How it started - GBM (
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/travisanderson/journal/view/id/5bbbcf4fc1f03ee4768d349e) Journal entry by Mark Anderson — 14 hours ago
#ANDOSTRONG
As the summer of 2018 came to a close, life in Fargo, ND, was what we would all consider "normal" for Travis (Ando) Anderson, a controller at BlackRidgeBANK and, with his wife Donna, father of three young boys. What happened next, one simply could not be prepared for.
Travis started getting headaches, which was strange, as he had never gotten headaches before. He was also experiencing unrelenting neck pain. Visits to a chiropractor yielded little relief.
Soon after, he started having difficulty communicating more complex thoughts and explanations, plus he became emotionally distant -- instinctively he knew something was wrong so he made an appointment to get a CAT scan. However, while driving to the appointment, the doctor’s office called with news that Travis' insurance would not cover it, but would cover an MRI, which then got scheduled for a week later.
However, with symptoms worsening, and at the encouragement of his dad, Travis decided not to wait any longer. They drove straight to the ER for an MRI.
The test results were shocking: he had a large brain tumor. Within 24 hours, Travis was in emergency craniotomy surgery.
Although they were able to remove 99 percent of the tumor, they were not able to get everything. More than that, the tumor was not benign. In fact, Travis was diagnosed with brain cancer, a grade IV glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive cancer that begins within the brain and often returns even after surgery. Sadly, GBM is tough to beat.
But Travis is a fighter. "There are people who beat this cancer,” Travis says. “I intend to be one of them."
Travis says that along with his amazing wife, Donna, he has three reasons to keep fighting: Andrew, Jackson and Ethan, their sons.
Travis is now just beginning six weeks of radiation and lower-dose chemo, five days a week. When he is done with that, he will undergo six different cycles of higher-dose chemo at a five-days-on, 23-days-off schedule. And after the first six weeks, he will need to wear an Optune electrical stimulation cap, which is used to fight cancer by using an electric field to interfere with GBM tumor cell division.
If you see reference to #ANDOSTRONG, it’s a hashtag symbolizing the fighter that Travis is – who now is in the fight of, and for, his very life.
Please consider making a donation to Travis and his family to help offset the cost of travel, medication and treatment expenses. Help Travis and Donna enjoy their boys Andrew, Jackson and Ethan without worrying about medical bills.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will set your path straight. Prov.3:5-6
