2nd Surgery for GBM with Charlie Teo tomorrow (Australia)

Barbie Smith · Regular Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 12

Thought I'd post this for the Australian Brain Tumour sufferers as well as everyone else. Plus I am feeling very fragile as my darling husband goes for his second craniotomy for GBM tomorrow morning at 6am. I've been watching this amazing forum for a while, especially your very supportive posts brainman - I hope you are feeling well. Hubby has had so many complications with various drugs and treatment - it's been an extremely rough road. My beautiful daughters, 17 and 16 are so sad, as am I.

Why is this happening to us and my beautiful man......
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Doctor Husband 54 yrs young dx GBM 1 April 2009. Craniotomy Charlie Teo April 2009, Temodol, Radiotherapy, Procarbazine, Allergy to Dilantin & Topamax. 2nd Seizure October, 2nd Craniotomy Charlie Teo November 2009. Expressive Dysphasia.

mahershams · New User Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 5

It is very hard to face everyday with GBM. My mother had first surgery on 18th October, now in National cancer center in Singapore for radiation and chemotherapy. As we also need to know second surgery, can you please tell me after how many days, second surgery needed and where you do this in Australia and how much total cost? I am planning to take my mum with me in Australia. Pls advice

Barbie Smith · Regular Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 12

Hi, here is Charlie Teo's website. http://www.neuroendoscopy.info/theoIntro.asp

Hope that is helpful for you. He operates at Prince of Wales Private Hospital in Sydney - you would have to contact them for costs as it is different for everyone.

Good Luck. xx
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Doctor Husband 54 yrs young dx GBM 1 April 2009. Craniotomy Charlie Teo April 2009, Temodol, Radiotherapy, Procarbazine, Allergy to Dilantin & Topamax. 2nd Seizure October, 2nd Craniotomy Charlie Teo November 2009. Expressive Dysphasia.

Barbie Smith · Regular Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 12

Hubby sitting up and talking - his latest round of surgery involved removing about four tumours from Broca's Area (speech centre). Apparently they weren't expecting him to talk afterwards at all. He has suffered expressive dysphagia since diagnosis that became significantly worse when the tumour returned. He's feeling much better after this surgery and his speech may even be slightly improved. It's such a relief for him when the pressure from the tumours is taken away. Well at this stage - he lives to fight another day - we are just so relieved.

We live in a small town where he was the local Doctor to about 3,000 patients. They will all be very relieved by this good news even though he is unable to work as a GP any more.

Hugs To All Suffering Any Type Of Brain Tumour xx
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Doctor Husband 54 yrs young dx GBM 1 April 2009. Craniotomy Charlie Teo April 2009, Temodol, Radiotherapy, Procarbazine, Allergy to Dilantin & Topamax. 2nd Seizure October, 2nd Craniotomy Charlie Teo November 2009. Expressive Dysphasia.

mahershams · New User Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 5

Its good to see that surgery recovers well. However, Please update regularly, if possible, how everything is going on. I heard that after 2nd surgery there will be a chance for infection.

Is there any radiation and chemotherapy prescribed by doctors this time?

Barbie Smith · Regular Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 12

No more radiation - that's only done once here after the initial surgery. There's no more risk of infection other than that with any other surgery. We will be seeing the Neuro-Oncologist next week about follow up chemotherapy. Apparently the surgeons are very surprised he can speak at all as they removed all the area around his speech centre but as he is ambidextrous he has a small speech area on the right side which has taken over. This is very good news. All going well so far.....
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Doctor Husband 54 yrs young dx GBM 1 April 2009. Craniotomy Charlie Teo April 2009, Temodol, Radiotherapy, Procarbazine, Allergy to Dilantin & Topamax. 2nd Seizure October, 2nd Craniotomy Charlie Teo November 2009. Expressive Dysphasia.

Barbie Smith · Regular Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 12

Good news at last - our first in many months - well since the 1 April, really. We went to see our Neuro-Oncologist that works alongside Charlie, Helen Wheeler and she gave us the histology results of the surgery. NO ACTIVE TUMOUR FOUND. Well we were so excited we went and bought a bottle of French Champagne!! Charlie told us there was a 70% chance of tumour 30% chance of Pseudo - Progression. Even though the PET scans and MRI showed up hot it's very hard to the doctors to discern whether or not it's progression (tumour) or pseudo-progession. Well, he needed the surgery as the Necrotic tissue was causing problems and he was symptomatic with his speech worsening by the day.

So we're back on Chemo and awaiting the next MRI on 12 Jan. Hubby will have two weeks off the chemo over christmas though!!

3.5 weeks from surgery and weaning off the dex again. Much more extensive surgery this time has left a very tender area where the graft has gone in - any suggestions for this folks?

May all the visitors to this site have a precious, peaceful and safe Christmas.

xx
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Doctor Husband 54 yrs young dx GBM 1 April 2009. Craniotomy Charlie Teo April 2009, Temodol, Radiotherapy, Procarbazine, Allergy to Dilantin & Topamax. 2nd Seizure October, 2nd Craniotomy Charlie Teo November 2009. Expressive Dysphasia.

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