Hello everyone
I'm not sure how to start but needless to say that when it happened, I felt like I had let him down. 40 years of a wonderful marriage and we know each other so well so why didn't I just frog march him to the GP.
I could see changes in him on his left side...his beautiful smile became crooked over the last few years; he started limping on his left leg; his foot would slap down on the ground when we went for our walks; his arm no longer straight hung straight and his grip was weaker when he held my hand. Over the previous few weeks, he had started suffering the odd headache and light headedness when he turned over in the bed... His colleague had noticed the limp but he put it down to arthritis.
So, 2 days into the lockdown, our lives changed forever. My darling husband came downstairs in the morning, made himself a cup of tea and without warning, he appeared to suffer a stroke followed within a minute or so, by a seizure. It was terrifying! CT and MRI scans ruled out a stroke but confirmed a diagnosis of a brain tumour, an 'Oligodendroglioma' on the frontal temporal region of his brain.
A few days later, we had a video consultation with a neuro-oncologist who believed the tumour to be benign. But he added ominously, "no benign tumour is ever 100% benign as they can have a tendency to turn nasty"! He thought the surgery could be postponed for 3 months allowing time for the dreaded virus to ease and ITU beds to become available. The tumour is/was slow growing and shouldn't cause him any further episodes. So,it was over to the drug Keppra to keep any further seizures at bay...and that they did and still do, touch wood.
Over those 3 months, I noticed a specific change in my husband's physical well being… his walking. He kept veering to the left. Ofcourse, he didn't notice a thing, bless him. When the neuro-oncologist video called us in early July, my husband used his favourite words to describe how he was..."I'm fine". Muggins was having none of that...not anymore!
The Neuro-Oncologist reckoned that the tumour must have grown as this particular symptom had deteriorated. Numerous scans were expedited. The results showed 'white spots'...It had turned malignant! On 4th August, he had his surgery. Sadly, they were only able to remove 20% as the rest was diffused with the brain.
He has just finished his 33 treatments of radiotherapy. He smiled through each one and the radiographers adored his positivity and his funky T-shirts especially the one that read, 'I don't need Google, my wife knows everything'.
Yes, he lost most of his beautiful silver hair with an immediate request for our boys to give him a 'Kojak'. 'What's a Kojak', was the response from son number 1. Luckily, he didn't suffer the skin blisters to his scalp because he would apply aloe vera gel post treatment and coconut oil before bedtime. One of our neighbours had bought them for him having read about the side effects.
Chemotherapy (PCV) starts on 23rd November....6 cycles, each cycle being 6 weeks long. I think he (and we) are ready to face it.
Like many others who are faced with cancer, we hope, we pray, and count on the support of our family and friends. We thank the doctors and nursing staff for their continued commitment and magnificent work.
We are grateful to Macmillan and Maggie for listening and for just 'being there' in our darkest moments.
We have no idea of the prognosis because we didn't want to know at the outset. Ofcourse, I've done a lot of reading and research so I have a fair idea. Even now, we want to wait for the treatment to finish 1st. My husband is gentle, sensitive and emotional...he would not cope. We do know that there is no cure but hopefully, it is manageable. He understands and accepts that. By God's grace, the surgeons were able to operate and are still giving him the best chance and for that alone, we are truly grateful!
Thank you for reading.
Pipcy
Thanks again Glenn.
How was your MRI?
We're not due to see the Oncologist for a few weeks yet but I will certainly bring it up with him then. May I ask if you're taking/thinking of taking, the Fenbendazole? I'm intrigued by the various news and scientific articles online. They don't mention any side effects which is a huge plus! What does your wife think?
This whole 'repurposing' of existing of drugs is interesting too. I never knew that Viagra was originally used for heart conditions. And then there's Dexamethasone and Remdesivir ,now being used for Covid patients. So why not Metformin and dog worming tablets to fight cancer!!
I've found that the oncologists AND Macmillan and alike, aren't very receptive to anything that they deem, 'alternative', including a healthier (veggie ) diet or taking vitamins to compliment the chemo. I read somewhere that adding probiotics can help protect the stomach and the immune system from some of the side effects of the chemo. But at the same time, I do agree that he may as well eat whatever he can when the time comes or he may starve...
This is a mine field and sometimes, it scares me witless! It's the 1st time we're having a 1st hand experience of cancer in the family....and there are literally hundreds of us silly beggars. I feel the responsibility of 'caring' for my husband, overwhelming. Care is probably the wrong word because right now, we're 'supporting ' him as he doesn't need care. Bless him, he's a very simple, kind soul and is just going with the flow while I'm constantly reading up and going bonkers... 
Wishing you a great weekend.
Pip
Pip
I did try and reply to your post on my mobile phone app, but it does not seem to have gone through, so here goes again.
I am seeing my oncologist in 2 weeks time. She will tell me how my latest scan looks and the way forward. if it's not much change from their prognosis 6 months ago, then I will start the worming tablets, and maybe the Metformin. as for the side affects, well i will let you know how i get on, as long as I don't start Barking and sniffing peoples bums, I will carry on. I know what my Oncologist will say " well it's not recommended by NICE yet, more research needs to be done " and covering her backside. but fair enough, I will probably have to sign a disclaimer of some sort.
Regards
Glenn
Hi Glenn/Pio
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences - v helpful. Might you tell me more about the worming pills/metaformin ... did I miss that in a post somewhere 
. Any useful links would be appreciate.
Stay safe and well both, my best wishes to you and your families.
SP
I was a bit worried about you sniffing bums and cocking your leg up!! 
I've spoken to my husband about it and he's all for trying the worming tablets but wants to give the chemo a go. His oncologist said that they will do an MRI scan after 3 treatments to check progress. So that's probably when he'll consider the option. Re the Metformin, I can't see our GP prescribing them unless hubby is a diabetic. He's not much for being proactive, alternative or thinking outside the box! I could shake him sometimes...the GP not the husband.
Just going to digress a little....Check out a Ted Talk by Dr William Li..... 'Can we eat to starve cancer?' He also has a great book called Eat to beat disease. Good bedtime reading.
I know it doesn't compare but I suffered for about 20 years from a condition called Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.... HIVES, basically. My immune system was on overdrive 24/7 and was constantly telling my brain that my body was under attack. And it would chuck out histamine at an alarming rate causing the blood vessels to burst and so create hives. I used t scratch myself until I bled.
So believe me when I tell you that apart from my eye balls, teeth and nails, EVERY single part of my flesh was alive with these HUGE itchy, heat-ridden hives. I was constantly being rushed into A&E because my tongue would swell up to the point where I could not breathe. I was on the cusp of being prescribed immunosuppressants that are normally used to stop the body from rejecting organ transplants when someone on a Facebook CSU support page, mentioned a YouTube video by a guy called Joe Cross... 'Fat, sick and nearly dead' (unfortunate title!). There were good and bad comments on the Fb page. I felt I had nothing to lose and gave it a shot and within 4 weeks my hives had gone and they've stayed away for 7 years now.
My husband learned a lot from my experience and has no hesitation in giving the worming tablets a go should the chemo not work.
Let's open a can of another kind of worms...CBD oil??? I'm intrigued by Olivia Newton-John's experience with her breast cancer..
There's a lot out there to consider if chemo turns out to be ineffective....but sadly, a lot or it is, untested and untrialled but has the capability of helping.
Can't wait to get an update on your MRI scan.
Pip
