Sarah drove Mom to the University of Kentucky in Lexington this morning for a consultation with the doctor about possible gamma knife radiation to treat her brain mets. Unlike basketball and football, apparently UK is better than U of L when it comes to oncology radiation equipment. Who knew they were better in anything, right? Anyway, she is having another MRI on her brain (the 4th or 5th now maybe?) that is suppose to be even more detailed so the computer will be able to pinpoint the exact spot to radiate the tumors. If everything goes well today, we expect she will have the procedure done sometime next week. It is still not a sure thing yet. The doctor might decide to wait depending on the results of the new MRI. The tumors might be too small right now or, if the MRI reveals any additional brain mets (praying not), they might radiate her entire brain instead of using a gamma knife on a particular spot. The good news is that Dr. Miller wants to take care of her brain mets now. Frankly, the reason we were first told Mom wasnt a candidate for the gamma knife was that the radiation takes up to 3 months to effectively destroy the tumors, and the doctors prognosis based on her abdomen was not that good. Dr. Miller was much more optimistic. He told us there was little change, good or bad, in the PET scan of Mom's abdomen from April to June and there was no reason we shouldnt go ahead and try to take care of the brain mets. The difference in opinions from the doctors last week is hard to understand. They were looking at the same scans, right? Dr. Miller has treated over 10,000 cases of melanoma in his career. We all trust his opinion the most. He has such a great way about him. Confident, yet caring. Calm and concerned. He balances optimism with the harsh reality of cancer better than anyone we've dealt with. No wonder he is the director of the Brown Cancer Center. I really wish we could deal with him exclusively from now on, but he is a very busy man. We have all built a very good rapport with Dr. Miller and he seems so genuinely concerned on a personal level about Mom's situation . It is very comforting to us to have him on our side. As soon as I hear from Sarah and Mom I will update the blog with Mom's plans.
Here's a link about gamma knife: http://gammaknife.org/
Here's a link detailing Dr. Miller's impressive resume: http://browncancercenter.org/research/researcher.aspx?id=1642
Check out his picture; He reminds us all of my late grandfather, John Jackson.
God bless,
Boog
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1 comment:
It sounds like Dr. Miller is one of those creative type persons whose brain can "see" or "intuit" things that others don't. It happens in all endeavors—philosophy, theology, mathematics, auto mechanics, brick laying, the arts, shamans, witch doctors, two-spirit saadayas, prophets, seers, spiritual leaders, etc.
The brain processes such info without the medium of language. With a background of 10,000 case, what Dr. Miller communicates is a brief summary of what he's able to deduce and future prospects that he may "see." Hopefully, he may see something that will enable Auntie Vic to overcome this dreaded disease.
Keep pouring love on Auntie Vic believing that she will receive and absorb it. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Cor 13:7-8)
I'd be curious to know if Dr. Miller is left-handed. You don't have to be left-handed to develop this skill, but it tends to come more naturally. As the saying goes, "Left-handers are the only people in their right mind."
This skill is also a little more pronounced in homosexuals with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo being two of the more famous examples. However, you don't have to be homosexual either to have or develop this skill. Brain and DNA researchers are still trying to sort all this out.
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