It’s official Linda has SNUC, otherwise known as Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma. She has been diagnosed with stage 2 sinus cancer. The tumor is approximately between 2-3cm. in size.
SNUC is a rather rare form of cancer, primarily affecting men in South Africa or Asia. Linda can literally only partially claim ONE of the known causes, the first 18yrs of her life she lived with a chain smoker. However they don’t list second hand smoke as a cause, but rather the ACT of being a smoker. It is not caused by an inherited faulty gene, so other members of the family are NOT likely to develop it.
At this point they are in the process of assembling a team of surgeons made up of a Neurosurgeon (brain doctor), Ophthalmologist (eye doctor) & of course a sinus specialist. We have to have a consultation with each specialist before the surgery. Because of that and due to the fact that they all have to coordinate their schedules, most likely the surgery will not be until the last week of March or the first two weeks in April.
The surgery is going to consist of a combined approach. They are going to approach both from the outside as well as the inside of the nose, as well as through the brain. The approach through the brain will consist of the partial removal of Linda’s skull, the pulling back of the front portion of her brain so that they may get to the tumor. The doctors have explained that this is not “brain surgery.” Since they are not actually working on the brain and that serious risks are limited. The doctors also have been assuring us that the brain is much more pliable and resilient then one may think.
WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER and thank you for continuing to pray!!! Obviously the surgery is going to be very tricky, complicated and delicate. We are asking everyone to be praying for a routine surgery, with no complications, and praying for a TOTAL, RAPID RECOVERY. If you are a member of a prayer chain, or you know of one, please put Linda on it. This surgery is pretty darn serious, and we are going to need ALL the prayers we can get!!
In the midst of all of this WE PRAISE GOD! Especially because once we are through the surgery the long term prognosis is GREAT! Linda may have to follow-up the surgery with radiation and/or chemo treatment, as well as a possible reconstructive surgery. The doctors and WE ALL BELIEVE that Linda will be with us until she is a little old lady!
SNUC is a rather rare form of cancer, primarily affecting men in South Africa or Asia. Linda can literally only partially claim ONE of the known causes, the first 18yrs of her life she lived with a chain smoker. However they don’t list second hand smoke as a cause, but rather the ACT of being a smoker. It is not caused by an inherited faulty gene, so other members of the family are NOT likely to develop it.
At this point they are in the process of assembling a team of surgeons made up of a Neurosurgeon (brain doctor), Ophthalmologist (eye doctor) & of course a sinus specialist. We have to have a consultation with each specialist before the surgery. Because of that and due to the fact that they all have to coordinate their schedules, most likely the surgery will not be until the last week of March or the first two weeks in April.
The surgery is going to consist of a combined approach. They are going to approach both from the outside as well as the inside of the nose, as well as through the brain. The approach through the brain will consist of the partial removal of Linda’s skull, the pulling back of the front portion of her brain so that they may get to the tumor. The doctors have explained that this is not “brain surgery.” Since they are not actually working on the brain and that serious risks are limited. The doctors also have been assuring us that the brain is much more pliable and resilient then one may think.
WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER and thank you for continuing to pray!!! Obviously the surgery is going to be very tricky, complicated and delicate. We are asking everyone to be praying for a routine surgery, with no complications, and praying for a TOTAL, RAPID RECOVERY. If you are a member of a prayer chain, or you know of one, please put Linda on it. This surgery is pretty darn serious, and we are going to need ALL the prayers we can get!!
In the midst of all of this WE PRAISE GOD! Especially because once we are through the surgery the long term prognosis is GREAT! Linda may have to follow-up the surgery with radiation and/or chemo treatment, as well as a possible reconstructive surgery. The doctors and WE ALL BELIEVE that Linda will be with us until she is a little old lady!
Dear Linda, Mike and Katrina,
ReplyDeleteYou are all being held in prayer. We think of you often (Steve saw Mike recently at Apex I think) and are sorry to hear this news. But our God is an awesome God and you are in His powerful and wonderful hands. Thank you Katrina for giving us a way to follow your journey. Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can help out in any way.
Love
Steve and Karen Barritt