Timeline / History

January 18, 2010
For anyone who has seen the movie "What About Bob?" with Bill Murray... then you are familiar with his silly lines about "baby steps to the elevator", or "baby steps to get on the bus", etc. Well, that's pretty much where Tim is right now. It's clear that his recovery is going to be a very slow and difficult process. Given the 8 months of hard treatments, surgeries and drugs, it will take his system and body time to heal and be able to build itself up again. So our new motto is "Baby Steps".

Unfortunately the last week has brought a few setbacks. Tim has not been feeling well and actually has an early stage of pneumonia. And if that wasn't enough, during the CT Scans they were doing on his lungs, they found he also has a pulmonary embolism (or blood clot in the lung for the lay person). So he was admitted back into the IMC hospital last Thursday for treatment. It's a tricky business treating a PE (pulmonary embolism) on a normal person, but for a cancer patient (especially a brain cancer patient) it gets even more complicated. Tim is at a higher risk for brain hemorrhaging and so they have to be really smart, careful and slow in thinning his blood and trying to dissolve the clot. As much as he hates being stuck in the hospital (despite the good food) he is getting terrific care and hopes to come home soon. He really does love the food there at the hospital, almost as much as Julie's little sister Jamie!

We will continue to post updates on the blog so that you can stay current on his condition and treatment. He loves you all and our family truly appreciates the strength you continue to provide us. Thank you very much for the support.

November 2009
In keeping with his trend, Tim once again did not respond favorably to the chemo/radiation therapy. A November 6th MRI showed that not only did the left front lobe tumor double, but more tumors have developed. His treatment plan has changed completely. He will start on a new drug called "Avastin" that will be administered intravenously twice a month. Avastin has shown a lot of promise with brain cancer patients and statistics show it can really help about 35% of the people who take it. Our fingers are crossed!

Tim is doing everything he can, including dietary changes, herbal brews and supplements, craniosacral work and Reiki. We know that this is in God's hands, and so keep the prayers, and strength and positive vibes coming. He needs them more than ever!

September-October 2009
More bad news... After spending the summer recovering from his June surgery (which was very successful) and doing chemotherapy to try and keep more tumors from growing, Tim was told on September 8th that there are 3 new tumors. This time in his left and right frontal lobes.

Tim had another craniotomy (medical term for brain surgery) on his right frontal lobe to try and resect the 3 new tumors. Dr. MacDonald was able to reach and remove the 2 in his right lobe, but could not "safely" maneuver through to get the other really ugly one in his left lobe. Tim is recovering extremely well - yet again, from this surgery. He once again surprised doctors and in 4 days left the Neuro Critical Care Unit and went home. I think it was the maple bars I kept sneaking in to him! ;)

He will begin another round of chemo AND radiation to try and shrink the tumor they couldn't get to. Good luck Timmy!

June 2009
We are sad to report that the 6 weeks of radiation therapy Tim just underwent was not successful. The tumor actually doubled in size.

Tim will undergo a very difficult brain surgery on June 2nd to try and remove as much of the tumor as possible. Good luck Dr. MacDonald... may your hands be steady and your mind be brilliant!

The surgery went very well. Tim's body and mind are somehow very tolerant of this kind of trauma. He is recovering and trying to talk his doctors into sending him home early.

Although he's doing well and they were able to remove almost all of the tumor, the pathology report did come back showing the cancer as a Stage IV GBM (Glioblastoma Multiforme). That's as aggressive and bad as it gets. We pray he will not relapse for a very long time.

March/April 2009
We knew this day would come. As much as we had hoped it would stay small and quiet forever, Tim's tumor has become active and is growing. After much consideration, he will begin radiation therapy to try and shrink the tumor.

November 2008
After a routine MRI scan, the tumor seems to still be somewhat dormant.

September 2008
Tim had a neuro surgeon (Dr. MacDonald) do an open biopsy to see what grade and type of tumor he had. He did very well with the surgery and came home from the NCCU after only 2 days. The pathology report shows the tumor as a Grade II Astrocytoma. Could be better, could be worse. We will continue to move forward and hope for the best.

May 2008
Tim had a routine scan that showed the tumor to be the same size as it was in March. As scared as we are, we are happy that it's not growing fast or doing significant damage.

April 2009
Upon further tests and exploration, Tim has been diagnosed with a brain tumor in his left temporal lobe.

March 2008
On March 9th, during a normal ski day with his daughters, brother, nieces and friends at Alta, Tim suffered a seizure and was brought down the mountain in an ambulance. After 2 days in the hospital and every test imaginable, they discovered some kind of abnormality in the left rear lobe of his brain. Two different doctors said it could be infectious, tumoric, or a possible stroke. He has been referred to a neuro oncologist by the name of Ali Choucair for further treatment and diagnosis.