Support Max and Amelia through Brain Cancer Round 3

As I'm sure you all remember, Max and I have been on a brain cancer journey since April 2022. This leg of the journey has (so far) involved inflammation, hydrocephalus, loss of limb and face use, an ambulance ride, a late night dash across all of MA, and surgery to install a permanent shunt from his brain to his stomach to drain excess brain fluid. We've been in the hospital since Saturday, 10/19, in ER rooms and the ICU.

As of right now, we honestly don't know a lot. Is there stuff going on in his brain? Yup. That caused the hydrocephalus? Yup. Can we tell for sure what it is? Nope. Is that worrying?

Y E S.

His short term memory is better than it was pre op, but it's still a little twitchy. He's still a bit confused. He cries a lot, because it's all so awful.

The only certainty we have thus far is that we're probably looking at 1-2 weeks of inpatient rehab. His left side continues to be on strike: arm, leg and face. The oncologist is talking to the rest of the team and coming up with a plan of action for further treatment.

I suppose there's one other certainty: that once again, just when we were finally going to have time to rest and recover from a year of travel and vending, we're back in the hospital, far from our home, preparing for another round of brain cancer shenanigans, and spending far too much money on parking, gas, and food. And who K N O W S what mounting medical costs are looming on the horizon? Who knows what'll happen when he's released? How handicapped will he be, and how do we handle that? Do we build ramps all over the house? Will he need more care than I can give him alone? What fun. This is fun. We're having a great time.

Sorry if my tone is less humorous than usual, I'm very tired and very heartbroken. Max is only 35. He is the literal kindest, funniest, and good natured person I've ever met, and he doesn't deserve this.