It has been 6 years since Jeff got the diagnosis and established the treatment plan! Obviously, they made a very good choice and we are all so glad that they did decide on a new and unproven technique. The fact that there has been no growth is a very good sign and we hope it stays that way.

Now a TV Star! Here is a link to a new video on Jeff. A portion of this video or another one they shot will be part of a Super Bowl commercial they are running in the Indy area. http://iuhealth.org/innovation/

In Case You Missed It

Here is a link to a TV spot on Jeff. Check it out.

http://www.wane.com/dpp/video/health/Brain-trust-New-surgery-saves-life

Be sure to watch the videos too. There are 3 videos, two are under Extra Videos. One video is of Jeff, one shows the operation, and the doctor explains the procedure in the third.

Jeff is an inspiration to us all!

On TV

Jeff is supposed to be on Wayne TV on 2/15 sometime between 6:00 and 6:30 pm. If they post the spot online, the link will be posted. They wanted to publicize the procedure and help others learn about the procedure. Jeff makes a great example for others on how to handle a challenge like this.

Continuing Treatments

One Week Per Month
Jeff takes chemo treatments every day for one week per month. The dosage is much higher now, so it is much harder on him and it takes a while to bounce back. These treatments will continue periodically for a few more months. So it you see Jeff moving a little slower some days, you will know why.

Back on the Road.

Great News!
The surgeon said the MRI shows no signs of any tumor and only a couple shadows from swelling. He has a clean bill of health. Jeff will go back in 6 months as a checkup.

Jeff will still meet with the radiation and chemo doctors next week to see about any follow-on treatments, just as a precaution.

Thank you!
A great big thank you to all of you from Tammy and Jeff for your prayers, moral support, and your love. It was a great help to them and it means a lot. Feel free to call them any time.

Please Leave Comments
Tammy is going to save this blow site with all the comments as a memory of your support. Please leave another round of comments for her to remember all of your great support. Just click on the Comments button and send them a little note. Also, please encourage others to log on and leave a note.

This Site
We may or may not take this site down in a month or two. There is not much to report anymore, but check back every couple weeks just to find out. Thanks for checking in.

Appointment Delayed

Jeff's appointments were rescheduled. He meets with the surgeon on Wednesday and then the Chemo and Radiation doctors next week.

Happy Birthday Jeff!!

Monday 1/11 is Jeff's birthday. Here is hoping he gets excellent results from his checkup.

Eyesight

Today they checked Jeff's eyesight and found that it is where it was before the operation. Good news!

Next Steps

Next Appointments - Jeff will go back Jan. 8 and 11 to get his next check-ups. So he will have the holidays off and has been considering going to Florida for a couple weeks.

Visit - I had the opportunity of stopping in to visit Jeff and Tammy 12/10-12. Jeff was looking great and seems to be working as hard as ever. I wish I had the ability to get as much done as he does. Tammy keeps him going.

Finished with Treatments

Radiation - Jeff is finished with the radiation treatments.

Chemo - He is finishing the pills he has, about another week, and then he is done. They might want him to do some follow-up treatments.

About Half Way

Jeff is about half way through both the chemo and radiation therapies. After this week, he has 3 more weeks to go. Thus far, the treatments have not been bad. Jeff says after the first day, taking the chemo pill (Temodar) has been just like taking a vitamin. What a man... We are all thankful for that.

Taking Chemo

Taking Temodar - Jeff started taking Temodar last night. After about 4 hours, it came back up. It is hard to say how much got into his system. Jeff is taking radiation and chemo at the same time.

Overall - Jeff's eyesight has returned 100%, which is great! He still has some pain and and some numbness, but nothing like it was earlier. Overall, things are looking up.

Chemo?

The Plan - Jeff will undergo radiation therapy for about 31 days before they start chemo. They may wait until just before that date before making the final decision.

Temodar - Jeff is probably going to take Temodar, which is a chemo drug for anaplastic astrocytoma, the type of cancer that inflicted him (see http://www.chemocare.com/BIO/temodar.asp for info).

Radiation Treatment Begins

Today - Jeff had his first radiation treatment today. The actual treatment only took about two minutes and he did not notice any discomfort during or after. He will go in for treatments once per day (8:30 a.m.) each day Monday through Friday.

