Results

David has recovered from his MRI for the most part.  He is still clingy during the day...he wants me to hold him all the time so that it is hard for me to get any work done.

The results of his MRI were very good.  The cancer is staying where it should and not moving into his brain.  This is very good news.  

We take him on Monday the 22nd for his next exam with the eye doctor.  I will let you know what the news from that visit is as soon as I can.

In other news, I spoke at length with the lady from Child Development Services.  David's pediatrician had referred us there since David is not talking yet.  Well, since our visit to the pediatrician, David has picked up a few words that Rob and I can interpret.  The CDS lady seemed to think that he was fine from the interview on the phone.  So, we will re-evaluate again when David turns 2 years and see what we think at that point.  Apparently, it is difficult for them to evaluate his speech before then anyway.  

So.....all that is left is "Merry Christmas"!!  We hope that you have a wonderful Christmas Holiday with family and friends.  We are so grateful for all that everyone has done for us. 

-Kim

Rage

We have mostly survived David's MRI this time.  These appointments are the worst.  However, I guess we got the good end of the deal this time.

The nurse in the oncology dept. inserted David's IV.  She got it on the first try, but David had already had to sit on the scale, have his blood pressure taken, and his heart and lungs listened to.  He really throws a fit each time any medical looking person even looks at him much less touches him with some medical implement (like a stethoscope).  So, trauma had already reigned supreme by this point.  This nurse was also able to quickly draw blood for his lab work - blessing.  

They were fairly quick in the Radiology dept. today - another blessing.  Last time it took forever.  David is hard to get to sleep, so that took awhile as the continued to give him more and more medicine.  Finally, he dropped off.  They didn't get 100% done with the MRI before he woke up, but the radiologist said he had enough to look at.  

David woke up with "post-sedation RAGE!!!!".  Between Rob and I, we were bearly able to keep him from hurting himself as he was flipping around and throwing himself down and screaming.  Apparently this is a common side effect of the sedation medication.  I don't think we will be able to handle this again if he gets any bigger.  I don't know what the alternative is.  

I thought we were clear of the nausea this time until we were almost home, and he let loose.  Rob is still cleaning up the van in the freezing cold as I type.  David has mercifully gone to sleep in his very own crib.  My arms and brain are exhausted.  We won't know anything about the results until at least Monday.

Thankfully, we only have to do this every 6 months.

-Kim

ps.  His next exam will be Monday, December 22.

MRI

Hi Folks!  I hope everyone is keeping warm this extra cool season.  For the first time in years, I actually had to go out and buy a real coat.  I have to admit that I am not enjoying the cold weather.  The kids look forward to snow, but I am looking forward to spring!

David had a good exam today with his regular pediatrician.  She is great, and said that mostly things are going as should be expected.  She was a little concerned that David is really not talking yet, and so we will be taking him to "Child Developmental Services" (I think that is the name) for screening at some point in the future.  She said that his not talking is likely a control thing.  David needs something in his life that he can control, and he has not needed to speak - so he hasn't.  But better safe than sorry.

We go over to Duke on Friday.  David will see the oncologists and then have an MRI.  Last time we had an MRI, it was a nightmare.  I hope this time will go better, but I am skeptical.  I think I have learned enough about the procedures to be a better advocate for David and not allow them to continue to do things that torture him - I was not very impressed with the staff I worked with last time.  David also got very very sick on the way home from the last procedure, but I think I also have some ideas of how to make him more comfortable.  

Still no word on when his next exam will be, but I am hoping to talk to the Eye Center people today to get that scheduled.  

No real bites on our house yet, but we are still hopeful.  We are in the wait and see mode, but not too impatient.  

I will update you soon!  Merry Christmas to you all!!

-KIM

Special Prayer Request!

Hi everyone!

Don't worry, David is fine.  He has another meeting with the oncologist on Dec. 12, and likely he will have an MRI before that date.  We have not scheduled his next exam with the Eye Doc, but we are hoping to schedule it also on Dec 12.

My prayer request is this:  Our house (which is for sale), is having a second showing tomorrow 11-20-08.  Please pray that it will show well, and that a contract will proceed from it.  It has been very difficult for me to keep the house up to show quality while we have been continuing to live here with three kids.  But even more than that...we would really be able to find a great house in a great place in Winston Salem if we were able to move right now when housing prices are so low.  It would be a great thing.  So please pray!!

Thanks!!

Kim

Nothin' New

Hi All!  I wanted to update you on David's last exam.  The doctor didn't find any new growth this time - which was such an awesome thing!  He decided to go ahead and cryo all of the old spots just to be sure that they are dead (since he can't always tell just by looking at them).  

David was a champ the whole day.  Our appointment was 9am, but they didn't take him back to the OR until 12:20pm, so it was a very very long day for us all.  But David was very well behaved.  He even slept for a little while (and so did Mommy and Daddy).  His eye is a little swollen still, but not too bad, and I think it looks much better today than it did yesterday.

We don't have to go back for 6 weeks, so that is nice.  David is beginning to understand what that place is all about, so that make it nice when we don't have to go as often.  

Thanks again for all your prayers.

Kim

Update

David's next exam will be on October 31.  This is a little longer than what the doc told us to begin with, but he seems to think this will work fine.  So, that is what we will do.

Our house went on the market this past Wednesday.  So far, we haven't had any showings.  We don't know if that is bad or not since this is the first time we have ever sold a house.  We are hoping that this won't drag out forever.  There are several good possibilities in Winston-Salem, so that is encouraging, although we won't really start the serious search there until we are closer to selling this one.  We would covet your prayers for this whole process.  

The big kids are doing really well in school.  Isaac is doing much better than we could have imagined, so that is a great blessing.  Hannah is made for school and enjoying it a lot, although she has had her first bought of friendship issues.  She is doing very well, however, and we are chalking all of that up to learning about life.  

I think that is about it.  I spend my days making sure the house is ready at a moment's notice for a potential buyer to walk through.  It keeps me very busy, but so far, I have been able to keep up.

-Kim

Growing

So, our news from David's exam yesterday was not the best.  The doctor found a small section of new growth.  He believes that it is "contiguous with the original tumor", but he can't be sure.  The good news is that it was a fairly small growth - about 1mm round - and the doctor was able to hit it with cryotherapy.  Unfortunately, we will have to speed up our time between visits again.  This time we have to go back in 4 weeks to see how this latest treatment has worked.  

We also had a visit with the oncologists.  This was pretty uneventful.  We have to go back on December 12 for another oncology visit and also an MRI - that will be a long day.  

The best news is that the left eye is still clear of tumors.  

I guess we are just still in a holding pattern to see what happens next.  Thanks again for all your prayers and support!

-Kim