A few weeks ago Rob had a seizure and could remember very little about what had happened that day. As it just-so happened he was already booked in for an MRI scan having been talking to a neurologist, and things progressed very quickly from there. Scan was Tuesday. Phone call from consultant (who was on vacation so this was kind) on the Wednesday. Referral to neuro-surgeon on the Friday. Craniotomy for the biopsy on the Wednesday. From here it has settled into a more sensible pattern as various results come through, and as he recovers from having had doctors inserting needles in his head (and finding calcium deposits there, which is proof positive that, as friends would long have agreed, he has rocks in his head).
The results are somewhat inconclusive at the moment - the pathology says "you have cancer, we cannot quite work out which type or grade it". He will have another MRI scan in 4 weeks time with the addition of spectroscopy (can identify cancer metabolites) and diffusion (for blood flow) which should tell him much more, including if it has sped up and turned in to a grade 3 or is still wandering along as a grade 2. The difference will be significant when it comes to treatment plans as if it was severe he would already have started - and we do know it is not a grade 4 which is the most common and the nastiest.
In the midst of this, they are a family with lives to be leading still. Health and treatment - likely to be radiotherapy and chemo together for 6 weeks, followed by chemo for 12 months - is going to be a larger part of Rob's, but Ellen is training to be a vicar in the Church of England, and their son Jonathan is 6 and wants to be running around outside with his friends as well as sitting in classroom learning things (they hope!) They have a strong Christian faith and firmly believe that God is good and is in control. They would massively appreciate your thoughts and prayers as the considerable support that it has already been and hope will continue to be.
This page will provide updates as to how things are going, but may not be able to reply in person to everyone who sends them a message. It does not mean those messages are not welcomed though!
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