Jude had an MRI of his brain and an MRI of his spinal cord today. The spinal cord MRI would be new information and I think that it must have turned out okay or I would have thought the radiologist would have tracked us down by now if he saw something really troubling. Jude really …
Continue reading “Stealth MRI of Brain and MRI of Spinal Cord”
I heard back from Jude’s oncologist with answers to all my questions and finally understand why she wants Jude to undergo proton radiation treatment since his tumor has recurred. I wanted to not take such a step unless the tumor came back a 3rd time after this next resection because of the risks of radiation — potential …
This afternoon is Jude’s stealth MRI in preparation for surgery on Wednesday. I got him up early this morning so that he could get some food in his stomach since he can’t eat anything between 7 a.m. and the time he wakes up from the anesthesia from the MRI, at probably 5 p.m. tonight. That …
I’m no different than other parents. I am absolutely crazy about my boys and think they are truly exceptional kids. I really can’t say enough about my 5- year old, Jude, and I’m sure my bragging borders on obnoxious sometimes, but I can hardly help myself. From the day he was born, Jude was the …
Admittedly, I was hoping Jude’s brain cancer had disappeared after the surgery 1-1/2 years ago and hadn’t taken the time to get to know what we are potentially up against. I still have quite a few unanswered questions, as shown below. Hi Dr. Bendel, I have some follow-up questions for you. None of them are …
The 3 boys and I went to a nearby splash pad today to give Andy a quiet house so he could edit his podcast. The boys just loved the splash pad, but the water was cold so they only lasted about an hour. We then walked to an adjacent playground (where Levi nearly gave me …
Jude is a good big brother and really loves his little brothers. While I’ll get to keep Asher in the hospital room with me and Jude under a special nursing exception, Levi is too little (age 2) to come visit under Children’s Hospital’s strict visitor policy that discriminates against all children under 5. Jude said …
Jude was really excited to sing to me a song he wrote today. It goes, “Christmas, Christmas, is so good. I love God, like I should.” We’ll have to get some audio of him since he’s got the cutest little voice.
I really thought I was doing a great job shielding Jude from the knowledge of his life-threatening medical condition. I thought he only knew that he had a head owie (which he also knows is called a brain tumor) and that it has to get taken out since it had come back.  But, he knows …
I gave into the temptation tonight to google something along the lines of “ependymoma brain tumor child survival rates” and am feeling a little sick to my stomach. From what I read, the survival rates are higher for those children who undergo radiation, but at a big cost. Those under age 7 are much more …