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the weather here has also been ... inconsistent. cold. warm. it's supposed to be in the mid 50's this weekend.

i remember one of Jim's songs. He wrote

"All plans interrupted
we are the humans
blessed with mortality
cursed with death."

********************

The pathology report came back, and he has a very rare form of cancer.

The survival rate is apparently 10%.

So... things aren't too good.

Disease Information
Brain Tumor: Atypical Teratoid / Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT)

Alternative Names: ATRT
Definition

This rare, high-grade tumor occurs most commonly in children younger than 2. It is generally found in the cerebellum, which is the lower, back part of the brain that controls balance. These tumors tend to be aggressive and frequently spread through the central nervous system.
Incidence

This diagnosis has been classified only in the last three to five years; the tumor is a subset of medulloblastomas. They occur in about 1-2 percent of children with brain tumors.
Survival Rates

Even after surgery and chemotherapy treatment, the survival rate for children younger than 3 at diagnosis is less than 10 percent. It appears that older children, when treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgery, do somewhat better long-term, nearing 70 percent.
Treatment Strategies

Treatment generally involves surgical removal of the tumor followed by chemotherapy. Radiation therapy may be considered depending on the age of the child and whether the tumor has recurred.
Current Research

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Researchers are investigating new, more effective methods of treating brain tumors of infants and young children. High doses of radiation can’t be used because it may cause permanent problems with thinking, learning, and growing when given to very young children. It has been standard therapy to administer chemotherapy in an attempt to delay giving radiation therapy until the child is older and thus giving the brain more time to develop. However, chemotherapy alone has not been effective in fighting brain tumors.
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New radiation techniques that minimize damage to healthy tissue that surrounds brain tumor tissue are under investigation.
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Stem cell transplantation as a part of treatment continues to be under study.
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Scientists continue to study chromosomal abnormalities, genes, and proteins that may have a role in the development and metastasis (spread to other parts of the central nervous system) of pediatric brain tumors.
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Clinical trials are underway to develop chemotherapy drugs effective against this tumor.