DAVID'S PAGE

Welcome to David's Web Page. It has been provided to keep people updated about David.David is 15 years old. He was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage IV brain tumor/cancer
May 6, 2003. Operated on 5/13/03. Began radiation and chemo (temador) June 5th, 2003-For six weeks. Took a 4 week break from chemo/finished radiation 7/17/03. Began 1 st of 10 rounds of chemo Aug. 13th/03. He is 5 days on and 23 days off. He gets MRI'S every other month with and without contrast. Dave is my hero. Thanks for visiting his site and I will do my best to keep updating!
David went through another brain surgery on May 19,2004 at Miami Children's Hospital. Unfortunately his tumor grew back in the exact same spot as last year...Dr. Ragheb, the neurosugeon, removed the tumor again and this time implanted gliadel wafers into the area where the tumor was. After visiting Duke Tumor Center on 9/9/04 with Dr. Gururangan, David was given another MRI- 9/14/04 and it looked good so Dr. G along with David's doctors here in West Palm, devised a protocol consisting of CPT-11 (chemo) infused once aweek for 4 weeks, then 2 weeks off and resume again..the other meds Dave takes everyday are: tamoxifen-the key role here is to inhibit a cell signaling enzyme called protein Kinase C, which could contribute to brain tumor growth and invasion. And Celebrex- which inhibits an enzyme called COX-2. This could keep the tumor from making new blood vessels. Tumors depend on their own blood supply to grow- so hopefully this will cause tumor cells to die. Lots of side effects with all of these, however it does not mean Dave will experience them all and at this point the doctors have agreed to be very aggressive until otherwise determined, by David. JUST A QUICK NOTE: DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF CELEBREX AND THE SIDE EFFECTS IT COULD HAVE DR.G, FROM DUKE, HAS PULLED IT FROM DAVE'S PROTOCOL.
As of September 8th, 2006, Dave has stopped his chemotherapy treatments. He has just had enough..3.5 years. He is now taking synthroid for his underactive thyroid. Bloodwork and MRI's will always be apart of his life though not as frequent. We just take it one day at a time.

Journal

Sunday, August 17, 2008 9:56 AM CDT

I picked up the older two at the airport last night....haven't seen them since June 7th! They look fabulous and Michael worked his tail off this summer..12-16 hr days! Loved every mintue of it. He helped run a jet ski business/fishing business...took the jet ski safety course too. His boss is actually coming to visit Mike in October he just had a great summer. Ashlei could not get the bartending job she hoped to, too many locals coming back year after year to the same jobs...she went back to her old job (not as much money as she hoped) she also did some catering and painted henna tattoo's also! College begins next week for Ashlei but she will be getting oral surgery this week...wisdom teeth...she has to use her credit card..I feel soooo bad about this...she has also gotten her college loan..I just can't help her like I would like to...I told her she's now old enough to file her own lawsuit to get unpaid child support back...she will definetley be doing that with help from some of her friends dads.....but for now it's a struggle and she is just such a strong spirit. She moves into her her apt. Aug 22nd! Classes begin again Aug 26th.

The boys start school tomorrow! Dave actually had strep throat (thinks he got it from the gym...) last week but is fine now. The first week is basically getting their schedules and getting acclimated with their schedules....Dave had some testing done Aug. 8th and we will get the results and review Aug. 29th at clinic. This will determine what course the endo doctor will take or if more tests are needed. He isn't scheduled for his next MRI until December...it feels so weird waiting this long. He is looking into acting and improvisational classes to boost him along. Just have to see how expensive it all is...but his passion is evident. Hopefully Mike will be buying a truck in the next couple weeks...and get either his old job back or another one he's been thinking about....this will free both of us up!

Continued prayers for all our CB families and friends!

Kathy



www.caringbridge.org/sc/dakota
www.caringbridge.org/fl/jeffery
www.caringbridge.org/visit/michaelhoran

www.braintrust.org/audrey
www.tumbleweedfoundation.com

Read Journal History

Hospital Information:

Mail can be sent to Dave: Dave Fitting
41 Vista Del Rio
Boynton Beach,Florida 33426

Links:

E-mail Author: Joy2Jak@comcast.net

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