Chemo - Tomorrow they will talk with the oncologist about chemo. They have not made any recommendations yet.

Surgeon's Call - The surgeon estimates that he got ~96% of the tumor and the radiation/chemo will hopefully get the little fingers. This sounds very encouraging! The biopsy report is not back yet.

A Star - They interviewed Jeff and Tammy (about an hour each over the phone) for newspaper articles. They might come do video interviews for TV spots too. Evidently this is one of the first of this specific type of surgeries and they want to let people know about it. It may be encouraging for others and inform them of options. It may also be used for training purposes.

Treatments Soon...

Schedule - Jeff got a call from the hospital asking whether he was going to start treatments tomorrow. He asked whether they were going to do chemo as well as radiation and they needed to check on that. So radiation treatments will probably start Thursday. He does not know yet whether they will do chemo too.

Side-Effects - The hospital told Jeff he can probably drive to and from the hospital. Evidently only about 1 in 10 people suffer the severe side effects (nausea, etc.) that one often hears about. That is good news and we hope Jeff is one of the 9.

Miscellaneous - Jeff has been running the grain cart as weather permits. A few weeks of dry weather would be appreciated.

To Anderson

Jeff was working on the grain drier this morning and got a call from the hospital in Anderson, so he went down there. I think it is Community Hospital and not St. Vincent Hospital of the St. Johns Health System. They are getting things ready so they can begin the radiation treatments when the biopsy results come back. Jeff and Tammy are probably answering the same questions they have answered a dozen times before, but at least it takes care of some of the preparatory work and may expedite the process later.

Continuing

Recovery - Everything is continuing to improve. Jeff is interested in getting his lead foot back in a truck again, but that might have to wait a little while. They probably did not remove any of the lead. Perhaps he will start with a grain cart. We can all believe that he is anxious to get back to work.

Treatment Plan - Jeff is considering getting the radiation treatments in Anderson because it is closer and Jeff could be at home more. They need to get the biopsy results back before they finalize the treatment plan, so it might be another week or more before he starts radiation treatments.

Continued Improvement

Jeff is continuing to reduce the medications as the pain subsides. It is easier to be yourself without the fog of medications. With the rains interrupting the harvest, Jerry and Laurna have a chance to have dinner with Jeff and Tammy tonight. When the radiation treatments begin and it dries off, there will be fewer chances to do that for awhile.

Treatment Info and Update

Treatment Plan - The current plans are for radiation treatments but no chemo. It will be a whole-brain radiation, two per day 5 days per week for about 5 weeks. They will probably use radiosensitizer drugs that make the radiation more effective.

How It Works - The radiation damages the cell DNA, which affects its ability to reproduce. Normal cells repair their DNA in about 8 hours so they can reproduce. Cancer cells do not repair their DNA as well, so fewer of them can reproduce after each treatment. Eventually, the cancer cells die away because they do not reproduce.

Side-Effects - The short-term side effects include fatigue, brain swelling, skin irritation, ear congestion, hair loss, depression, eye irritation and some short term memory loss. It sounds unpleasant, but the benefits could be great if they can kill the remaining cells.

Progress - The cracking and popping sounds have gone, which means the skull is grown back together. The pain is generally about a 2-3 out of 10, rather than the 25 it had been.

Latest from Indy...

Here is the latest from Indy. They have sent the tumor to Mayo for a confirmatory biopsy and those results are not back yet. Preliminary results indicate that the tumor was between a Grade 2 and 3, maybe a 2-1/2 and not especially fast growing. That is encouraging news.

Because of the slower growth rate for the tumor, the doctors said Jeff could probably wait a couple weeks to start treatments. Jeff said he wanted to start right away. He is not one to shrink from the tough medicine. Jeff and Tammy also decided to have the treatment administered at Methodist Hospital in Indy. They will start in about a week and will give two doses per day for 5 weeks. Jeff and Tammy will probably stay in Indy from Monday morning through Friday afternoon for the 5 weeks. That will be a long 5 weeks for both of them.

Some of you have been through similar treatments and can relate better than those of us who have been fortunate enough to have not been through something like this.

