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DAVID'S PAGE 
Welcome to David's Web Page. It has been provided to keep people updated about David.David is 15 years old. He was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage IV brain tumor/cancer
May 6, 2003. Operated on 5/13/03. Began radiation and chemo (temador) June 5th, 2003-For six weeks. Took a 4 week break from chemo/finished radiation 7/17/03. Began 1 st of 10 rounds of chemo Aug. 13th/03. He is 5 days on and 23 days off. He gets MRI'S every other month with and without contrast. Dave is my hero. Thanks for visiting his site and I will do my best to keep updating!
David went through another brain surgery on May 19,2004 at Miami Children's Hospital. Unfortunately his tumor grew back in the exact same spot as last year...Dr. Ragheb, the neurosugeon, removed the tumor again and this time implanted gliadel wafers into the area where the tumor was. After visiting Duke Tumor Center on 9/9/04 with Dr. Gururangan, David was given another MRI- 9/14/04 and it looked good so Dr. G along with David's doctors here in West Palm, devised a protocol consisting of CPT-11 (chemo) infused once aweek for 4 weeks, then 2 weeks off and resume again..the other meds Dave takes everyday are: tamoxifen-the key role here is to inhibit a cell signaling enzyme called protein Kinase C, which could contribute to brain tumor growth and invasion. And Celebrex- which inhibits an enzyme called COX-2. This could keep the tumor from making new blood vessels. Tumors depend on their own blood supply to grow- so hopefully this will cause tumor cells to die. Lots of side effects with all of these, however it does not mean Dave will experience them all and at this point the doctors have agreed to be very aggressive until otherwise determined, by David. JUST A QUICK NOTE: DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF CELEBREX AND THE SIDE EFFECTS IT COULD HAVE DR.G, FROM DUKE, HAS PULLED IT FROM DAVE'S PROTOCOL.
As of September 8th, 2006, Dave has stopped his chemotherapy treatments. He has just had enough..3.5 years. He is now taking synthroid for his underactive thyroid. Bloodwork and MRI's will always be apart of his life though not as frequent. We just take it one day at a time.
Journal
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 4:00 PM CDT Happy July to everyone! Dave had a great show at the Hard Rock this past Sunday. He was the special feature..the Headliner was Tom Wilson..most of you might remember him as 'Biff' in Back to The Future..he's finishing a movie with Matt Damon now..The Informant....verrrrrry funny man!! And the opener was Taylor Williamson...awesome comedian both guys very gracious towards David...all in all everyone got tons of laughs and lots of picture taking after the show.....my nerves get shot when he does the big shows..versus the open mics....which still get the butterflys going in me but that's because I get nervous for him..Taylor told me he has never let a family member come to any of his shows for that very reason! But as Dave explains..someone has to give him a ride to the show!
Dave will be speaking to a genetics doctor...I received an appointment in the mail...not sure who set it up but I'm very glad to get this underway. I will bring my mothers genetic paperwork she had done at Jackson Memorial hopefully feeding as much info to this doctor as I can.
Ashlei and Mike are doing well. Mike has been working 10-12 hour days..loves his job so that helps..trying to save for a truck..Ashlei is working, not as many hours as she hoped but she picked up another job, free-hand henna tattooing...she's really good at drawing and the guy loved her work...not the bar tending she hoped for but she can do that during the school year.
Sending well wishes to all our CB friends and family...
Kathy
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Hospital Information: Mail can be sent to Dave: Dave Fitting
41 Vista Del Rio
Boynton Beach,Florida 33426
561-731-0252
Links: http://quiltsoflove.com/quilt/davidF/davidF.html
http://caringbridge.org/nj/melissa Melissa
http://caringbridge.org/tx/cheyenne5 Cheyenne
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