The Amazing Brain

So my father who has had no feeling or ability to move his right leg has in the last two weeks started to develop feeling in his toes, started to wiggle his toes, and as of today is able to wiggle his leg.

 Not sure what this means.  His GBMIV tumor grew while he was on his inital Rad/temedor and we stopped trying avastin/cpt-11 when it put him in the hospital with infections twice.

 He has not had any active treatments since Jan.  We are not planning on doing another MRI because it could only bring bad news (if its not growing we won't be changing what we are doing and if it is growing we won't be changing what we are doing but will be able to start worrying about it)

 Just goes to show the brain is an amazing thing.

That's great that your Dad is regaining some movement, those nerve pathways must be getting back on track.  Hope the progress continues.

 Best wishes to you and your family.

Nancy

**husband dx 8/07 GBM, surgery, IMRT radiation/Temodar, now on 5/23 Temodar 

Hi Loving Son,

My husband has been on hospice since Jan, with no treatments for his anaplastic astrocytoma and no more MRIs.  In January he could not move his left arm and hand though he could sort of move his left foot and leg a little.  Lately I have seen him pick up a cookie with his left and raise it almost to his mouth (then get frustrated because he couldn't quite make it).  Also he seems stronger, talks more, and his short term memory is better.

I have been wondering how could there be an improvement.  I guess it is possible the paralysis  was caused by swelling which is now a little better for some reason?  Or could the brain adapt somehow?  You are right it is amazing.

If anybody can explain this, I bet Loving Son and I would be fascinated to hear.

Melissa

Count me in too, as someone who would be interested in knowing more about this. My mother ended all treatments in June 07 after MRI's through an 8-month course of radiation and chemo indicated first that the tumor was back, then growing. When she stopped, she dragged one foot, was falling frequently, and could not process routine tasks such as brushing her teeth and making coffee. She asked for a referral to Hospice too. Now I wonder at what point they are going to say their involvement was premature and wish us well. (Their support has been a Godsend! Visiting nurse, medications delivered to the door, respite care.) Mom is now more like her old self... sense of humor is showing some signs of returning, more conversation, more optimistic. She still needs daily oversight, but is really doing much more on her own... can make a salad, loads/unloads the dishwasher, even a little better gait and infrequent falls.

I had been posting on the Brainhospice site and asked the host there if she'd ever known anyone to make gains after showing symptoms from the end stages timeline and she said she had not, so I thought my Mom's case was pretty unique. Glad to know there are more of you out there experiencing a period of stability, and even gains!