In Indy

Jeff and Tammy are in Indy. Jeff has been cutting back on his pain medication quite a bit and relying on Ibuprofen and Vicodin. Things are going much better overall.

The next big decision is probably where to get the radiation and chemo treatments. Driving to Indy might get old in a hurry. They are considering a Cancer Centers of America in Zion, IL. Cancer Centers of America have several locations across the country are setup to provide comfort and support during the treatments. That is their specialty, so they should be good at it. Here is a link to the centers: http://www.cancercenter.com/

The results of the tests will be posted tomorrow as soon as they are available.

As You Go to Indy...

Jeff and Tammy, as you go to Indy, please know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of more people than you realize. Few of us have gone through the challenges you are going through and you are an inspiration to us all. Any way that we can help, just let us know.

Up and Down

The pains still come and go. He is trying to reduce the amount of pain medication he takes, which means the pain stays at the high levels. Evidently, it can take 2 or 3 weeks from the time of surgery for things to get under control.

Tomorrow evening they go back to Indy for the tests on Wednesday. This will give them a plan for the next phase, the radiation and chemo therapies. They are considering several options on where to get the treatments. We will let you know about the next phase when they decide.

Headaches Come and Go

The healing process from this type of surgery is slow and painful. Jeff goes from feeling pretty good to terrible pains in minutes. Hopefully, the bad times will get less severe, shorter, and less frequent soon.

Note from Tammy (posted for easier reading)

Thank You Again for all your Support. We definetely feel all your Prayers that have been Lifted.

So Wonderful to be HOME, as the saying goes...Theres No Place Like Home!

The trip home was safe but also very exhausting for Jeff.

Jeff came home to a Big Surprise waiting for him. My Mom bought him a 60 in. big screen TV. She bought him that for all the things that he helps her with since my Dads passing. Then Fri. Jerry and Laurna are having them to come and install Dish, which Jeff will Love. Thank You So Much!!

He enjoyed watching some TV when he got home but now is totally whooped, so he headed off for bed, he sounds as though he is resting very well. I'm sure he will since he's out of that hospital bed and now in his big KING bed.

Jeff now has to stay focused on his Healing and gaining his strength back. Please take no offense, but we ask that if you could please call first before coming by we would really appreciate it. That way we can let you know as to what kind of day he's having and if he feels up to visiting. Thank You!

Blessings To You All,
Jeff and Tammy

Released

Jeff is being released after lunch and will go home. He needs to go back down to Indy in 10 days for tests, after which they will establish the radiation and chemo program.

Jeff is very tired, so please wait before visiting him. Feel free to leave your get-well wishes in the comments and this site will let you know when he is ready for visitors. Thanks.

Up and Down

The pain was down last night, which means he was able to get some rest, but has returned again today. There is more talk of releasing Jeff today, but that might depend on whether they can get the pain under control.

How Quickly Things Change

A different nurse came on duty this evening and changed the medications somewhat. The change was a dramatic reduction in pain. They will find out more tomorrow, but there is a chance that Jeff will be going home tomorrow. The pain management is the only thing keeping him in the hospital.

There is also some talk about possibly starting radiation/chemo therapy as early as next week. Jeff thought maybe 2 or 3 weeks sounded better.

Still No Relief

Several doctors have been checking and they have not been able to come up with anything to help Jeff's sever headaches. This is starting to really wear on Jeff and Tammy. It must be extremely hard thinking the next day might be better and then seeing that it isn't. Jerry and Laurna are going back down to provide some support.

Note From Tammy Last Night

Well I just got back to my hotel room & for most of the day Jeff was feeling somewhat well. He went for 3 walks, took a shower and sat in a chair for lunch, that was some big steps for him. As evening approached he started feeling worse, he over did it. They had to put the IV back in since the meds. were not working orally. His headache is very pain
ful tonight and nothing seems to help relieve it. They did give him some medicine tonight to help him sleep. So now he is sound asleep.

I want to mention we met another couple Doug and Terri, they are from OH. Such a nice couple. They came over to Jeff's room tonight and brought him a cute get well monkey with candy in it, very kind of them. Doug has alot in common with Jeff, he also had brain surgery and is having to have another one again very soon. So they can relate very well with one another and encourage and support each other. Same is true with Terri and I, since we are both going through similar situations with Our Husbands.

