Temodar Is Working!!!! Astrocytoma Tumor

My husband is 45 and in March of 2005 he had a MRI and we found out he has a large brain tumor on his left side of his brain and then he had a biopsy and the doctors said the tumor was a Astrocytoma grade 3 tumor and because of the size and location of the tumor it can not be removed. He has had all the radiation that he can have and was on steriods. For a while there he was so sick and we even got second opinions and were told by the looks of his MRI he should not even be here and he should be in a wheel chair. The doctors could not get over how well he could function. Then he was sent to the OSU James Cancer Hospital they put him on the chemo drug called Temodar for 5 days out of each month and he now is on his 12 month of Temodar treaments and he just had a MRI that showed the tumor is shrinking!!! My husband is very bull headed and has lots of faith. What ever you do "do not give up" even when there seems to be no hope! I know it seems like you are on an emotional roller coaster at times. Just hang in there and think positive and pray alot and eat healthy!! NEVER GIVE UP! Hugs! Connie & Mike

I'm new to the board, my husband has an inoperable left
frontal lobe anaplastic astrocytoma. It effects his motor skills,
he can only walk with a walker, and has trouble thinking, it
takes him a while to articulate what he is wanting to say.

Is this what your husband has? My husband has finished
radiation and is starting his third treatment of 400 mg
temodar. Did your husband take that much?, mine is still on
steroids. Do you know how long your husband will be on
Temador?


Hope everything is still well with your husband. Thanks for any
replies, I'm just trying to get more information about his
treatments from people who have gone through it.

Thanks a lot

Brenda
My husband's name is Mike.

Hi! Brenda,
So sorry to hear about your husband our prayers are with you both! My husband has the same type of brain tumor and for a while there his speech was real bad and now he is off of the steroids and he is looking more like his old self. He was very sick for many months but he now walks fine and his speech is so much better and to be honest for a while ther he scared me because his memory and train of thought was real bad and to look at him today compaired to a year ago WOW!!! He has came along way thank God!! We have had so many ups and downs and when a doctor tells you they have done all they can do and things do not look good and then there seems to be no hope. That is the worst feeling in the world! His doctor told us that she can have 2 patients with the same tumor size location ect. and they are both on the same drugs and one will pass away and then one will beat it and then she said it takes more than a drug to beat this it takes determination to live and most of all it is the frame of ones mind you must think positive and yes pray alot! She said she wished all of her patients could have Michaels determination to live. At first when we found out my husband was very sick I was so angry with God and one day I droped my kids off to school and I was all alone in the car and I started to cry and I was talking out loud to God as I was driving I told God you must hate me why are you doing this to us why? WHY? There is no way you could love me because if you did God you would not be putting us through this!! Then out of the blue a van pulled in front of me and stopped and I looked up at the vans bumper there was this BIG bumper sticker that had a big happy face on it and it said SMILE GOD LOVES YOU!!! WOW! I got chills all over me and I wiped away my tears and looked up and said God I love you too I'm sorry! I do not blame God any more. There are people that beat this cancer everyday so we both look forward to the day that we can say thodeb words "Michael HAD CANCER"!! My heart goes out to you both for I know your pain but I hope Michaels story will give you both the hope you need to not give up. Michaels doctors have told us that they are so happy when they see Michael getting better it gives them the hope for so many of their other patients that they have that are trying to beat this cancer. He will be on the temodar how ever long it takes to beat this we were told some people have been on this drug for over 3 years and they are cancer free to this day. It took over a year of treatments until we got the first news that the tumor has shrunk. So it takes sometime for the drug to kick in. My husband walks evryday now and before he could hardly stand up and at times he had to push him self but he did a lil' bit more each day and now it has paid off. The one week that he is on chemo he is sick and sleeps alot but then the rest of the month he is more like his old self. I make him homemade smoothes I use lots of fruit and juices together and he eats lots of steam vegies. I am so proud of my husband he has came a long way and I thank God for each day that we are blessed with together. May God bless you both with many more days together! Hugs! Connie

It has been almost one year since you wrote my wife Brenda an inspiring letter of faith.  I truly hope you and your Michael are getting along well.

 

I was diagnosed November 05 and feel better every day.  Well you know the Chemo puts a different spin on things for 5 or 6 days.  I only have one inoperable tumor in my left motor strip.  I do exercise regularly and feel stronger all the time. 

 

I have been very moved since reading your letter last summer, but had a few set backs including being put on hospice for the second time.  Only to fire that doctor, my new doctors have been so much more supportive and did not see why I was ever put on hospice the second time, as I never failed Temodar.  I feel as the Temodar is working well also and have been on it again since March 06 July 06 stopped and now have been on it July 06 til present May 07.

 

Again I hope you and Michael are doing well.  You are absolutely correct when you mention the emotional roller coaster.  

 

 

Michael and Brenda