Newly diagnosed and Feeling very lost and upset

[Mustard]

Thanks Anna, I've just sent you an email. I really appreciate it. Cheers, Paul

[Mustard]

Hi Mango, Thanks again for the summary of your husbands history with GBM. I was wondering is still taking the Avastin and Temozolomide or has he stopped the chemo? I know in stroke victims they can regain some movement back eventually, so I was wondering has your husband had any improvement from his right side paralysis? I really do appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. Thanks, Paul

[Jodii]

I'm so very sorry to hear about your diagnosis Paul and Anna - being a newbie to this site. Please excuse my ignorance but what is a GBM. My hubby has a type of bone cancer but I've not heard of a GBM before. Thanks and hugs to both of you in your journeys xxxxx

[Mustard]

Hi Jodii, GBM is the abbreviation for Glioblastoma multiforme which is very aggressive form of brain cancer. There are not a lot of treatment options at the moment besides surgery, radiation and there really is only one effective chemo which isn't effective for all people with it. I've been looking at what research is happening in this area and from what I seen they think they are close to making some break throughs in the next 1 to 5 years. The only problem is that the average survival for people with GBM is 14 months. I plan on being above average and being here when they bring these trials from animals to humans. I think gene therapy is going to make a big difference to the survival rates for all types of cancer especially brain cancers and I'm going to be here to see it. Cheers, Paul

[Jodii]

Wow Paul - you sound incredibly brave and focussed and I commend you for that. I think we need to be when we're dealing with any type of cancer really - face it head on! I share your frustration in that although your cancer is different to my husbands - they both do not have a lot of treatment options available to fight them by the sound of it - and when I hear of media reporting fundraising for breast cancer and bowel cancers I sometimes find myself wishing that the type of cancer we are dealing with was more common - and thus had more options to fight it with. Good luck with the fight and keep talking and sharing as even though we have different types of cancer to contend with we also share lots of similarities and frustrations to by the sound of it. Cheers Jodii