God is truely Amazing and in your Hour of need He knows and provides. Thank You for letting us meet Doug and Terri!

When I was leaving Jeff's room tonight, he said be sure you mention the Browns on the blog and Thank them Again. Please join Jeff and I to Wish Doug and Terri all the Best and to Pray for them and for Doug's upcoming surgery. We will Definitely keep in touch!

We say a Big Thank You Again for all your Thoughts and Prayers!!

Love....Jeff and Tammy

Headaches Getting Worse Again

Jeff's headaches are getting worse again and they do not seem to be able to manage them with medications. The doctor will be in tomorrow so hopefully he will have some ideas of how to give Jeff some relief.

Slow Improvement

Jeff is still suffering from severe headaches and heartburn. Evidently they are limited in what pain medication they can give him. He ate some breakfast and had a shower and was exhausted. The reduction in sight is a big concern to Jeff, but that may improve over the next couple weeks. He will probably have a week or two of recovery before he starts radiation and chemo-therapy, which will last for 3 to 7 weeks.

Readers are encouraged to leave their encouragement to Jeff. Just click on "Comments" after any of the posts and up will pop a window. Your comment will be associated with whatever post you select. Scroll to the bottom of the window and type your comments. That is all there is to it. Give it a try.

Out of ICU

They are moving Jeff out of ICU this evening. He was able to eat a little and stand, but is still not doing well. Greg went down this afternoon.

Still Hard

The pain is still intense and even family visitors are almost a burden. Hopefully they can find the right pain medications to give him some relief soon. Jerry and Laurna are probably headed home for now.

Dr. Harold Young, a renowned surgeon (was called in for President Reagan, has a the VCU Brain Cancer Center named after him, etc.) called to see how Jeff was doing and agreed that this was the right thing to do.

Hard Night

Last night was a hard night for Jeff. He had lots of pain, heartburn, and was nauseous. He got almost no sleep and is very tired. They are trying different pain medications and a caffeine drip seems to be working the best so far. They are now wanting Jeff to get up and move around (taking the catheter out is one way). Between Tammy, Jerry, and Laurna (Judy was ill and had to go home), they are trying to keep someone with him to provide some comfort and support.

He currently has lost about 25% of his peripheral vision in the lower right, but that may come back over the next couple weeks. It sounds like Jeff has taken a very big step in what will be a long road of treatment and recovery.

After the Procedure

Tammy was able to go in to see Jeff for a few minutes. They do not have an ICU room available until after 7:00 pm. Jeff is in quite a bit of pain and the procedure was a little harder than he expected. Lets hope and pray the recovery proceeds as well as the surgery.

On a lighter note, the female Olympic downhill skier from Idaho, Pikabo Street, just got laid off from her job at the ICU unit in our local hospital. Evidently, she kept answering the phone: "Picabo, ICU..."

Good News!!!

Jeff is out of surgery as of 12:07 ET. They got more of the tumor than they had expected (over 90%), but there are some small fingers they could not get. Jeff probably lost a little vision, but it may return. Jeff was getting quite tired by the end of the procedure, but they were able to get through it.

Jeff may be released as early as Tuesday (9/29). Radiation and chemo therapy will follow.

The support from friends, family, neighbors, and those who may not know Jeff directly has been overwhelming and has been greatly appreciated by Jeff, Tammy, and the families. Thanks to all of you!

The Surgery Is Underway

Just a quick update to let you know that Jeff went into surgery at about 8:00 and he was up-beat. The surgery actually began at 10:07 and is going well. It may be a couple hours before we hear anything more.

A Few Things About the Procedure

Jeff will be sitting in a chair for the procedure with his head strapped against a br a bracket to keep it immobilized. Evidently the head is strapped quite tightly and that might be a bit uncomfortable. After shaving the hair off the area, they will make a 3-1/2 inch horse-shoe shaped incision in the scalp. The cut in the skull will be about 2-1/2 inches in diameter. Jeff is absolutely not allowed to touch his head (as if he ever had the urge to feel his brains) because of the risk of infection.

