Tony Scaletta

Welcome to Team Tony.  A number of friends who have had family members struggling wth cancer recommended that we try this, so here we go!


First and foremost, you will see opportunities to make a donation all over this website.  These donations go to the website and not to Tony.  


On Tuesday, October 24th Tony and I went on an ATV trip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  Tony was having trouble shifting gears with his left foot and had to hang back with a personal guide.  Of course, we made fun of him but he just couldn’t manage what was happening with his left leg.  When we got off the ATV, the situation worsened.  He had trouble with his balance and felt like his left leg had fallen asleep and just wouldn’t wake up.  We made it back to the hotel and discovered Tony was unable to walk up the stairs.  He had his first seizure in the hallway outside our hotel room and things went steadily downhill from there. 


We ended up at a small hospital in Cabo where the doctors did a CATScan and an MRI.  Around 9 pm that night we’re told Tony has a brain tumor.  We spent the next two days trying to get the heck out of Mexico with a brain tumor guy prone to seizures who could not walk or use his left leg and hand.  That’s not an easy thing to do.


On Thursday, October 26th, our family chartered a private jet that took us to Los Angeles.  I cannot adequately explain to you the relief that we felt when the door from Customs opened to our family all standing together waiting for us on the other side.  It brings tears to my eyes just describing it here. 


We were taken directly to Saint John’s hospital otherwise known as The John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica.  We were met immediately by the Brain Tumor team led by Dr. Daniel Kelly (neurosurgeon), and Dr Santosh Kesari (neurological oncologist).  Tony was admitted and prepared for surgery for 7 am the next day.


The surgery was successful.  Tony had two ruptured blood vessels, one new (probably due to the ATV ride) and one older.  Much of the tumor was removed but some was left behind because of swelling and bleeding due to these ruptures.


Tony spent the next 6 days in the hospital recovering from surgery and dealing with continued seizures.  He was released yesterday and we are staying at my sisters house in Palos Verdes. Where we will be for at least a week.


We are patiently waiting for the pathology to come back from Tony’s tumor.  This will indicate what the treatment plan will be.  The markers we will learn from the pathology allow us to participate in some clinical trials which coincide with his first rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.  You only get one shot at the initial treatment so we are gathering all the information we can.  We are working with Private Health Management to help coordinate Tony’s care and help us with the research.  They have have been wonderful.  


We are in good hands.  We are surrounded by loving family and feel that we are receiving the best care possible.  Tony and I are overwhelmed by the outflow of love and support.  We are truly blessed and feeling the love.  Tony likes to say, “I’ve got a lime in my coconut”, and his sense of humor and bad joke telling are completely intact.  We have no idea what happens next or where we will go, but your love and prayers will go with us.  We are so lucky to have you all.


Becky