News and a Plan

Well I am playing catch up tonight. Josh had surgery yesterday to install a port and do a spinal tap. The surgery went well but Josh had a hard time after and was very sick. He is better now and recovering fine. The port is in the middle of his chest and looks good and the tap came back with good news, no cancer cells found. We were glad to have that news when we met with the oncologist today. I asked her for the grading on the tumor and she told us that all Medullablastomas are automaticly graded a 4. They are tough to deal with and have a harsh protocol for treatment. However, she has also told us that the hystology of this tumor is favorable, that is important. Apparently the hystology tells you how aggressive the cells are and Josh's are not overly aggressive. Also, the fact that it has not spread is good news, now we can start treatment. We meet the radiation oncologist on Monday and set up a plan for the next 6 weeks. We have discovered that we no longer have a "doctor", now we have a "team". It is a little overwelming but Josh loves the attention! I am struggling with all the information we are being given. It is more than I can absorb and so much is bad that I get discouraged but then I tell myself that it is all things that can happen but we will have to wait to see what actually does happen. I am glad to have Gordon's Mom here this week, I have been crying on her shoulder as a work through this. We have to mourn the future that may never come and start building a new one for him. He is a wonderful boy and touches everyone around him. The doctors and nurses are very impressed with him and I have to learn to follow his lead. Hopefully there will be no more surgeries for a while and we can just follow the plan and start moving forward. He is struggling to understand why all this is nessesary when he doesn't feel sick. Hopefully we can do the things that will make this as easy as possible for him. Please keep praying for Josh and us, Gordon and I sometimes need more wisdom and understanding than Josh does. We love you all and hope that things are good in your family.