Gosh it’s been a while since I’ve had the time to do a proper update. Max finished chemo one month ago. Tomorrow he has a PET scan in Eugene and we leave for the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas on Sunday.
A while back Max and I were talking and we just felt frustrated at the lack of answers we were getting in Eugene. We felt like his oncologist kept going back and forth on whether or not he should do radiation and the radiation oncologist was still pushing for him to do radiation even after six rounds of chemo. His doctors were just “going by the textbooks.” Other doctors we had seen at OHSU looked at Max as a 31-year-old man with his whole life ahead of him. So we thought, alright, if we could go anywhere and see the experts where would we go? The answer was MD Anderson. I didn’t know much about the center and quite frankly I was surprised all research wasn’t pointing us to Mayo Clinic. Everything I read and every person I talked to all seemed to say MD is the best in the world. You need to go.
A lot of people have asked, “Why go all the way to Texas? He was stage I. Don’t you think he will be fine?” Yes. We do believe he will be fine. But we also know that if we stay in Eugene he’s not going to get the best plan moving forward. If you know Max, you know what it’s like to have a technical conversation with him. I hope that going to MD will give him the opportunity to connect with physicians who he can learn from and who he feels like have a better understanding of his specific type of cancer.
The team of doctors at MD in the Lymphoma and Myeloma Center are leading the world in innovative ground-breaking research and treatments for people with these types of cancer. The doctor that Max will be seeing is the leader of the diffuse large B-cell Lymphoma research team–the exact type of Lymphoma he has.
More to come next week from Houston. For now–please pray for a clean PET!
Good decision, Courtney and Max. Someone in my family was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer at age 26. Her docs in Chicago told her they could not do any more for her. She went to MD Anderson over 4 years ago – is still fighting but is able to work and have a life despite rounds of chemo, radiation, surgery, and scans. They have done wonders for her! I hope you have a similar experience. Hugs!
Terry and I are here for you in Texas. If u need anything..or even if u just want to visit. MD Anderson is huge!!! You go from one appointment to another in golf carts!! Its crazy. What doctor are u guys seeing? Would gladly be there to support u. Please get in touch with us. My cell is 713-906-4854. Sending prayer and strength your way.