Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Hey all...

Well it was a very long day. Cody was suppose to have an MRI at 10:15. Well, it didn't happen until 12:00. That being said, Cody did very good waiting to start. His MRI today was for the head and abdominal area that they didn't get to on Friday. The preliminary results are that they look clean. As for the MRI that was taken of his legs last Friday, they have just given us mixed messages. In fact, the two soft tissue spots that showed up twice on the MIBG scan didn't show up at all on the MRI. Personally I don't put much stock in any single test. I look at it this way, "something is going on in his legs." It may be cells that have just not totally come together to form a tumor per say.

After Cody finished his two hour MRI today they took him up to the PICU and did a bone marrow biopsy. In all, Cody was under sedation for over 3 hours. He was scheduled to have his radiation @ 3pm and we didn't get down there until 3:45. To say that this part of the day was rough would be an understatement. He had to be restrained with straps and tape to get him to lay still. The fact that his MRI got pushed back almost 2 hours didn't help much. This is not our first rodeo so you think it would be easier but it isn't. It pushes your patience and it makes it hard not to lose your temper. I know these things happen but it doesn't help.

So here is what we are doing now. He will get 8 more radiation sessions on the bone lesion. As far as the other two mystery spots, the Dr that is in charge of the radiation treatment believes that there is something there and he wants to do a procedure called Cyber Knife on them. First we have to find out if our insurance will cover it. Then there are other issues like the fusion of the growth plates. The growth plates are at the end of the bones and it is exactly as it sounds. This is where the growth of the bone takes place. If there is fusion on the growth plate of one leg that means that leg could potentially end up shorter than the other leg. At this point I hope that is all we have to worry about in the future. As for chemo, his liver still has to get back to normal before it can be started. He started a round of antibiotics to help with that process.



Here is a picture from the Pizza Party. Do you think they like pizza?



Cody right after the Steeler game Sunday..

Thanks for reading...

16 comments:

Monica Cassier said...

Think of you every single day - all of you...
Praying for you...

monica

Gettin Older said...

Still thinking, still praying. With everything else that they have paid for concerning Cody, I don't see why they would balk at the cyber knife knife procedure. It is focused radiation therapy that tracks motion...The delivery is a bit different, but it is the same procedure, and it is not new. Your hospital has been doing it for 6-7 years.

"CyberKnife is a robotic system, which delivers highly localized, high doses of radiation from outside the body to a tumor or lesion inside the body. It is a non-surgical procedure to halt the growth of or kill the tissue of tumors. Georgetown was the sixth facility in the country to start using CyberKnife in March 2002. Now there are 16 CyberKnife centers in the United States. Georgetown is one of only five hospitals offering the Synchrony system and is the only one in the mid-Atlantic and northeast region to be using it.

© Georgetown University Hospital"

209Mike said...

Lots of prayers for you guys. Keep the faith. Btw...Nice Steeler win. My brother (Charger fan) was crushed. I don't care either way...my 49ers have been golfing since November.

Sam said...

I think of Cody many times a day...
Prayers and hugs to him and the whole family.

Sam

The Murrant-Johnson's said...

Hey Mic,
Still thinking and praying for you guys every day.

Love You,
Your little Bro,

Alan

The Murrant-Johnson's said...

Mic,

By the way;

HOW ABOUT THOSE "STEELERS"

Love Ya,
Alan

GB said...

I think about you and Cody often, Mickey. I always wonder how Cody is doing through all of this. I just want to hug him.

Kentucky USATF said...

Yikes- I think I would be afraid I would turn into "Rambo Mom" after all that waiting...

Thanks for the info on Cyber Knife, Getting Older. It seems like the kind of procedure that that would more effective and easier on Cody but who knows what goes through the minds of insurance companies these days?

Hugs to all of you!

Dottie

Anonymous said...

Continued prayers of healing and strength! I like the Steelers pic of Cody.
God Bless,
Bruce

Anonymous said...

Saying prayers everyday for Cody and your family Mickey.

Dollar Bill

Anonymous said...

Those hospital days are long and arduous for anyone and more so for a child. My prayers and positive thoughts continue for all of your family. Every run I think of the incredible strength of your family. For 26.2 soon, I'll be wearing my Cody bracelet and be reminded of his resilience.
G2G

Anonymous said...

All this stuff the 3 of you have to
deal with and Cody has to go thru,
just( Bogles ) my mind & at my age
it doesn't take much to do that!!!
I hope by this time they have okayed the "CyberKnife procedure.
Why does anything have to stand in
the way when it has to do with a
child and THE BEAST....I'll be checking back often. LOVE to all.
MOM

Anonymous said...

Thinking of you all every day!

Praying!

Susan and Jonathan

elizabethnyc said...

Prayers still coming... Hope the radiation treatments go smoothly, and that Cody's liver numbers get where they need to be so he can move forward with his chemo!

Sending hugs to all!

p.s. congrats on your Steelers!

Cap'n Ron said...

Just wanted you to know that I was checking in and thinking of you guys. I don't know how you do it man! I went through and episode of having to hold one of my children down once for a 'procedure' and it was pure hell! I was so angry at it all. Hang in there buddy and know that you have my utmost respect and regard.

Ron

Anonymous said...

Checking in! Cody keep up the fighting. Diane and Mickey you also keep up the strength.

Prayers!

Susan and Jonathan