Update on Ashley: New Brain Tumor (7/29)

Ashley

Ashley went in for another PET scan at Oncology Consultants. Her blood tests showed a suspicious protein level that’s often a marker of new tumor outbreaks. The only way to see what’s actually going on is with a scan. Since the drug she is on is a new one, getting the insurance to pay for the scan was a battle — one in which we scored only a partial victory: cancer ain’t cheap, even with insurance!

The first attempt at a scan on Thursday was not successful: Ashley’s got very difficult veins (she’s known as “the girl with no veins”); after 15 attempts to get the IV in to inject the dye, she’d had enough. She went back this morning when the nurse who specializes in difficult sticks was there: she got it in on the first try, and Ashley got her scan.

The scan showed that she has a new, small tumor in her brain, about the size of a finger tip; there are no other tumor outbreaks in her body. She is going to see the radiologist at Methodist Hospital tomorrow or Wednesday, and should have it zapped on Thursday or Friday.

We’d appreciate your prayers!

Ashley Update: Thursday, 12/1

Ashley went in today to Methodist Hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department for the preparation for her radiation treatment next week.

She learned that she has an additional small tumor in her head right underneath the place where the large tumor was removed. This newly discovered lesion also will be treated with radiation. The radiation team reviewed all the possible side-effects with her (the new tumor is near her auditory nerve on the right side and there is some possibility of eventual hearing loss on that side), then fitted her with a radiation mask. The mask will hold her head in place during the treatment, and the radiologists use it to place markings to guide them when doing the actual radiation treatment; this means that not all of what remains of Ashley’s hair will be shaved off, and that the markings won’t be done on her skin. After fitting the mask, Ashley went in for a CT scan, where the team marked her mask.

She will undergo the radiation treatment for all three spots on Monday. The treatment should take about an hour and a half.

Nancy, Lillian and Nancy’s sister Holly went down to the hospital with Ashley. Lillian charmed everyone, and Ashley thought the staff in Radiation Oncology were wonderfully caring and supportive.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Ashley Update: Tuesday

Good news today: CT scan was clean and did not show any additional areas of concern; and Ashley will go home this afternoon — much to Lillian Grace’s relief! Grandparents are ok, but moms are better, as far as she is concerned.

Once she’s released, she’ll set up a date to begin radiation treatments. Once radiation is complete, she’ll start follow-up therapies. Her oncologist is sending the tumor mass off for analysis, and the results of that may help direct the course of treatment.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Ashley Update: Monday

From Ashley:

It’s so nice to have some toes back in the land of the living. I have to thank everyone for all the support and prayers as they meant so much during a truly terrifying time.

Ashley had her full body CT scan today and will discuss with her oncologist, Dr Darcourt, tomorrow. Both Dr Darcourt and Ashley’s neurosurgeon, Dr Zhang, were pleased with what the MRI done yesterday showed — or didn’t show. She’s feeling a bit queasy from all of the contrast liquid for the MRI and CT scans, but her pain is a bit less each day.

Otherwise, she’s learning that life in a big city hospital resembles army life: it’s hurry up and wait pretty much all the time. She misses Lillian a lot (and Lillian misses her); but we’re sending her pictures and videos, and we hope Ashley will be able to go home in a day or two.

Our deepest thanks for your prayers and support!

Ashley Update: Sunday

Ashley spent a quiet Sunday in the hospital. Josh has had her up walking around, she’s getting regular doses of pain and anti-nausea meds (her head hurts a lot, though she says it’s a different and more bearable pain than the headaches caused by the tumor), and she is eating solid food.

She had an MRI this morning and is supposed to get a full-body CT scan tomorrow. When she was on her way down for the MRI, a little boy and his mom got in the elevator with them. He stared at the rather impressive stapled incision on the side of Ashley’s head. “Mom,” he asked, “What happened to her?”

“Hush, sweetie, ” she said, “That’s what happens when you don’t wear your bike helmet.”

 

Ashley Denby Update: 4/20/2011

If you’d told us a few weeks ago that we’d be celebrating the news that Ashley has stage 3 cancer, we’d have told you that you were crazy.

Today Ashley’s surgeon, Dr Albo, shared the results of the CT scan and blood tests she underwent on Friday. The tests showed that the cancer has not progressed beyond the lymph nodes under Ashley’s left arm. This was the result we (and many of you) have been praying for, and we are thankful beyond our words to express.

On Monday, Ashley will go back into the hospital and have all the lymph nodes under her left arm removed; she’ll be in the hospital for a few days. Recovery likely will be pretty painful and take a few weeks. Tomorrow, Ashley visits her oncologist, Dr Darcourt, and will discuss non-surgical follow-up, likely interferon and/or a clinical trial.

We are deeply grateful for all of your prayers and support, and this week special thanks to Aletha, Frannie, Zoe and our cousins Deb and Joe for the wonderful food.

Ashley & Lillian Grace Denby Update: 4/15/2011

Thanks & Hi to my STE friends!

Ashley met with her surgeon, Dr Albo, today; he gave her the results of the biopsies done from her surgery last week.

Unfortunately, the biopsy of the sentinel lymph node under her left arm showed that the cancer has spread there (this means her cancer is in Stage 3). The biopsy of the skin removed from her back was cancer free, and the growth removed from her head was pre-cancerous, so removed in time. This afternoon, she returned to the doctor and underwent a CT scan and more blood tests to determine whether the cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes. She’ll go back Dr Albo on Wednesday and get the results of the latest tests.

Of course, we hope that these tests show that the cancer has not spread beyond the lymph nodes. If this is the case, Ashley will have the lymph  nodes under her left arm removed and begin a course of interferon. If the cancer has spread, she’s facing aggressive chemo-therapy as well.

Lillian Grace is doing very well. She’s had to transition from breast to bottle feeding, but, in the way of babies, has done so very quickly. Her smiles and charm help keep us all going when things seem gloomiest.

We thank you for all of your prayers and support, especially this week Loren, Pam, Carin, Becky, Georgia, Charlotte and Michelle for the fabulous food, and Ashley’s cousin Emma for a superb cheesecake.