Hi everyone, an update. As I said before I was having second thoughts about my surgery on October 28th. Or Wether I would be a candidate for GK or another type of radiation. Lucky for me, my nephew is studying medicine here in Montreal at McGill university and was able to speak to one of his professors who just happened to be the Radio-oncologist at the Montreal Neurological Institute, where I am scheduled for surgery . this Dr. Offered to have a consultation with me on such short notice ( he knew I needed a radio-oncologist's opinion in order to make up my mind and not wonder "what if".
Anyway, I met with him today, he is such a warm and caring doctor, before I even met him he had already studied my MRI cds and read the reports. He told me that even though my AN was not very large it was already compressing my brain stem quite a bit and had already shifted my brain ( cerebellum ) and because I already had symptoms, he strongly believes that surgery is my best option because I need treatment NOW before my squatter ( tumour) causes serious damage, also cystic tumour don't respond as well to radiation. Radiation although a great option for many, was not for me because it would swell the tumour slightly initially putting more pressure on the brain stem, and that radiation would take to long to get a result (if I did) Time in his opinion that I don't have to waste. Also if radiation didn't work it make a very delicate operation even more delicate for the surgeons. If the tumour is not fully removed and it starts to regrow then radiology would be a good option for me, but for now I need to get the squatter (tumour) out.
I guess I knew in my heart that surgery was my real only option, I just needed to be sure. All this in a nut shell to say. My squatter is being evicted Monday.
Mary
