Thanks everyone for your continued prayers and encouraging words of support.  They mean a great deal to Tim and I.  Apologies for a little longer post.  We wanted to let you know that for the past month we have been consulting with doctors at the University of Chicago Medical Center.  We have been exploring a new treatment option, Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL), that Tim originally heard about from a melanoma cancer survivor and TIL clinical trial patient.  Since the beginning of our cancer journey, we have monitored the FDA approval of it (February 2024) and consulted with our local Oncologist about the possibility of TIL.  (Currently, you must try other treatment options before being considered for TIL.)  While Tim has, and is, doing well, his last Pet Scan did show some activity in his left adrenal gland….enough to make sure we monitored that “bugger” closely.  As a result, our local Oncologist referred Tim to UChicago as they are one of the facilities in the U.S. approved to use TIL therapy.  Based on his consultations with UChicago, they do feel he is a good candidate for TIL.  Overly basic, this is a treatment that finds cells in a tumor that are fighting cancer, grows billions of them in a lab, and then infuses those cells back into Tim to fight cancer.  In clinical studies, this treatment has eradicated cancer in some patients.  The doctors have advised that that the upfront process “is not fun” and there are some risk (not unreasonable) with internal bleeding (particularly the  existing brain tumors) as a result of the treatment.  With the understanding of the risks, the prayer that Tim’s new cells will overcome the cancer cells, and as a result of  UChicago’s incredible efforts to educate our insurance company on this newer treatment option (it does appear insurance will approve this TIL treatment option for Tim) we plan to move forward with the treatment option.    Tim tentatively has a surgery date in early June at UChicago to remove his left adrenal gland which they will then attempt to use a portion of that tumor to grow billions of “good” cells to place back into Tim’s system.  Following the growing of the cells, Tim will return to Chicago (about three weeks after surgery) where he will receive 1 week of intense Chemo followed by at least 1 week of the cell treatment.  During that time he will remain in the hospital for close monitoring. We are truly amazed by the people God has blessed with figuring these things out, the brave patients that were willing to be part of the clinical trials for these treatments, and the number of incredibly good people that God continues to put in our path on this journey.  It is not a stretch to say we have been blessed!  Please continue to pray that all the logistical details around this treatment will continue to unfold and that ultimately TIL treatment will prove to be successful.  In Tim’s words regarding the treatment success, from the classic (his opinion 😊) movie Dumb and Dumber……”so you're saying there’s a chance.”