Lepto-what??

Praying that this finds you all doing well and staying healthy. This sure is a difficult time for all of us. We are definitely feeling the difficulties that come with socially distancing ourselves. We depend on the support of our family and friends so much, and to now have to navigate things without that help is proving to be a challenge. There have been a few changes since David was discharged from the hospital last week, so let me catch you all up.

Last Saturday, David started a new type of cancer medication. Monday morning, he started running a fever (similar to his response from his last cancer meds). We called his oncologist and were told to stop taking the meds, because it was more than likely a side effect from that. Due to Covid19, he had to once again stop his radiation treatment because they can’t take the chance that his fever is something worse. His doctors decided that he needed to get tested for Covid19 before they would continue any further treatment on him. He has since been tested. We are still waiting the results, but his fever has stopped since the medication is no longer in his system and he’s not showing any other symptoms. We are hoping to get the results back soon so he can continue his radiation treatments next week. The plan is for him to start his cancer medication back up, but at half the dose and hopefully he won’t get any side effects. He will meet with his oncologist next week to go over things and then hopefully do his next round of immunotherapy.

Now, if you guys can remember, last month David went to his neurosurgeon to get his staples removed. At that time, the doctor didn’t like how some of his pain symptoms weren’t adding up and wanted to do an MRI of David lumbar plexus (pelvis area). Today (3/26) we had a follow up appointment with him via the phone. He didn’t have the best news. He is very concerned about some images he saw on the MRI. He said it’s a possibility that David may have something called leptomeningeal disease. We are not ones to turn to “Dr Google”, but for the sake of understanding, here’s a short description of it, given from an MD Anderson website:

“When cancer spreads to the central nervous system, it usually goes to the brain tissue. In a small but growing number of cases, though, it shows up in the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord and/or in the leptomeninges, the lining of the brain and spinal cord. This type of metastasis is known as leptomeningeal disease (LMD), or leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.
Since leptomeningeal disease cancer cells float in the cerebrospinal fluid, they can quickly spread throughout the central nervous system. As a result, leptomeningeal disease has a poor prognosis.”
This was not easy news to hear, but as with all the hard stuff, we have to look at the facts that we have RIGHT NOW.
Right now, it’s just a possibility. We’ve spoken with his oncologist and it was decided that nothing is going to be done right now about it, because David is still waiting on his Covid19 results to come back. He already has an appointment set up to see his oncologist next week, at which time, he will fully assess David. Meanwhile, his neurosurgeon, radiation oncologist and oncologist will review the MRI and decide the next course of action.

Of course we pray that this isn’t what we are facing, so PLEASE continue to pray for us. Pray that there’s another explanation for what was seen on the MRI and that we have peace while we wait.

Prayer requests:
-For complete healing of David’s body
-For wisdom for the doctors, as they review David’s MRI and they collaborate on what needs to be done
-For peace as we wait
-For renewed joy. Every day.
-For God to continue to support our kids, and the different challenges they are facing
-For health for our whole family

Thank you for always filling our hearts with encouragement and support. We appreciate it all, so much!!! We love you guys and pray for all of you.