Ok folks, we are getting ready to take off for day 2 of scans.  Yesterday went really well and Jack was very happy about only having to do the CT scans but not too thrilled about having to put an IV in. He put up a bit of a fight when it was time to hold his arm out, but once they started he didn’t even know it was happening.  He did really well with the CT and picked out a prize after….a stuffed bat that he wants to take to clinic on Friday to scare the nurses.  He thinks it is just so funny that he would do that!

We had to wait around for about a hour before he got the injection for the MIBG so we sat and ate some lunch at the cafeteria and visited with our favorite person from Child Life, Amanda.  Jack is very shy now in front of all the people at the hospital that he used to be so outgoing with and I am not sure why.  Maybe he feels like if he gets too close he will have to go back??  Not sure.

Anyhow, we go in this morning first to the orthopedic to see if we can take his boot off or at least see how his bone is healing from his attempt at flying.  Hopefully he can take it off and get back to playing more outside because I know he misses it.  After that we will be checking in and getting another IV done before his scan so Dr Maze can give him anesthesia.  We saw Dr Maze yesterday…he is such a nice man.  He tickled Jack and made him laugh, told him he loved him and just how cute he is.  He is so good with him.  Of course he asked me about my whole family that he knows because he really does care about everyone.  The MIBG should only last about a hour or so and then we will be heading home and I will turn my ringer up as high as it will go and hold it close to me until Dr Eshun calls and tells us, “I have good news for you!  You don’t have to worry…he is fine!  It’s Jack afterall!”

Please keep the prayers coming!!

Well Dr Maze and the wonderful Mary from Radiology have set Jack up for new scan dates.  He will be getting his bone scan injection on Tuesday the 23rd of August followed by the actual bone scan and then the injection for the MIBG scan.  Wednesday will be the MIBG scan and the CT scan.  So now Dr Maze will be there, Mary will be there, and our favorite Radiology nurse Angela will be there.  We still haven’t heard back about the hearing test, but I have a feeling it will be done on Wednesday.  I definitely need to bring a little something in to all of the dept for all that they do for us.  Mary and Dr Maze always get us in when we need to get in and they wouldn’t have it any other way.  Both of them are amazing!

Braden is still battling the head cold and Jack is getting better as each day goes so it would be great if we could get out and actually go swimming or something this weekend!

Start your prayers now that all goes well in August!

It’s’ finally over and we hope and pray that it will always be over.  Jack finished his last done of accutane last night which means he is done with his treatment.  It was so strange to think that this could actually be it!!  He was pretty happy about it too…the little boy, as young as he is, know what is going on.  He asks questions that I don’t know how to answer at times, but if he is smart enough to ask I can be smart enough to come up with a response!

We had a great weekend here.  My mom came in town last minute to help us with the boys since Zac and I had a wedding to go to Saturday night.  Zac was the best man in Cliff’s wedding so he was pretty much going to be busy most of the weekend with that and we decided to make a night out of it and actually stay out so my mom stayed with the boys Saturday night.  Once Nana comes in town, we don’t exist.  Jack only  wants to play with her and that is just fine!  I love that he is so happy to see her and I know spending time with the boys also means the world to her.

Jack’s birthday is going to be the celebration that lasts for months!  He got a big package from my sister, Stacey, on Friday so he was pretty excited about that!  He was able to build his Lego firetruck with Nana for 2 days so he was kept busy with new things to do.  Before the wedding on Saturday night, our friends Brian and Jill brought in a huge bags of more things for Jack from them and Marci and Lauren.  We told Jack on the way home Saturday that we had something for him from them and he got so excited that he want to the window and waited for us to get here….even though we were 45 minutes away!  So thank you to my sister and her family and of course to Brian, Jill, Marci, Lauren, and Marc.  You all spoil my kids rotton and they thank you for it!

This week is a HUGE week for us and to say that we are nervous is an understatement.  I will be talking with my wonderful Mary from radiology to get the final order of the scans but as of right now Jack will be having the bone scan injection on Tuesday (and then you have to wait 2 hours before you get the scan), the bone scan, and then the MIBG injection.  Wednesday will be the bone marrow biopsy, CT scan of neck, chest, and abdomen, MIBG scan, and a PET scan of the actual main tumor sight.  We talked after Jack’s last scans and decided to add a PET scan of his main tumor sight since there was still some tissue left from his resection and although he keeps getting smaller, we want to make sure that it is nothing.  Dr Eshun will go the extra mile to make sure all is well before he considers him done with treatment.  We will then go back on Friday morning to meet with De Eshun to go over the results and possibly set up the date to have his broviac removed.  Oh my geez…let the tears start flowing that day!

In addion to all of Jack’s appointments this week, we also have Braden’s echo/ekg on Thursday morning.  We are really looking forward to seeing if his hold has closed any more then last time.  He has been doing so well that I can only imagine good news.

My dad will be coming in town on Tuesday to say for a week to help us with everything.  Zac won’t be able to be there for everything, so my dad or my sister will be able to go with me while Jack is in scans.  My dad will stay home with Braden on Friday while Zac and I go to the result appointment so also a huge help.  My dad has never missed a scan week and has been here for every result day and he don’t want to miss out on this one.  I have told Jack that Grandpa is coming to say and he says, “well, what is Nana going to do without him?”  He asks this every time if only one of them is coming out…he is always so concerned about the other all the time.

So let the prayers and positive thoughts start now!  Please pray for Jack’s scans to go well.  Please pray for Dr Maze to take care of our little boy while he is under anesthesia.  Please pray for all scans to be clear.  Please pray for accurate readings of his scans for for Dr Eshun to be able to come in to our room Friday morning with no doubt in his mind that Jack is cancer free. Please pray for Braden’s Echo/EKG to come back normal and for them to think the he will never need surgery on his little heart.  Please, please, please, please.

I called my wonderful Mary from radiology and right when I called and I was Jack’s mom she was all excited to hear from us.  She said that she pulled it all together and figured it out and Jack will have all of his scans on the 17th and 18th of this month.  This means that we will probably meet with Dr Eshun on Friday the 20th for results.  Much better than waiting through the weekend or even waiting until June.  I am very happy that she was able to get this all in and scheduled so we don’t have to wait any longer.

We will have more to update as the week goes on…sorry so short tonight….

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Just a quick update…

I heard from Dr Eshun yesterday and they have still not figured out when they will get Jack in for his scans.  He told me to talk to Mary in Radiology on Monday (who I happen to really like!) and hopefully she will have been able to come up with something.  Jack is doing great and looks wonderful so that is encouraging while we wait for these scans.  I really dislike scan months…the waiting is awful!

All is well here.  Zac is out of town for the weekend and will be back tomorrow so at least he isn’t gone for too long.  My brother-in-law, Scott, is in town so that is always fun for the kids and us!  After we put Braden to be last night, Jackers and I sat on the couch and had a dinner date.  We had salmon, rice, tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms.  He was in love!  We stayed up and watched old “Felix the Cat” shows and had a great time.  I haven’t had a date night with Jack in a long time so it was pretty fun for us.  Both kids are busy running around the house together and all is great.

Please keep Ronan in your prayers still as him and his family really need it right now.