The symptoms of my tumor seemed to come on suddenly, in a two week period before diagnosis. Thinking back I can recall times when things did not seem right, such as bumping into things I should have seen and not being able to find my right side mirror at a glance while driving. I thought nothing of it at the time. I went to my family doctor on August 17, 2000 and he immediately arranged for tests at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham. On August 18th I had blood work done; chest, skull and sinus X-Rays; saw a Neuro-Ophthalmologist about my eyes and had a C.T. Scan done. The Ophthalmologist told me he thought it was either a stroke or a tumor. The C.T. Scan confirmed a brain tumor, but little else. Then the waiting began. For two weeks we waited to hear, but no one called and my symptoms were getting worse, so my wife Dale took me to the emergency department at University Hospital in London. A Neuro-Surgical Resident on-call saw me and ran some tests. By this time my thinking processes were slow and I was unable to read or write or able to name normal everyday items such as a flashlight or a pair of shoes. I knew what these things were, but was unable to put a name to them – very frustrating. My headaches were getting worse and more frequent as well.
I was admitted that night, August 30th. Since it was the Labour Day Weekend, I figured nothing would be done til the following Tuesday, but the next day, (Friday) I had an M.R.I (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) which showed the tumor to be the size of a small orange. Dr. Megysi, the Neuro-Surgeon who was doing the operation explained in great detail all about the type of tumor, the size of it and all the options and risks associated with surgery, plus treatment options. The really only option was surgery since the tumor was too large to leave. He told Dale and I that it was called an "Anaplastic Astrocytoma Glioblastoma which is fast growing and aggressive which requires aggressive treatment. Saturday I had another M.R.I. while Dr. Megysi mapped the area of the tumor. My operation took place on Monday, September 4th (Labour Day) and took five hours. All went very well and all of the tumor that Dr. Megysi could get without doing further damage was removed. I spent one day in the Observation Room, one day in my own room and came home the third day. I was put on a steroid medication called Dexamethasone to reduce the swelling of the brain and was gradually taken off it over a ten day period once I was home. The only side effects from the drug so far is an increase in appetite (which is usually the case when using a steroid) and weakness in my legs. As for the possible weight gain I will have, they told me not to worry about it since later on I may not have much of an appetite and will need any weight I put on.
Once home I was able to enjoy my computer once again and had no pain or discomfort from the surgery. I had forty staples in a "horseshoe" shape on the back of my head to be removed in two weeks. Since the rest of my hair was a "buz" cut, I decided the rest should look the same and had a friend of ours do it for me. I got prescription glasses to help with my vision which has not improved.
Upon entering the London Regional Cancer Centre we register at the desk on Level 1 and they let the radiation department know we have arrived. From there we go down 2 hallways to the waiting area.
The room where radiation takes place is called 2100 F. On the wall before going inside the room where the linear accelerator is there are signs that light up when in use: Radiation in Use / Enabled door / Closed door.
Here I am standing outside the waiting room just before going in for my treatment.
Dale standing outside the waiting room.
Before treatments started I had a plastic mould made of my head. This mask prevents my head from moving during radiation treatments. Marks are put on the mask (instead of on my head) to mark the exact spots that the radiation will be aimed at. These are done by Radiation Technicians. Once a week I see the Radiation Oncologist, who is in charge of my treatment and the Medical Oncologist who I see during and after the completion of treatments to discuss my progress and/or any problems I may be having
On October 5th I made my first visit to the London Regional Cancer Centre for my meetings with the Radiation Oncologist who went over everything with me regarding my treatment. There will be 30 treatments done over a six week period, Monday to Friday. They will take about 15 minutes each time and will be done with a radiation machine called a Linear Accelerator. I am placed on a table with the moulded mask holding my head securely to the table. The table is raised approximately four feet off the floor. The linear accelerator is able to revolve completely around so the radiation beam can be directed at my head from any direction - back, front or sides.
When the mask is placed over my face it is snug, but not tight. During this treatment I had chrystal radiation detectors taped over my eyes. These will detect how much radiation is going to the area of my eyes. Too much radiation to that area of the brain can cause eye cataracts and of course they do not want that. It was explained at this time that my radiation is given to one area of my brain, but from three different directions. The test revealed the right amount of radiation so everything is fine.
It is normal for some brain swelling to occur again and now I am back on the Steroid medication. There is no pain or discomfort from the treatments as yet, but I have been told that I will lose my hair (how much no one is sure of) and will have a sunburn effect on my scalp.
I went for my 15th treatment and have 15 to go. The following pictures show how the linear accerator can move around my head enabling the technicians to give radiation from different angles. A filter is slid inside the machine which decreases the radiation from 18 mega volts to 9 mega volts and it also scatters the radiation to get any stray cells. The filter is than taken out and the radiation is aimed in one spot at a rate of 18 mega volts. The radiation lasts approximately 10 seconds each time and is administered 3 times each session. The red lines on the mask are markers for the technicians. Each time I have a treatment they beam the light on the mask and match up the exact spot where the lines should be. This is called a quadrant. In this way, they know they have the exact spot that needs radiation.
These pictures show the blocks that are used to protect my shoulder during radiation treatments since the angle would make the radiation go right through to my shoulder (which may or may not cause problems later). These blocks are made of lead as well as other materials that enable them to be melted at a lower boiling point then lead. This way they can be shaped depending on where they are being used during radiation.
This is the control room where my treatment is monitored at all times. In the event that I want them to stop the radiation, I raise my arm and they will stop. We are able to communicate with each other as well. The top computer screens contain all the information they need for the treatment and the bottom screens show the radiation room with me on the table.
I was told that my hair would start falling out around the 14th or 15th treatment and it is. They want me to let it fall out naturally and not shave it.
