In June 2019, Pearl went to her doctor because she was having trouble with word finding. He ordered an MRI and discovered a small tumor in the left side of her brain. A biopsy revealed it was grade 4 glioblastoma.
Pearl showed tremendous strength and faith through 6 weeks of chemo and radiation. In September, she had swelling in the brain that landed her back in the hospital. Afterwards, she did a bi-weekly treatment of Avastin, responding well with minimal side effects. However, the nature of glioblastoma is that it will spread.
Our visit to MD Anderson in February showed the cancer cells beginning to spread, even though the original tumor was stable. In March, Pearl experienced seizures at home and was taken to the ER.
With the guidance of MD Anderson, her local doctors at the Fort Worth Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, and a family friend who happens to be a neuro-oncologist, Pearl has received exceptional care. We are currently focusing on quality of life and Pearl is no longer receiving treatment. Because of the location of the tumor, Pearl’s greatest struggle has been aphasia. She is not always able to communicate but her eyes and face say a lot!
Throughout this journey, so many family and friends have reached out and checked in. This truly speaks to the person Pearl is.
We appreciate everything you have done and believe that Pearl knows how truly loved she is.
