OUR DEAR FRIEND HAS CANCER FCS

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!


For those who would like to join me this morning, we stream live at 9:00 am and 10:30 am EST, and you can watch anytime from the archived services. The 10:30 am service has deaf interpretation shown in the lower right hand corner.


The live stream comes on just before we begin. http://livestream.com/TheCaringChurch/church

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[sparky05]

It is great to know that you have not assumed room temperature!! Neither have I, and I give all of the Glory to God!

Did they have any insight about the cause of your brain event?

No, they just sad that I had had two blood clots that had gone to the left side of my brain and lodged in an area that controls the right side of my body, and that they could see where T had had a number of mini strokes from before. They never said where the clots came from or how I got them. It was a scary 2 months I spent in the hospital,not a vacation I would have wanted to take.


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[monkeyman#1]

Hello Brett,
Been quite a while since I have checked in on you. I will have to spend some time catching up on the posts but it sure is great to see you still carrying on!!! Have a great evening.

[timebuilder]

No, they just sad that I had had two blood clots that had gone to the left side of my brain and lodged in an area that controls the right side of my body, and that they could see where T had had a number of mini strokes from before. They never said where the clots came from or how I got them. It was a scary 2 months I spent in the hospital,not a vacation I would have wanted to take.


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So...are you on thinners now?

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[Tiger93rsl]

Hey guys Bret has been on my mind a lot lately and I just thought I would share with you an update off his Facebook page. Things are not going well for Bret and I ask that you all keep him in your prayers.

"Cancer update Dec 5

Bret began the 28 day washout period for the clinical trial, was off the Vemur/Cobi since Nov 1. If you recall, the Vemur/Cobi treatment that we had been on appears to only be slowing the growth of the tumors but not fast enough, is not stopping new growth. Bret started going through the other required testing to qualify for the trial, which included a brain MRI to confirm no brain tumors. Unfortunately, the brain MRI showed two active brain tumors, and we found out that this disqualified him from the clinical trial.

Early morning Saturday Nov 12, Bret was having weakness and uncontrollable leg tremors and also spread to his arm, on the left side. We went to the ER, CT scan showed both of the brain tumors were bleeding, and he was an unhappy resident at UNC Cancer hospital for 5 days, came home on 16th. Drs. thought maybe the cause is focal motor seizures but never confirmed whether he was having a stroke or seizure. He's been pretty weak since then, having trouble walking well and using his left arm and hand. Lots of med changes, and he's on high dose of steroids. He has been tapering off those slowly.
For the two brain tumors, he had radiation (radiosurgery) for one of them on Nov 21. They treated the one at the back of his head, however the one at the top center of the brain, there's nothing they can do. (However, now I have proof that I do have a brain in my head, may not be worth much more than to grow tumors LOL...)

Since trials are out, the next thought is that we're going to Ipilimumab (YERVOY). Our understanding is this is a pretty nasty drug. And it's not clear what it will do if anything for the one brain tumor. Bret has not taken it before now since it's not for people with Myasthenia Gravis (MG). And he has to get the steroids to a much lower dose before Dr. C will think about moving him to that. He went back on Vemur/Cobi treatment over Thanksgiving, and will stay on that until he gets his steroid dose down and we decide next step. We find out more this Thur Dec 8.
We're getting down to Hail Mary's.

We keep reminding ourselves that we were in a similar spot about a year ago and beat the odds.
January 26 will be a two-year survival mark for reoccurrence, which is pretty good since we were told 3 to 6 months in Feb 2015 if we were lucky. Jan, if I make that mark, will give us 8 years 6 months and 10 days since the first go around with cancer in July 2008. We're trying to focus on being grateful for that. Your support helps give us the strength to get through this.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers,"

[timebuilder]

Thanks for posting that update, since it is likely that some had missed the post from back then. It is important to remember that Bret's fight helps not only himself, but many others as well.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, are alive because of the hard work, the struggles, the victories, and the discomforts of the previous decades. Every step that was taken then has led to better outcomes now.

So, we should pray for Bret and everyone else touched by cancer. We are winning every day.

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[behappy]

I find it very courageous that he is going through these trials for others.
Prayers

[timebuilder]

I agree. It is our trials that bring out our best.

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[sparky05]

So...are you on thinners now?

Yes, two different kinds, I am on a aspirin regiment at night and another type I take in the morning. Probably for the rest of my life.


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[sparky05]

Good afternoon Bret and everyone else, glad to be back on here again hope everyone is having a great weekend and afternoon


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[timebuilder]

I spent the first part of the day getting heat back to all rooms of a preschool.

Then, I went to visit my father in the hospital. He fell on his right leg a few days ago. The doc-in-a-box x-rayed the leg and said he had a break. Then, the hospital took a bunch more films and the radiologist said there was no break. So, tomorrow they want an MRI.

He does really well for 97....

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!


For those who would like to join me this morning, we stream live at 9:00 am and 10:30 am EST, and you can watch anytime from the archived services. The 10:30 am service has deaf interpretation shown in the lower right hand corner.


The live stream comes on just before we begin. http://livestream.com/TheCaringChurch/church

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[timebuilder]

Good morning, Bret and everyone!

[sparky05]

Good morning Bret and everyone.


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