Updates On Greg

An update from Jill:

Last week was a whirlwind! Greg and I traveled to Houston to visit MD Anderson Cancer Center and to Chicago to consult with specialists at Northwestern Medicine for second opinions and to learn about potential clinical trial options. These outstanding doctors, along with his neuro-oncologist in Indianapolis, all agreed on several key points:

• His surgery was highly successful.
• His four-week post-surgery MRI showed no regrowth at this time. This is a big win, as 20–30% of patients have regrowth at this stage.
• It is time to begin a six-week radiation and chemotherapy protocol as soon as possible, and all agreed that IU Health Methodist Hospital is the best place for him to receive this treatment right now.
• His pathology revealed two molecular markers that may be targetable with future therapies.
• There are some clinical trial options available, though not at this point in his treatment process. We will continue researching these in the weeks ahead.

Greg will begin radiation and chemotherapy on Thursday, March 12. The plan includes 30 treatment sessions. His final session—one we are already counting down to—is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22. After that, he will have a 4 – 7-week break from treatment. We have a “Post-It Note Countdown” in our house, just like we did for the kids when we counted down the last days of school before summer.

Greg continues to radiate his incredible optimism and his “I’ve got this” attitude. In keeping with that spirit, he is planning to attend two of his favorite annual events—the Kentucky Derby and the Indianapolis 500—as well as take a trip to France together with friends in June.

We are so deeply grateful for the encouraging news above, as well as for the knowledge and hope we gained this week. We continue to be touched and overwhelmed by the love and support of so many. We are especially thankful to all of you who have reached out personally and offered faithful prayers.

We rest in the assurance that although this diagnosis has been shocking to us all, it has not been a surprise to the God we trust in each day.

With love and optimism,  

Greg & Jill

Dear friends and loved ones,

Before we get into all we have to get into, my parents want to extend their deepest gratitude. While there is a degree of pain that cannot be taken away, the care, support, love and gentle kindness that has been extended has softened this journey. Many tears have been shed in thanksgiving.

…

Mom and Dad were in Anguilla at the end of January on the WestPoint Firm Trip. Mom noticed that Dad seemed “off” and began to have a facial droop on his left side. Brad and I assured her that Dad was always kind of weird, but as always, Jill knows best. Dad was adamant he continue celebrating his last firm trip and powered through his symptoms. On Sunday, as Firm Trip was winding down, Mom made the executive decision to book a private jet home and head straight to the ER in Indianapolis…and thank God she did.

After a quick CT scan, a brain mass was discovered and Dad was immediately transported at 2am to IU Methodist downtown where there was a neurosurgery unit. Further testing showed that the mass was “favored glioblastoma”—which was the last word we wanted to hear. He had surgery to remove the tumor Tuesday morning at 7am and the surgery was incredibly successful with full removal. The nurses and doctors were very impressed with how quickly he recovered and how fast he regained strength…In fact he was doing so well, he skipped the ICU altogether. Dad returned home that Thursday and was greeted by his kids and grandkids. Grandson Henry commented that “Boppy’s boo boo is so crazy!”

Since then, pathology has confirmed that it is in fact glioblastoma, which is an incredibly disappointing diagnosis. This diagnosis does mean he will need chemotherapy and radiation. Knowing my parents, you will not be surprised to hear that they have a game plan, which they wanted me to share:

• They are exploring therapy and clinical trials here at Indiana University, MD Anderson (in Houston) and Northwestern (in Chicago)
• From there, they will explore which options make the most sense for them
• Treatment will likely start within the next few weeks

 Good news is that because this is a brain cancer, the actual treatment needs to be gradual and side effects are pretty mild.

So, how are they doing… they are simultaneously heartbroken and more in love than I have ever seen them. They take great comfort in that they have never waited to live their life—they have travelled the world, poured into us and the grandkids, and lived life with a sense of adventure and gratitude. They both say that regardless of all the good years, they are “greedy” and they want more time with each other and with us. They do not feel like “why us” but often say “why not us?” and have relied on their faith as they anticipate the future.

They have spent several days in Miami enjoying the beach and each other and as they gear up to fight this f******. Most of you will google glioblastoma after reading this and will feel the same dread that our family has felt for the past month, but we encourage you to have hope like we do. My dad is as strong as an ox, incredibly smart (which high IQ actually shows to help brain issues), wants to be around for his children, grandchildren and parents, and will do literally anything to not have to leave my mom. Dad is betting on himself and likes his odds. So keep your heads up, say a prayer, hug and love on your family, and order that second drink, that’s what my dad would do.

We love you. We love him. And as Mom says to me, almost daily, “Your dad’s got this.”

Love, Emma (on behalf of Greg & Jill)

P.S. Updates will be on this page for the future. We all agreed that CaringBridge doesn’t reflect Dad’s swag.