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Last night was incredibly difficult for Redden as he was struggling with discomfort and nausea and had very few periods of rest. Whether it's a result of his body reacting to general anesthesia, or weaning from his other drugs, or lingering chemo effects is unclear. But when 6am finally arrived I was relieved that the night was actually over, knowing he does a little better during the day.[...]
Of course, he did amazing. No complications, no concerns. Both intubation and extubation were smooth. Lots and lots of smiles from his team. I squeezed in a nap with him and we will stay overnight here for observation. Results and conversations in the morning. Thank you for all the prayers for us today!
I'm in the waiting room of the Cancer Center, waiting for the call that tells me that the MRI went ok.
After a long morning of the usual 'no feeding before a scan' angst, we made it in for the MRI. The team decided that due to his history with breathing issues with sedation that they were going to intubate him. I know this is the safest route. I know it's best. But I can't stop being afraid.[...]
A few days ago we came home from the Cancer Center, with an adjusted drug schedule that helped with the withdrawals that he had been suffering through. Each time we come home there's an adjustment period as we go from having all of his medications done for us, to handling it all ourselves. Each time I think 'how did they let us come home with all of this?!? We're not capable!!!' But somehow, we figure it out.[...]
On Thursday Red got his second, and what we truly hope is his last, chemo treatment.
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Tomorrow morning we'll get up extra early to pack the car and head to what we are told is an 'extra long day of treatment.' It's chemo treatment #2, and armed with our new treatment plan, we are hoping it's our last chemo round.[...]
21 days. 21 days after we dropped the boys off for school and went in for a simple scan of what we thought was random cysts. 21 days after we left our house a mess and didn't realize we wouldn't be coming home. 21 days after everything felt normal. And then finally...[...]
Tomorrow Redden will be 7 weeks old. At his 4 week birthday we were told he had cancer. At 5 weeks we learned he couldn't breathe on his own as his tumor had grown rapidly and was hurting him. And at the 6 week mark everything changed for the amazing. [...]
I'll never forget our first night in the hospital. We had spent all day in the ER waiting on the ultrasound that ultimately discovered the tumor in his abdomen. Everything after that felt cold and numb. Carrying my baby down each long hall and feeling like I was about to offer him up as a sacrifice. Feeling every impulse tell me to run out the door with him, back to our home, where everything was 'normal' and ignorance had truly been bliss.[...]
Yesterday morning, it started.
'Wow, he looks great!' 'He's really turned a corner!' 'What a difference!' 'He's really showing us he's ready!'[...]
