First Week of Optune

Matt started his next phase of treatment last week, which is a fairly new device for glioblastomas called Optune.

Optune works by creating low-intensity electric fields, called Tumor Treating Fields, or TTFields, which help slow or stop glioblastoma cancer cells from dividing and may also cause some of them to die.

He has to wear these transducer arrays on his head, which are connected to a battery pack. It has to be worn at least 18 hours a day. It was a bit of a hassle at first having to carry the pack around constantly and all the cords and everything, but now that it's been over a week he's getting used to it. The arrays have to be changed out every 2-3 days, and his head has to be shaved bald so that the arrays will stay on.

Even though it took a few days to get used to, he's still able to go about his daily activities and live life without it being too much of a hassle. So far in this first week we went cruising in the Jeep...

Out to dinner at Qdoba (for a keto approved meal)...

Took a walk through a pretty trail at the park...

And he's still getting in his workouts, of course!

His keto diet is still going well. He actually says he really enjoys it...as long as I keep making him yummy treats on the weekend! :) He's been doing well on the chemo as well. He sometimes has to take a nap during the day and gets tired if he does too much in a day, but overall he's doing really good.

We're still looking into some alternative treatments, such as supplements and essential oils, which we hope to get him started on soon. We just wanna try to hit this thing from all angles, and if it doesn't hurt, we'll try anything. The next MRI is in October, so until then we just keep living in the moment and taking it day by day.

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Putting My Heart Out There

Hey guys. Here's where we're at right now: Matt finished his radiation treatments last week. Did they help? I don't know. He's sleeping a lot more. Having trouble chewing and swallowing. Not eating much. Not talking much, at least not in full sentences. It's just been a slow, steady decline for the last few months. I think it was really too late for radiation....But who knows, maybe it is delaying things. We went in last Tuesday for his infusion and talked with his neuro-oncologist about everything that we've been seeing with Matt, and he decided that we're at the point now where we should discontinue treatments...I feel like it's the right decision, even though it breaks my heart knowing that there is nothing else we can do. But I feel like we've done everything. All the supplements, the diet, the chemo, the radiation... Matt has fought hard. He never gave up hope. He kept the faith. He never complained through any of this. Not once did I hea

People always said That time would heal the pain But how can that be When mine still remains? The tears still fall At just the thought of you So I know that what they say Just can't be true As the years go by I miss you so much still No matter how much time passes I know I always will How are you not here To ease my hurting heart? Never could I have imagined We would ever be apart My world has been shattered A piece of me is gone And all I can do is pray For strength to live on I know that one day soon I will see you again I just have to try to suffer through And make it until then

Why?

Why? Why do I care so much? Why do I make sure they brush their teeth at night so that they don't get cavities? Why do I spend my own money to buy them clothes, toys and decorate their rooms, among other things? Why do I do 5,000 loads of laundry a week to make sure they have clothes to wear to school? Why do I make sure they go to church on Sundays so that they'll be raised to know about Jesus? Why do I try to give them chores and responsibilities so that they will turn out to be decent human beings? Why do I read them a bedtime story at night, even when I'm exhausted? Why do I clean up after them constantly and cook for them and try to always have healthy snacks and food on hand? Why do I go to their sports games and practices, just to feel like the odd man out standing there awkwardly with their bio mom? Why do I give 100% of myself and make so many sacrifices for children I didn't birth? Only to be insulted and told hurtful things? To be made to feel like I'm

Lindsay's Ramblings

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