteen years tumour-free! Not that it means much when I have been here before, after my first surgery in 1993 and it recurred in 2006.

This is how my oligo scorecard looks today.

Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #29	4-Jul-22		13.1

Watch and Sweat (wait) #28

 

I have not posted for a while during COVID and changes to our home computer system. However, I had another check on the old noggin last month and once again it all looks clear. The score card below shows my progress.

OLIGO SCORE CARD
Birthday:	7/8/54
Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8