Results

Well, good results all around today.

The x-ray of his port shows there was no blockage. The best we can figure is that the swelling made the needle easier to dislodge after the nurse had tested it. So even though we had to put Alan through accessing the port again, at least we won't have to have surgery to install a new one.

The CAT scans showed that the tumor is definitely shrinking - the radiologist called it moderate shrinkage. More importantly, the scan showed necrotic tissue, so not only is the tumor shrinking, it's dying too. It also showed that his right kidney was not longer crowded by the tumor and was no longer swollen. His bladder is also starting to move back into place.

The next two weeks he gets Vincristine followed by his fourth course of VAC. Another two weeks of Vincristine after that and then we'll do another scan. The docs will then compare the tumor from this last scan and the next and decide what do next: more of the same chemo, different chemo or surgery.

We are exhausted tonight. For some reason, Alan is a real monkey during VAC. It takes a lot of energy and attention to keep up with him. Once we were home, he was crawling all over the family room, with Daddy running after him holding his IV bag. He's even cruising along the furniture, hopping on his good leg while supporting his weight with his arms on the sofa. Big brother Kevin (after cupcakes for his teacher's birthday as well as his own birthday cake and ice cream today) was bouncing off the walls too. It was quite the production getting the two of them up to bed.

Alan's probably also happy because he's feeding-tube free. After he vomited up the new tube this morning, the docs decided to give him a break and see if he would start eating. Surprisingly, despite the chemotherapy, Alan had a few bites of a hamburger patty, some fries and half a cup of Pediasure. We'll pray that he starts eating so we can avoid the tube.