Extremely sad news.

Received an email from Bryce's mom today regarding the outcome of tests and his surgery for the brain tumor he was diagnosed with last month.

Hello everyone,

Bryce's new diagnosis is not a good one. We returned to MD Anderson on Tuesday for Bryce's surgical follow-up.
He had a battery of tests to check on his cognitive skills following this massive surgery. His staples were removed --
all 43 of them. The update on the surgery was that approximately 85% of the tumor was removed. All involved
felt that the surgery was an amazing success as it took so much of the tumor while leaving Bryce completely intact,
physically and cognitively. The MRI is quite stunning. The entire front 1/3 of Bryce's right side brain is gone. It is
so unbelievable that he is functioning so normally with this large area just gone! No, it will not refill -- the area is
filling with spinal fluid and will remain that way. Bryce thinks the MRI pics are just amazing. I can't look at them.

The diagnosis has changed to a glioblastoma multiforme. There were a small number of these cells, but the World
Health Organization staging of tumors requires that the highest staging of any cells requires the tumor to be staged
at that high number. All of this is somewhat subjective and the two physicians in the room as well as the pathologist
seem to have a slightly different take on the staging of the tumor. The gist of this is that Bryce's tumor is generally
thought to be malignant and much faster growing that we first thought. They also surmise that the gliobastoma cells
just began -- the tumor has recently transformed from an anaplastic astrocytoma to a glioblastoma. There is so much
guess work here.

They are calling this a stage 3 tumor (1-4 being the rating). A glioblastoma multiforme is the worst case scenario of
gliomas. Dr. Levine told us that the survival rate is 10% at five years. Obviously, devastating news. However, our
son Scott (he is a physician) did some research and feels that this number is very, very low. There are many cases
of patients who are out-living this prediction. Particularly, Bryce's age and great health to this point will be in his favor.
Scott spoke to an oncologist who works with patients who have this type of tumor and the oncologist tells him that
there are huge advances being made on brain tumor research. Dr. Levine has also mentioned to us that five years
ago there were virtually no people with a 5 year survival from this type of tumor -- so althought 10% is an awful number,
it is a huge advance in only 5 years. BTW, Dr. Levine was Bryce's surgeon at MD Anderson.

Today, we head to Oklahoma City to meet a radiation oncologist who Dr. Levin (our neuro-oncologist at MD Anderson)
referred us to. Dr. Levin will be directing the radiation treatments and feels Dr. Algon in OKC is very, very qualified to
do the incredibly technical treatments. The remaining tumor is very close to Bryce's optic nerve and to his brain stem.
Dr. Algon was trained at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Levin and Dr. Algon are both Badgers (U of Wisconsin) -- although there
is quite an age difference. Bryce's treatments will be 5 days a week for 6 weeks.

In addition, Bryce will be taking Temodar which is an oral chemotherapy designed especially for the treatment of brain
tumors. He begins the chemo the night before his first radiation treatment which will probably be Monday, June 22nd.
There is exhaustion and nausea associated with these treatments, but other complications are not expected. He will
take the chemo for 42 days.

How are we doing? Bryce is getting better every day and seems to be handling the news pretty well. At least better
than the rest of us. This news is very new to us, but I go between extreme anger and grief to hope and belief that
Bryce can beat this. I do know that our entire family is committed to having great days ahead with lots of fun and laughter.
We probably wouldn't have made the decision financially to have our family vacation this year, but it was already scheduled
and paid for, so we also have that to look forward to. We did have to change our date, but the house we have rented had
a week open in August and transferred us to that week. So, Fripp, here we come!

We will need lots of prayers. We know that God provides miracles every day. We need a miracle! We pray for this through
the medical hands and minds who will treat Bryce and all others who face this terrible disease. Especially we want prayers
that Bryce will not have pain and will keep his spirits high. All of us who surround Bryce need strength and we ask for your
prayers as well.

Feel free to call or come by the house. Bryce is getting tired of his boring old parents!

Thanks to all our friends and family for everything.

Love,
Debi
xoxo

Per usual, Bryce's outlook on everything is quite upbeat. His facebook status reports today that it was "not such great news. But we are going to kick cancer's ass."

Yes, you will, Bryce! We send you all our love and thoughts of healing.