Craniotomy – April, 2004
Where: Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon
Surgeon: Dr. Christopher Miller
Outcome: Partial resection. Surgeon thought that part of the tumor was too close to the hippocampus and would therefore do too much damage.
Pathology report: Grade 2 Astrocytoma
Follow up treatment plan: Watch and wait because it is low grade.
Craniotomy – November, 2005
Where: UCLA Medical Center
Surgeon: Dr. Linda Liau
Outcome: Full resection
Pathology report: Grade 2 Oligo/Astrocytoma
Follow-up treatment plan: Watch and wait because it is low grade and there was a full resection. Statistically, I had an 87% chance that this tumor would not recur based upon tumor type, full resection and the tumor cell proliferation rate was very low (3%). (FYI: When a tumor is cultured in the pathology labs, they watch how quickly the cells multiply and assign it a proliferation rate.)
Craniotomy – February, 2008
Where: UCLA Medical Center
Surgeon: Dr. Linda Liau
Outcome: Partial resection
Pathology report: Grade 3 Oligo/Astrocytoma
Follow-up treatment plan: Because the tumor had upgraded to a grade 3 from a grade 2, based upon the proliferation rate, UCLA recommended that I do radiation ASAP. I got a second opinion from Neurosurgeon Dr. Edward Neuwalt at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), who said I should do Temodar (chemo) and save radiation for later, as it will do significant cognitive damage. I got a third opinion from Duke University who said to do radiation and chemo concurrently.
Camelot Cancer Care - June, 2008
I chose to go an alternative route in trying to treat this tumor. The main reason was because the most likely effects that radiation would have upon me would be that I would have severe damage to my vision, as well as short term memory loss. On top of this, I was told that I probably would lose a lot of mathematical skills. I heard about this place, and that they have had a lot of success with brain tumors, so I gave it a shot.
Treatment: High dose Vitamin C/DMSO and Sodium Bi-Carbonate, administered through IV.
Result: Still continuing treatment through a local naturopath. All scans have been stable since beginning this treatment.
Nature Cures Clinic - August, 2008 – Present
Treatment: Vitamin C/DMSO, Garlic/DMSO and Sodium Bi-Carbonate, administered through IV.
Result: This is the only treatment I have done since surgery, and it has continued to keep a high grade tumor mostly stable. There was some very mild growth on the scan in February, as compared to a year prior.