Paul Schmidt
Donation protected
So, Paul & Bonny married just about a year ago. Bonny is a fellow real estate agent that I have grown to know and love over my career. She was a single Mom and met and fell in love with the man of her dreams. They married and blended their families. Enjoyed this last year as newlyweds and then trouble started with blurred vision, headaches etc. Paul, was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma. He has undergone surgery and will start treatments soon. I want to share her post today:
Many people have asked me about Paul’s condition and I’m sure I’ve given some vague responses.
There is nothing Paul did to cause his cancer. These tumors are completely random and we have no idea what causes them. We do know that there are certain factors like environment, diet, exercise, etc, that have absolutely no impact on them and are not believed to cause them, but we don’t know what does.
This cancer does not act like other cancers so there are a lot of differences in how this will be treated and how it behaves from normal cancers.
It is for certain (based on pathology) a Glioblastoma Grade 4.
Paul’s tumor tripled in size in just 8 weeks. The neurologist and Neurosurgeon told us they had never seen one grow this fast or be this aggressive.
The oncologist told us the “average” life expectancy is 14 months. His condition is rare and swelling of Paul’s tumor has caused paralysis that we aren’t sure he will recover from. The treatment plan will be very specific and will require a great deal of expertise.
His overall health is very important right now. So the bronchitis from his intubation isn’t good but I am very thankful it wasn’t pneumonia. While there aren’t specific dietary factors that will have an impact, Paul needs to be very healthy in order to survive and to respond well to the treatment. We’ve started juicing and lowering sugar since Paul loves coke so much.
They have been studying Glioblastoma for years and they have done many clinical trials in the past to determine that the most successful treatment for the first time Glioblastoma discovery is: Surgery with extraction, followed by 6 weeks of radiation, and a specific chemotherapy drug called Temadar.
There are no clinical trials in the Oncology department for us right now. All the trials, including the polio vaccine treatment at Duke are only being done for patients with recurrence of the tumor. When we looked into this process they always say, “When the tumor recurs…..” Their studies show that it will come back. The web site actually says 100% of the time but we have every intention on fighting this with any and every form of medicine available.
I’ve had a front row seat to watch Paul as he has dealt with the expectation of death. Although we have had moments filled with tears, I have never heard Paul say that he is mad at God. He says it is unfair and He tells me that he doesn’t want to leave me and the kids. He wakes up all night crying. He cries when I have to wipe him. He cries when I have to feed him or give him physical therapy. We literally cry nonstop. I’m not sure when or if this feeling of total sadness will ever end.
We celebrated one year of marriage less than a month before his first seizure and just one month after our anniversary. I thank God for bringing Paul into my life and will continue to thank him for allowing me to have him everyday he is alive on this earth with us.
I appreciate all of my friends and family so much. I have no idea what to expect or even how to map out our days ahead, how I will keep up all of our bills but I plan on spending as much time as we have left together making my husband happy.
__________________________________________________________________________
So, I ask you as a fellow realtor, a friend and a human being to give to this family. Obviously they have a long road ahead and at this time they need our help in anyway available.
Many people have asked me about Paul’s condition and I’m sure I’ve given some vague responses.
There is nothing Paul did to cause his cancer. These tumors are completely random and we have no idea what causes them. We do know that there are certain factors like environment, diet, exercise, etc, that have absolutely no impact on them and are not believed to cause them, but we don’t know what does.
This cancer does not act like other cancers so there are a lot of differences in how this will be treated and how it behaves from normal cancers.
It is for certain (based on pathology) a Glioblastoma Grade 4.
Paul’s tumor tripled in size in just 8 weeks. The neurologist and Neurosurgeon told us they had never seen one grow this fast or be this aggressive.
The oncologist told us the “average” life expectancy is 14 months. His condition is rare and swelling of Paul’s tumor has caused paralysis that we aren’t sure he will recover from. The treatment plan will be very specific and will require a great deal of expertise.
His overall health is very important right now. So the bronchitis from his intubation isn’t good but I am very thankful it wasn’t pneumonia. While there aren’t specific dietary factors that will have an impact, Paul needs to be very healthy in order to survive and to respond well to the treatment. We’ve started juicing and lowering sugar since Paul loves coke so much.
They have been studying Glioblastoma for years and they have done many clinical trials in the past to determine that the most successful treatment for the first time Glioblastoma discovery is: Surgery with extraction, followed by 6 weeks of radiation, and a specific chemotherapy drug called Temadar.
There are no clinical trials in the Oncology department for us right now. All the trials, including the polio vaccine treatment at Duke are only being done for patients with recurrence of the tumor. When we looked into this process they always say, “When the tumor recurs…..” Their studies show that it will come back. The web site actually says 100% of the time but we have every intention on fighting this with any and every form of medicine available.
I’ve had a front row seat to watch Paul as he has dealt with the expectation of death. Although we have had moments filled with tears, I have never heard Paul say that he is mad at God. He says it is unfair and He tells me that he doesn’t want to leave me and the kids. He wakes up all night crying. He cries when I have to wipe him. He cries when I have to feed him or give him physical therapy. We literally cry nonstop. I’m not sure when or if this feeling of total sadness will ever end.
We celebrated one year of marriage less than a month before his first seizure and just one month after our anniversary. I thank God for bringing Paul into my life and will continue to thank him for allowing me to have him everyday he is alive on this earth with us.
I appreciate all of my friends and family so much. I have no idea what to expect or even how to map out our days ahead, how I will keep up all of our bills but I plan on spending as much time as we have left together making my husband happy.
__________________________________________________________________________
So, I ask you as a fellow realtor, a friend and a human being to give to this family. Obviously they have a long road ahead and at this time they need our help in anyway available.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jamie Kimmel Upchurch
Organizer
Locust Grove, GA
Bonny Schmidt
Beneficiary