Calvin Bruss

Welcome to our CaringBridge site. We've created it to keep friends and family updated. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most. And this is where our journey began on March 9th, 2016;We’ve turned a page to a whole new chapter regarding the health of mom and dad.  We are here, and right now this is where “here” is;

Today we found out that the tumor in dad’s brain has a name; glioblastoma.  He was visited by a neurosurgeon who evaluated the scan as well as dad’s medical history and concluded that surgery is not an option due to the following;

1. Current Anticoagulant Therapy (for blood clots in his lungs)

2. Dad’s age

3. Progression as well as size of the tumor

We then waited for the next expert; the Oncologist. Armed with information provided by the brain scan, he was certain of the diagnosis of glioblastoma.  He offered some options of treatment as well as the option to not treat at all.  He was clear that the tumor was quite large;4 X 8 cm and would eventually take over his vital brain functions.  There is not a need for biopsy due to the accuracy of the scan results, according to the Doctor.  All 6 of us siblings as well as; Mike, Emily and Katie were asked by dad to offer opinion on what the Oncologist proposed. The most viable option, and we all agreed is to have chemotherapy treatment administered via IV.  The Doctor gave us time to discuss and returned later to write up the plan and administer the orders for Chemo to begin tomorrow morning.

On Thursday, the radiologist visited and offered a treatment plan which would coincide with the Chemotherapy treatments.  Dad will begin Radiation therapy on Wednesday March16th.

We are hopeful that the combined therapies with keep the tumor at bay enough to keep dad at a functioning capacity for an undetermined amount of time.  More to come...