Last updated: 6/26/2002
Surviving GBM
My name is sadaat h., am 58 years old, am a mechanical engineer and I was working in Saudi Arabia as project manager for upgrading gas project in the middle of the desert. Am married since 24 years and I have five girls, I was living a normal quite life until the morning of august 18th of 1999, and at nearly seven in the morning while I was in my office, doing my routine work, I suddenly lost conscious and was taken to the hospital and after a CT scan was taken, the doctor told me there is a mass in the brain I returned to my home and family in Jordan. I was admitted to the hospital where I completed my medical check-ups and I did MRI, the doctor said there was a brain mass and should be removed. I decided to go to Md Anderson in USA, Texas, Houston. Arrangements were completed rapidly to go there with my wife, we left Jordan in September 11th , admitted to hospital next day.
After doing several tests and new MRI, the doctor that was decided an operation. On September 14th , I had the operation and the mass was removed and it was diagnosed as glioblastoma multiforme , the doctor said I needed to do radiation and PCV chemotherapy. I had 30 sessions of radiation that lasted nearly 6 weeks, then took chemo for one year .In August 2000. I did new MRI and there was a tumor progression, a further tumor progression in April 2001 and I underwent my 2nd operation. After the 2nd operation I suffered a several episodes of seizures, on June 14th I had a grand mal seizure and I started taking Neurontin, since then I started suffering slurred speech and aches in calves and arm. I started taking Accutane and doctors advised to do MRIs follow up every 3 months and I did that.
In August 2001 I began to feel weakness in my left side and I had more symptoms of blurry vision and slurry speech. By the end of October my left side became more and more weak and I barely walked and moved. My follow up MRI showed a possible recurrent lesion in right frontal area, close to where the previous surgery was.
On November 11th , I had my 3rd surgery. The pathology showed extensive radiation necrosis, with no evidence astrocytoma. My left side (arm and leg) became very weak and I couldn't move it.
Since then am taking physical therapies and speech therapy, am on Temodar and my condition is "stable" my recent MRI was fine.
I want to say a special thanks to my wife who shared me all the pain and difficulties I've been through and stayed with me in the long hard nights and prayed for me and gave me all support I needed.
I want to thank all of my doctors and my nurses, whom without I couldn't pass through, and all the people who has been there for me.
I've been living in a battle since the day I knew I had cancer, the one thing that is helping me to fight it is my faith in God the support and love my wife and girls give me, each day I face new challenges and each day I pray for God he'll give me strength and will I need to win this battle and to defeat this disease.
Update added 10/21/2002
on 27- augest, i did my usual MRI which were supposed to be done every 3 months.
the resluts were not really good.it showed some enhancement and a small growth.
doctors were not sure and they wanted to do thallium scan( for here in Jordan we dont have PET scan). and it showed active region. the doctors said that there is a big possibilty it will be tumor. now we are waiting to do a biopsy to be more sure. we want to go to USA- MD ANDERSON, biut because of financial problems we cant afford it, we spent everything we had on the last 3 operation. the doctor said there might be a 4th operation . all we can do now is pray and ask god to stand with us .
Update 4 July 2003
I did my MRIs on 4th of June, 03, and it was a miracle, the enhancment shown in previous scans is nearly gone, doctors were very surprised, I guess after all our prayers to God returned with a reply, I am still on Temodar, I have taken so far 19 courses, my doctor gave me another 3 and advised to do scans in 3 months also.
Its was a tough year, where we reached a point we had nothing to do but pray, I kept my faith, and I beleived that God would stand by me, I used to read survivors stories that managed to survived 4 and 5 and 6 years, and I never imagined I would come this far, 4 years passed, I lost the ability to move my leg and hand, stopped walking, and I cant even use the wheel chair because of my hand, but still I beleive that I would go back to my normal life oneday, Just all of you, please keep the faith and keep praying.
