Subject: Lesley Update - 6/12/01 Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 09:50:03 -0400 From: David Baldauf Lesley is back in the hospital. Starting about last Thursday Lesley began to have some extreme weakness in her right side. She also had increasing lethargy. Not all the time for the weakness and lethargy, but especially after she awoke from her naps. On Sunday morning I called in to the neurosurgeon on-call who suggested I bring her in to the emergency room. She did quite well getting there and when she was first there. However, after napping for about 30 minutes in the ER she was less responsive and exhibited right side weakness. They did a CAT scan which didn't show much of a change from her scans while in the hospital last time. Then they did an MRI and admitted her. Yesterday we saw both the neurosurgeon and the neurooncologist. They said the MRI showed that the tumor near her hypothalamus had grown from 1.5 cm to 2.9 cm in 21 days. There also might be some increased swelling. So they started her on increased Decadron, and on lasix and mannitol in an attempt to reduce and control the swelling. They also started her on her high-dosage Tamoxifen and will start her on BCNU either today or tomorrow. As the neurooncologist said, there is no time to wait. The obvious concern now is the rapid growth of that tumor. Another problem is that the chemotherapies take a couple of weeks to be effective, if they are going to be effective. We're in a race, but the tumor has a head start. Lesley had been up and down since Sunday as far as her neurological status. When I spoke with the nurse this morning she was doing better. I'm not sure about discharge plans as of yet. I'm also not sure what shape she'll be in when she is discharged. We'll have to wait and see. More when I know more. Dave -- Dave Baldauf, h/o Lesley (45), gbm, dx/srg 8/99, rad 9/99-10/99, debulk srg 10/99, bone flap removal srg due to infection 11/99, 18 rounds of Temodar 12/99 - 4/15/01, MRI on 5/7/01 shows growth and new tumor area near hypothalamus, surgery 5/22, new chemo as soon as possible after surgery mailto:dbaldauf@alumni.brown.edu