a long weekend

Last Thursday kicked off a very long weekend indeed for us.

Jason was scheduled for another follow-up MRI and appointment with the oncologist and neurosurgeon. Having reached a tipping point of sorts from chemotherapy treatment, post-radiation exhaustion and several months of wondering "is all this even working?" we were anxious to have some results. Any results - as long as they were definitive.

rockin' out to a little Van Morrison while we wait...

The results were fairly definitive... and not necessarily uplifting.
The tumor appears to still be growing.
We understood upon original diagnosis that a GBM type tumor would most certainly reoccur after treatment - but I don't think either of us expected it to show up again so soon.

a comparison of MR Images of Jason's brain:
The RIGHT image is from late June.
The LEFT image is from last Thursday.

So we came back to Meeker that afternoon with a clearer picture of Jason's brain...
but a cloudier idea of what the road ahead would look like.

• We knew that we would spend the next several days sharing thoughts, conversations, emotions and concerns with one another and our dear friends and families.
• We knew that we would reach out to certain people that could help us make good decisions and understand what kind of road we were on.
• We knew that despite not knowing where we were headed - we would continue to love every second of the journey and appreciate the time and freedom that long, holiday weekends offer.

And in doing so, we somehow came to a place where we knew we were headed in the right direction, at least!

In between a high school football game, dinner parties, a trip to the Glenwood Hot Springs and of course running Hamp & Sam to and fro whichever play date or sleepover was arranged, AND with the help of friends and family who are behind us every step of the way, we called the oncologist's office this morning and requested addition drug treatment.

So the road trip continues...