Hi everyone!  Mom's Gamma Knife radiation treatment last week seemed to go really well.  Dr. Pittman, the brain surgeon, did say she would have follow up visits every three months to monitor the treatments success.    Her next appointment with Dr. Pittman and his team is in November and I'll add it to the Planner on this site as soon as I know.  

As for her visit with Dr. Villano, the lung specialist at Markey, he did say she was NOT approved to participate in the original clinical trial he had mentioned at her first visit with him.   That particular clinical trial included immunotherapy AND chemotherapy.   

She was, however, approved for another clinical trial that includes immunotherapy and targeted radiation to the tumor.  Dr. Villano mentioned that the immunotherapy drug he would be using for this trial is the same as was going to be used in the other trial.  

During this visit, the nurse practitioner in the room with Dr. Villano made it very clear what needed to be the priority prior to and during treatment:

• Staying hydrated -- lots of water or electrolyte drinks like Gatorade or Powerade (I know she likes the fruit punch flavor)
• Eating protein rich foods -- chicken, cottage cheese, nuts, that sort of thing

She was also prescribed a few additional medications to help with her tiredness and lack of appetite.  The medication for her lack of appetite was too expensive, but Brandon and I have been able to find an alternative that seems to be working.  The medication used for her tiredness does not appear to be working, but the nurse practitioner was clear that this particular medication may not work and that we should communicate that to her during her next visit.

Mom's initial meeting with the radiology team for her lung is on Wednesday, August 29, at 2:30pm after a meeting with Dr. Villano to sign off on participation in the clinical trial.  Following that appointment, she will begin her first round of immunotherapy.  

As for the immunotherapy, though I'm sure we will get additional details on Wednesday, it will be administered through an injection and will only need to be administered every 21 to 28 days depending on how she responds to the treatment.  The nurse practitioner advised this particular treatment is tolerated by patients very well but that individual reactions to these sorts of treatments are unpredictable.  

Please let me know if you have any questions!  Thanks for your support -- and let's keep on keepin' on.