**As for the MRI, I asked and my theory was correct; they do want it for the purposes of seeing what's there and being able to compare things down the road. That means that the doctor at USACW was (as George and I suspected based off our conversations with doctors here) full of it when it came to her reasons for not scheduling it. He never had cancer in his head before, so timing of the test in relation to his 6th round of chemo was never an issue.**
Why do they want the renal scan? The CT from yesterday shows severe hydronephrosis; fluid on the kidney. My immediate question was, "Was it worse or the same as what was seen when he was in the PICU after his tumor resection?" That is what the renal scan will tell us. They cannot accurately compare yesterday's CT to the previous ultrasound from the PICU. The renal scan will give us what we need to compare. My next question is, "If it is the same why hasn't it gotten better? Or if it has gotten worse, then why?" In the PICU, the doctors called the hydronephrosis "moderate". Today the the doctors at MSKCC are calling the hydronephrosis "severe". A certain amount of hydronephrosis was expected post-op of his tumor resection from the natural trauma of surgery. However, that alone should have been resolving itself not getting worse. Which bring us to the possibility of an obstruction somewhere. The renal scan will either confirm or reject that possibility. Provided there is no obstruction, the doctors here have another hypothesis.
Clayton is awake and content this morning; that is good. We are about to go down for the MIBG. I am quite anxious about this test. I hear other mothers talk about seeing "white spots" light up on the screen while the test is going. Those spots being possible cancer. So I don't know what it will be like, but I hope I get to see the screen because I want to watch for "white spots". God help me because if I see a white spot I am probably going to need an anxiety pill.
When it was just the tests this week, we were suppose to come home Saturday. Then after the hemorrhagic cystitis, the plan was to come home Monday or Tuesday. That has not officially changed yet. We will have to wait and see what the renal scan shows. In the meantime, his BUN and creatinine from his daily labs have been fine. That is awesome, but we have to address the issue to ensure that doesn't change. It is always something. This poor child needs a break. Kidney disease, severe scoliosis, cancer, hemorrhagic cystitis..when does it end? Hasn't he dealt with enough already!
Oh crap...I think I'm getting a cold. Maybe it's just allergies.
Don't let me fool you though; I am pretty upbeat considering everything. I am much better then I have been in a few weeks. I have complete confidence in the doctors here at MSKCC and they make this experience so much easier on the parents. Thank God for them. Seriously...Thank. You. God. For these awesome doctors here at MSKCC.
Oh and today is Prom. Guess who the Prom King is... (one of a few Prom Kings of course)
**UPDATE**
I realize that I sometimes talk "cancer speak", so I am going to try and define a few things here:
MIBG- This is the BIG test. This should highlight any cancer cells remaining in his body. He receives a radio active injection for this scan and the next day they use a HUGE machine to scan his body.
Bone Marrow Aspiration/Biopsy- This will show us if there are any cancer cells remaining in his body. This is the one with needles that you often hear people talk about being painful if they are awake for it. Clayton is never awake for it.
Creatinine- This is a something excreted from the kidney that serves as a marketer of kidney function.
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