They were busy yesterday making calls to the UK, California, etc. to get ideas and suggestions on some of the details. There were about 10 doctors involved in the planning and there will be about 6 involved in the procedure. They are about ready to start right now.

Potentially Encouraging

Jeff went in this afternoon for more MRI's and the results sound somewhat encouraging. The tumor is smaller and farther away from the optic nerve than previously thought. I am guessing this means they will likely be able to remove more of the tumor and it may not be as aggressive as previously thought.

The surgery is schedule for about 8:30 tomorrow morning. Since Jeff will be partially sedated but will not undergo full anesthesia, he should not feel quite as bad after the surgery.

We will update the site as information becomes available.

The Schedule

After getting some wood split, radiators replaced, some welding finished, and other jobs, Jeff went to Indy today for a more detailed MRI this afternoon. The doctor needs this information to guide his surgery. Tomorrow evening, Jeff & Tammy and the parents will go down to Indy to be ready for the 8:00 a.m. surgery. The surgery is scheduled for 4 hours, but may go longer. This site will be updated as information becomes available.

About the Procedure

The awake craniotomy procedure is surgery performed while the patient is conscious. Jeff’s tumor is near the optic nerve, so this procedure allows Jeff to tell the sugeon if his sight is being affected and the surgeon will stop removing tissue. This allows the surgeon to remove as much of the tumor as possible without affecting his sight. The surgeon expects to remove between 75% and 95% of the tumor. If you have not checked out the videos on the Saturday September 19 post, you might want to check them out. It is quite amazing! They will sedate Jeff somewhat, but he will be able to respond to the surgeon for most of the procedure. They will use radiation and chemo therapy to kill the remaining tumor cells.

In order to leave comments wishes for Jeff and the family, just click the "comments" label under any post and a window will pop up. Just type your wishes and leave your name. Thanks.

Note from Tammy

We want to say Thank You to all of you that have been Supporting & Praying for Jeff & Our Family. We want to say Special Thanks to Dad,Mom,Greg,Karen,Aunts,Uncles,Cousins & Friends for all your time in helping with the research & new ideas for Jeff's care. Thank you Kenny for taking the time & making this blog & keeping everyone posted on updates.

With all the Help & Support, this allows me time with Jeff & Noah & to share Our Precious time with one another & treasure every moment together.

Since this is a very Difficult time in Our lives, we are focusing on God's Strength, Healing & for His Miraculous Hands to Guide us through Each Day & for the Days to Come!

All Our Love,
Jeff, Tammy & Noah

Welcome!

This site is intended to keep you up-to-date on Jeff’s situation while reducing the number of calls Jeff and Tammy get. Please add information or your best wishes in the Comments section to the right.

Discovery

Jeff first started getting headaches in early August and they continued to get worse. On September 2, Tammy took Jeff to the Bluffton Clinic because the pain was so bad. The Bluffton Clinic immediately had Jeff taken to Fort Wayne Lutheran Hospital, so Jerry and Laurna took him. After a CT scan and MRI, Jeff was told he had a brain tumor. They took a biopsy and sent it to Mayo Clinic for evaluation. Jeff went home and awaited the biopsy results.

Diagnosis

The biopsy results came back September 17. The biopsy indicated it is grade III anaplastic astrocytoma. These are tumors that originate in the brain rather than ones that originate elsewhere and metastasize in the brain. Here are some links on this type of tumor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrocytoma

http://www.mayoclinic.org/glioma/astrocytomas.html

Jeff’s tumor is located in the left rear of the brain in the region that affects sight in his right eye. Jeff was told at FW Lutheran that they considered the tumor inoperable.

Treatment Plan

Tammy and Jeff pursued other opinions and have selected a treatment plan that includes a new type of surgery. The current plan is for Dr. Cohen-Gadol to perform an awake craniotomy. Here are links on the doctor and the type of operation he will undergo.

http://www.vitals.com/doctor/profile/1215962279

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiUMy0P7ewM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pm-GufxKWQ&feature=related

The surgery will be performed Friday, September 25 at Clarion Methodists Hospital in Indianapolis.

http://www.iupui.edu/~transres/