In early January 2010 Troy was diagnosed with Stage IV systematic melanoma that has formed a tumor between is heart, lungs and spine.
Prior to his diagnosis, he had been sick for several months with trouble breathing and flu like symptoms which the doctors attributed to many things other than cancer. Cancer was discovered after a cat scan in the emergency room which revealed the tumor. A biopsy was performed and the tumor was determined to be melanoma. His cancer is localized to only the tumor and a few close by lymph nodes and has not spread to any other locations or organs at this point. Since that time he has undergone multiple aggressive chemotherapy treatments. A follow up CT scan showed the cancer had stabilized but the tumor had not gotten smaller. Because of this as well as the sever side effects, he and his doctors determined to stop chemo and begin treatment with the cancer drug Temidor.
Updated February 16th, 2010
Just to recap on the last week or so, because I am so bad at updating the journal regularly.
Late last week we found out from the CT scan that the chemo treatments really haven’t been doing much for Troy. The doctor has stopped the chemo treatments and have switched to a pill called Temodar. Many patients benefit from this. We were to start the Temodar yesterday but Troy had started coughing up blood and went to the ER last night. The ER did at CT scan and said everything was fine, THANK GOODNESS!! What the ER doctor said is that because Troy had been coughing so much that he had broken a few blood vessels and was causing this. However if things increase we are to go back.
We are scheduled next Monday to visit a new doctor that specializes in Melanoma and his very well known. We have heard great success stories and are very positive. Troy was hesitant in making the appointment as these treatments can be aggressive, but Troy has come around and is anxious to meet the new doctor and move forward. YEAH!! I will keep you posted.
AGAIN THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!
Love you! – Courtney
Updated February 18th, 2010
Today Troy and I had an appointment at the University of Colorado hospital. They have a cancer center that specializes in the treatment of melanoma. The doctor believes the next step in Troy’s treatment should be bio chemo therapy. It is a treatment that is administer in the hospital over a five day period. It is a very aggressive treatment, Troy will be under the care of Doctors and nurses 24 hours a day for that week. There will be a total of five ”medic
Love Courtney, Troy and Morgan
Updated February 22, 2010
I was released from the oncology unit around 11:00 AM. It was a long and difficult chemo treatment, with getting little sleep and getting sick often. The real challenge starts today keeping me healthy with out the help of 24 hour nurses. In the next few weeks I will need to gain weight and get healthy before my next chemo cycle. We thank everyone who has helped financially, emotionally, with dinners, organizing the fundraisers and just being there. We LOVE you all so much. Troy