More Blessings

I just wanted to give a quick update for those who aren't on Facebook and/or haven't heard yet.  Justin had the ultrasound on his kidneys and bladder last week and the results show that everything looks normal.  Praise God!  So, the plan is to give IV hydration before and after each MRI to flush the contrast from his kidneys.  Hopefully his blood work will then go back to normal levels. 

Thank you all so much for your prayers, concern and encouraging comments.  I really appreciate the incredible support system that I have.

Next MRI is at the end of November, with oncologist visit December 1st.

Until then, no news is good news!

Looking for Peace

Where has the time gone?  I can't believe it's September already!  Summer is over.  Another three months have passed.

Since I last posted, Justin saw the Cancer Care dermatologist regarding the 'moles' on his back.  She is confident that they are not a concern at this time.  She wants to see him again in a year and we are to contact her if we notice any changes in the spots.  Sigh of relief!

Justin had his latest MRI and chest x-ray on August 28th and all results show that his chest remains clear! Great news for sure.  A week later, on Friday, September 4th, he had his blood work done and his regular oncologist visit.  We got the results of his counts (white blood cells, haemoglobin, neutrophils, etc.) during that doctor's visit and they are all good.  We talked with the oncologist about how being 15 months out from the post-treatment date was encouraging...the farther away from that date we get, the better.  We also discussed some of the possible late effects from the chemo and radiation - organ damage, fibrosis of the lungs, other cancers.  He encouraged Justin to be as active as possible.  He would like him to exercise and explained the importance of keeping his lungs healthy and strong due to the amount of radiation he received to his chest and lungs. The blood chemistry results take a little longer so we went on our way rather than wait.  When we arrived home later that day, however, there was a message on the answering machine from the oncologist. I called him back and learned that Justin's urea and creatinine levels are a little high.  He noted that they have been on a bit of an upward trend the last few times.  These are indicators for kidney function.  Of course, my mind goes immediately to previous warnings that several chemo drugs can cause organ damage later on.  His oncologist put in a request for an ultrasound on Justin's kidneys to rule out any problems.  He is hopeful that this is nothing serious and could possibly be the result of the contrast medium used during Justin's MRIs.  It requires a lot of fluids afterward to be sure to flush it out of the kidneys and perhaps Justin isn't drinking enough after the scans.  The plan is to do the ultrasound and if it proves to be normal, he will order IV fluids before and after each MRI to be sure the contrast is sufficiently flushed from Justin's kidneys. 

So now we wait for the ultrasound appointment.  I feel like I have boarded the roller coaster once again.  Things are going along so smoothly, then bam! One more bump in the road.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  I remember reading a quote during Justin's treatment that read something to this effect:  A childhood cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence, it is a life sentence.  And it is. Justin was fortunate enough to defeat Ewing Sarcoma with the help of the many toxic chemicals that were pumped into his body.  We knew the risks that these drugs held but what choice did we have? You choose the lesser of two evils and hope and pray that: a) it works, and b) that it won't cause major problems later on.  

All of this comes at the same time as my return to work. After two years off, I went back to my job as an EA yesterday.  I was, admittedly, a little anxious about going back.  There is still uncertainty with regard to Justin's health and future, as we have just learned with this latest concern.  I am already starting to feel uneasy about what this may mean, both personally and professionally. I don't want to have to miss a lot of work but at the same time, this whole experience has taught me that health and family are the most important things and I am a Mom first and foremost.  

Please continue to pray for Justin's health and well-being, and also for my well-being.  This Mom could use a little peace right about now.