Ty's Cancer Fund

Starting Saturday May 27th with a routine eye exam where Dr. Koeppe told me I had Bilateral optic disk edema, he told me I needed to go to the ER immediately and proceeded to call my mom. He left my mom his personal cell phone number and told her to keep him updated. We made it to the ER in Fargo where Dr. Yvette did a normal nuero exam and was going to send me to my primary care Dr. on Monday or Tuesday. Thankfully my mom pushed for an MRI; after waiting 2 hours the ER Dr., she told us she would rather be lucky than smart. The MRI revealed a massive tumor, sized at about 8-9 cm, the size of a small grapefruit, located around the left frontal lobe which was causing all the problems. After sending us to the Mayo Clinic the same day, taking us 4 hours to get to the Mayo ER (I hadn't eaten since 8:30 in the morning mind you all still reading.) Finally allowed to eat at about midnight I had another MRI the next day, an hour later we learned the extent of my tumor. This whole time I felt that nothing has changed, I was the same boy playing hockey, serving at my job, working 70 hours a week and hanging out with my friends like I had the week prior, all the support for me confused me. I was normal nothing had changed it was confusing. People were crying all around me but nothing had changed. I couldn't wrap my head around it all, hell I still can't wrap my head around everything. It's all bottling up right now and I will have my days where I break down, but never will I stop my battle, not till there is a miracle cure with one of the science studies. My oncology reports were not good, not quite all the labs are back but the oncologist somewhat confirmed it is high stage, treatable but not cure able Glioblastoma. Letting me know I have 5-10 good healthy years left. Hearing this everyone was shot down, not knowing how to react I stay emotionless, everything is out of my hands, I have nothing I can do, my cards have been dealt it's a matter of how I play them. Wednesday was my radiology appointment where they came up with my plan for radiation and chemo and/or studies to join with lots different outlook. The things we all heard today were way more positive, there is a chance it's a less aggressive tumor meaning a longer life for me though that probability is somewhere in the low 5%, but it's something. Either way I will fight this fight, and win this battle. Once again I want to thank everyone from the eye doctor, the ER doctors, the Mayo surgeons, my friends, and my family.