Hitting for the Cycle

When a baseball player has a career day at the plate they hit for the cycle. That is a single, double, triple and a home run all in one game. It is an incredible accomplishment considering hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in professional sports (if you get a hit 30% of the time you are making big bucks as a baseball player). Well, today Jordan hit a cycle for the OHSU billing department. An MRI, an ultrasound, a CT scan and a consult with a Neuro-oncologist all in one day. I’m just waiting on the call from Topps to find out what picture they are going to put on her trading card.

We had an appointment with Jordan’s Neuro-oncologist this afternoon to look at the results of today's MRI. The doctor shared that the tumor has grown and that there is also an increase in swelling around the tumor. Both are causing the symptoms that Jordan is experiencing recently (loss of strength/feeling on the left side of her body). As a result, the doctor is going to reintroduce a drug called Avastin that she has taken previously. It will be taken by an IV next week (along with the continuation of her clinical trial Keytruda). There was some success with Avastin treating the swelling the last time it was used. The danger with Avastin are the side effects from long-term usage. The doctor wants Jordan to take two doses over the next month and then reevaluate with another MRI in March to see if the swelling has gone down. At that time Jordan will also be ready for another dose of Chemo. The doctor is leaning toward another type of Chemo because he feels that the current type is not being effective when looking at the balance of treatment vs. side effects.

As we were wrapping up the appointment the doctor also shared that he wanted to have an ultrasound performed on Jordan’s legs and a CT scan on her lungs to rule out blood clots. Since Jordan’s pulse and blood pressure were high today he decided to have her admitted to the ER to speed up the process. So before our consultation was over we were being escorted to the ER. Jordan was admitted immediately, put through triage and taken to a broom closet to have her tests taken care of. Jordan spent the next seven hours surviving being poked, scanned, IVed, asked a battery of questions, peeing in a cup, watching the Winter Olympics and weathering sarcastic remarks (from me). All of the tests (and sarcasm) came back negative. Luckily we stayed in Portland with friends for the night. We arrived bloodied, tired, stinky and beaten down at the next cairn (as predicted). With only a seven-hour detour to get there.

We haven’t had time to process the news from the doctor yet. I’ve found that news and information takes a few days to really settle in around here. Thank you to everyone that has reached out to us in the last several days with hugs, well wishes, cards, texts, meals and helping to take care of my family. Jordan and I are so thankful.

-Brack