Huntsman Cancer Center

Life has been a bit crazy around here so this post has been a bit slow in coming.  It has been over a week since we went to the Huntsman Cancer Center, but I wanted to give an update on what happened while we were there and what our plans are.

This was our first time visiting the Huntsman Cancer Center.  It is a beautiful building, nestled up by the base of the mountain.  We parked at one end of the building but the office we needed to visit was on the other end.  As we walked through the building, I was overwhelmed with heavy emotions.  Everyone we saw, all the people sitting in wheelchairs, were sick with cancer.  So many sick people.  And now, Jaron is one of them.  It was a hard reality to see.  We have been inducted into a club that we don’t want to be in.  By the time we got to our doctor’s office, I was weighed down by what we just saw. We got checked in and taken to a room.  Then came in our doctor, Dr. Jensen.  He is known for being a great neurosurgeon and we are so grateful that he is our doctor.  After going over family history and Jaron’s symptoms, he pulled up Jaron’s MRI.  He said, “Well, you get the prize for having your tumor in the worst spot.  We like tumors to be up front like your sister’s.  We are ok with tumors being on the right side like your mom’s.  But we don’t like tumors to be on the left side.”  I don’t think that is a prize we wanted to win. Ugh!  He went on to explain that because of the location of the tumor, in the communication center of the brain, removal can cause future communication problems.  If they just went in and took it out, there is a 50% chance Jaron would have communication problems for the rest of his life.  Not very good odds.  But the way he takes it out lowers that to about 5%.  Our hearts soared with gratitude that we were able to come here.  We like the odds of 5% much better than 50%!  He explained how they will do it.  First they do a functional MRI, where they map the brain’s functions.  They want to know if the tumor has just pushed the brain out of the way or if the tumor has incorporated the brain into itself.  We want the pushing the brain to the side.  Then removal won’t take important brain functions with it.  After that has been done, we move to surgery.  During the surgery, they will wake Jaron up.  Doesn’t that sound so scary for Jaron?  He has to be awake with his brain cut open!  Sounds like Frankenstein or something!  The reason they wake Jaron up is they want him to talk to them.  While they have him talkin, they will stimulate the brain.  If they stimulate the brain and he stops talking, then they know that is a part that they can’t cut.  This will help them be more cautious around the important parts of the brain.  They might not be able to get all of the tumor removed because they are more careful to not damage the brain.  But Jaron has a better chance of recovering fully this way.  The rest of the tumor will be treated with either chemo or radiation.  After they remove most of the tumor, they will put Jaron back to sleep and wheel in an MRI machine that slides up next to the operating table.  They will do an MRI to see how everything looks.  Then they stitch him back together and that’s that.  I am so glad that Jaron is getting so much help.  I have a lot of confidence in these doctors.  

Next week is when we get this all done.  Jaron has a couple MRI’s scheduled.  We meet with the anesthesiologist.  And then surgery.  I can’t imagine what it feels like to be Jaron.  It must be so scary.  He is strong and trying to hold it all together.  He is an amazing man.  I love him very much.  But wow, this is a lot!  

Again, I end with my feelings of gratitude to all of you.  Thank you for your prayers, your kind messages, your gifts, your food, and your support.  Our hearts are overwhelmed with it all.  We feel so loved and comforted.  Thank you for helping us through this journey.  

I will write again soon.  Here is a teaser for my next post.  “Jaron, you just won the “cancer” superbowl.  What will you do next?”

Until next time.  

Joni