We met with the Oncologist at St Joseph Mercy Health and laid out the plan for treatment. He was able to answer several questions for us. Most that my PhD biomedical engineer daughter had thought of. So good to have her as a resource worker! He also brought up the MRI and CT scans to show us the details of the reports. He was very straight forward and concurred that the plan we have at UM Melanoma Clinic appears to be our best option at this point.
So it looks like I start the immunotherapy this coming Wednesday!
Thanks for all the prayers, contacts and visits you have all made to date!
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Metastatic Choroidal Melanoma
For the last 11 years I have had annual CT scans, blood work and chest x-rays to see if the choroidal melanoma had spread after the radiation treatment I had for it. Well this year the CT scan showed several highlighted areas in my liver.
After several CT scans, MRIs, blood workups and a liver biopsy, I have been diagnosed with metastatic ocular melanoma with five tumors in my liver and a tumor in a lymph node next to my trachea. My lungs and brain are clear for the moment.
The plan is to start immunotherapy on Wednesday May 3, 2017 with Keytruda at the U of M Melanoma Clinic in Ann Arbor. There is no cure for this condition, but hopefully the treatment will slow or shrink the tumors. While only 13% of patients get a benefit from this treatment, there is the possibility of some clinical trials if I do not respond to this course of treatment.
We have so many friends who have responded with so many prayers and calls and notes. It has been overwhelming to experience this kind of love and care for my family and I. I plan to use this blogspot as a site to keep everyone up to date, so please feel free to log yourself in. I would love to have you send messages and prayers via this site whenever you can. Know that our home is always open for anyone to stop in and spend time chatting. We want to know what is happening in your lives too!
Peace and all good,
Deacon Don Leach
After several CT scans, MRIs, blood workups and a liver biopsy, I have been diagnosed with metastatic ocular melanoma with five tumors in my liver and a tumor in a lymph node next to my trachea. My lungs and brain are clear for the moment.
The plan is to start immunotherapy on Wednesday May 3, 2017 with Keytruda at the U of M Melanoma Clinic in Ann Arbor. There is no cure for this condition, but hopefully the treatment will slow or shrink the tumors. While only 13% of patients get a benefit from this treatment, there is the possibility of some clinical trials if I do not respond to this course of treatment.
We have so many friends who have responded with so many prayers and calls and notes. It has been overwhelming to experience this kind of love and care for my family and I. I plan to use this blogspot as a site to keep everyone up to date, so please feel free to log yourself in. I would love to have you send messages and prayers via this site whenever you can. Know that our home is always open for anyone to stop in and spend time chatting. We want to know what is happening in your lives too!
Peace and all good,
Deacon Don Leach
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