Ken - two years and counting

I'm sure everyone knows at this point, but in February 2009, Ken started radiation treatment for his brain tumor.  At this stage, it's still being referred to as a "tumor" versus "cancer" solely because of the slow rate of growth.  Ken had brain cancer surgically removed in 1999, but it came back.  And this time, the "tumor" is inoperable due to its centralized location.  The doctors say it would cause Ken more damage to remove the cancer than it's worth.  So, after talking to numerous doctors, the only choice was the Novalis x-ray radiation treatment at UCLA.


Now, Ken had told me everything that he went through during and post-surgery, so I informed him that he did not need to go through any treatments because of me.  However, he chose to go through the treatment: every day, Monday through Thursday for 7 consecutive weeks.  We drove to and from the High Desert to UCLA with the help of friends who took turns driving him.  I went on Family Leave to take care of Ken during this time, and he wanted to do the driving rather than stay down there so he could be home every night for the children.  


Loma Linda VA is an amazing place as is UCLA.  Despite my still not liking Dr. Big Head at Loma Linda (I still understand that brain cancer is not his specialty and he is regarded for his abilities - I'm still pissed at his "finding" the tumor while we were sitting there), I cannot say ENOUGH about the care that Ken has received at the VA prior to, during and since his cancer care.  The doctors and staff at UCLA have been amazing as well, and I am still completely thankful to Dr. Michael Selch and his team for inventing this treatment and for taking care of my Ken.


It has now been 2 years since Ken went through treatment.  That 7 weeks was a living hell for us - always worried and yet trying to keep busy and not worry.  Ken had a list of things he wanted to do as a "bribe" for going through treatment, so I documented every stage of our "adventure" and put it into a book - yes, I know.  I put everything in a book, but everyone I spoke to couldn't believe that I was going to document THIS!  Really?  Cancer treatment - why would you put the pictures in there?  Well, someday, the children are going to need to remember what it is Ken went through, and I'm sure that they'll laugh that his treatment was so "old school" and possibly "barbaric" depending on what is available in medical technology of their time.  I also wanted to make sure to document how Ken and I both felt immediately after finding out the diagnosis and what we felt during his treatment.  

See the Cancer Book

Now, of the amazing things to come out of Ken's ordeal - our marriage is one. I really wasn't ever going to get married again, but his diagnosis made marriage more important than ever.  We were able to travel and see and do things we otherwise wouldn't have made time for.  The best thing to come out of "all this" was the reconnection with old friends, and the making of new friends.  Some of the people who were instrumental in our getting through this have faded away, but they are in our memory nonetheless.  Other people, friends from my childhood whom I hadn't spoken to in years, were suddenly there in our life as though they had always been there - and still are.

This is what Ken subjected himself to 4 days a week for 7 weeks

He had to be bolted to the table for his treatment everyday. 

Next week, Ken will have another 6-month MRI to follow the tumor, and in April, we will return to UCLA to meet again for the annual check-up with Dr. Selch to ensure that the tumor hasn't grown.  No matter what, I have had Ken longer than we were originally told I would, and I am grateful every day for him.  My girls are much better having had Ken as their "best daddy ever" and I continue to hope and pray that this treatment holds forever, but at least long enough for a new and better treatment option for Ken's unique type and location of brain cancer can be found.


Again, it's been two years since his treatment began, and counting.............