On February 4th Audrey was at home and felt sudden, incredible pain. She went to the ER and was subsequently cleared and discharged home. We'd later learn that her pain was more than likely a seizure.
Over the course of the next week, she began to experience deficits on her right side. She returned to the ER on Sunday the 11th and experienced another seizure. A head CT was done and they identified some suspected tumors. They transferred her via ambulance to Marshfield Main to have an MRI of her brain Monday morning. The MRI showed 7 tumors.
Due to the size of one, a craniotomy was scheduled to resect a golf ball sized tumor that was too large to respond to treatment and to send it to pathology. The craniotomy was successful and they were able to resect two tumors. The remaining tumors were not operable as they are in areas of the brain that control motor function. A growth that had recently appeared on her forehead was biopsied and sent to pathology as well. We anxiously awaited the results and had countless doctors appointments to fill the time.
Audrey was discharged home and set up with home health to assist with physical therapy and occupational therapy to assist with the symptoms from her tumors. She has lost a lot of function in her right hand, a loss of balance and impacts to her field of vision on her right side. Bone and PET scans were also ordered. We'd learn that she has Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer that has metastisized to her brain and her skin.
Gamma Knife treatment was performed on March 17th once she had time to recover from the craniotomy. A new brain MRI showed her tumors have grown in size and new tumors have appeared. All of the tumors were able to be treated with the Gamma Knife and she will have a new MRI completed in 8 weeks to check progress. Chemotherapy began on March 21st to address the tumors in her lungs. She will have a cycle every 3 weeks. New Bone and PET scans will be completed every two cycles of chemo. She is in good spirits and is ready to put up a hell of a fight!
