CT Scan

After twelve wonderful hours of sleep I woke up with such a smile on my face. Yesterday David was in rare form making us laugh and enjoying our undivided time.  Because the visit included no IV, no labs, etc... he was not worried at all and did great in the CT machine. 

After the CT we grabbed some lunch in the hospital cafeteria then headed over to clinic to wait for the news.  Dr. Belyea is truly amazing and came out to check on us and let us know that the server was down and the report could not be read yet.  This is the amazing part of the story because we were both ready to hear answers and we were worried, but we both felt peace.  As always, when times have been the hardest and scariest during David's journey is when our God has made his presence felt so strongly. You would not have known from watching us that we were waiting on such BIG news.  David was being silly, Mike was reading an educational magazine, and I was scrolling my phone and almost fell asleep.  That is God's peace and presence!!

Then Dr. Belyea came and got us and sat around a computer with us.  Most doctors would have read the radiology report delivered us the news and moved on.  It touched my heart that he took the time on a busy clinic day to sit and show our untrained eyes these images. Fist off he showed us the shadow from Friday.  Then he showed us the scans from yesterday and the shadow was all gone!!!  It truly was just a shadow. 

But then he started showing us David's last CT scans from ten months ago.  He showed us his ribs and then showed us his ribs from yesterday scans.  In ten months one of his ribs has had a change in it and that had to be reported.  Dr. B and the radiologist both confirm that this change is not cancer but it was labeled "ground glass opacity" which basically looks like the rib has a bone spur on the end of it.  It has either come from a prior infection or it is damage from all the radiation he has had during his journey.  In ten months he has not had any lung or respiratory issues.

So it was great news yesterday!  We would have preferred for the CT scan to be 100 percent crystal clear but it was not.  The doctor assured us that this change in his rib is not cancer but they cannot tell us a definitive answer what it is.  Dr. B and the entire team of oncologist and radiologist meet every Friday to talk over cases.  He is going to show the team David's this Friday and see if they have any further ideas.  Dr. B and I will talk Friday to come up with a return date for a repeat CT.  It will be interesting to see what that rib will look like in a few more months. 

Thank you dear prayer warriors for your love yesterday.  When days are hard and scary you learn how important your circle is and yesterday we felt your prayers and your love.  It continues to blow our mind how many folks love our boy and lifted us in prayer yesterday to our mighty and amazing GOD!! 

UVA update

Despite the drama of our UVA news Friday night, we have tried to carry on this weekend with our normal schedule.  I was tempted to curl up on the couch with Netflix but Kyle had a basketball tournament that I didn't want to miss.  I love watching my son and his friends play ball and that was a nice distraction.  Mike and I were suppose to go to the hospital gala Saturday night.  I decided not to go but several hours from before the event Mike talked me into going and I am glad I went.  Thanks Hannah for agreeing to come again last minute:)

I am so glad I went to the gala.  I love supporting the charities that this gala supports, and I love getting dressed up and having a date night with my Valentine. 

Hope was our official photographer for the event. 

Sunday morning was church as usual.  The praise band sang some of our favorite songs and it was great to be in church.  My heart was so happy and touched watching our boy praise the Lord.  It is also pretty sweet to leave church with valentine cupcakes:)

Mike has tried to talk to David about going back to UVA again for CT scan and he could care less.  He has been very sweet and snuggly this weekend and I have loved our snuggle time.  I think he knows that something is up but he doesn't truly understand it. 

Crazy to believe, but we are getting hit with tons of snow again this morning.  We have not been in school since last Monday! I wish we were back with our normal schedule because the week flies by with all of our activities and school, but it looks like we will be home for a few more. Watching it snow gorgeous huge flakes this morning reminded me of God's awesome words of Be Still and Know that I am God. Despite what the CT shows, God has got this.  We know how faithful and true he is to us and how can I be in despair?  Yes, we are nervous, we are anxious for answers, and our brains have gone to the reality that cancer does and can come back.  But despite all that God is bigger and mightier than all of this.  This is our blessed comfort and hope when times are hard.

 

Just got the call from UVA that we will go Thursday at 1:30 for a CT scan to check out this crazy shadow.  We are so thankful for your love, support, and prayers. 

UVA news

Well, this was not the way I thought this day would go.  Over the last three years we have gotten in a nice habit of going for these appointments and then after a Full and long day the amazing Dr. Belyea would call us and say all is well see you in a few months.

Today that is not how that script went.  We waited a really long time and I even started stalking Dr. B through asking for news.  He finally called us at 6:00 and started out saying that his kidney numbers (Creatinine and BUN) were not where they had been.  They were not crazy high but we discussed floating the numbers by his nephrologist just to be sure they are in the loop.  By the way, how precious is this picture of Mike and Dave?

Here is our big guy getting his labs drawn without an army holding him down!!!  HUGE progress for our boy.  Anyway, the amazing Dr. B then states that a shadow was seen on his X-ray.  Let me back up..... For the first two years post treatment,  David had CT scans to make sure his cancer was staying away.  CT scans are the best way to check for that, but CT does comes with additional radiation.  After the 2.5 year mark, he was switched to X-ray and ultrasound to check for no new cancer because his relapse rate is significantly lower, and for his long term health the less radiation he is exposed to the better.  So today he received an ultrasound, an echo on his heart, an EKG and labs were drawn.

So, the X-ray which is a flat and grainy image unlike a crystal clear CT scan, showed a shadow on the back of his lung.  It was seen by the doctor so it had to be reported and now we are left to stress.  Is it cancer?  Is it a shadow?  What the heck is it really? 

So that is where we are tonight.  We are trusting and believing that God has brought us this far and will never leave or forsake us.  He knows we are scared to death and loves DAvid even more than we do.  We trust  in his plan for us.  

Monday morning Dr. B will set us up with a CT scan to get a definitive answer on this crazy shadow.  We will return to UVA as soon as they can fit us in for peace of mind for us.  Bless that amazing Doctor... I asked him some hard questions tonight on the phone and he answered them as he always does with direct and honest wisdom.  He loves our Dave too and he is sad we are being stressed out.  

So we ask for our prayers that this shadow is truly nothing.  Despite what next week brings, we know that God has been and always will be with us.  He has been too faithful to leave us now.  Thanks also for the all the messages, tests, and love.  We are blessed with some amazing friends for sure!!