The Verdict Is In and Back for Round Three!

So we got the results of the scans, and it was good news...somewhat. The main tumor hasn't changed. It hasn't grown, but it hasn't shrunk either! However, his lymph nodes have gone down and his kidney function is exactly where it should be for a child his age and size! In other words, the chemo was working...on a small scale. We found out that the chemo he was taking has only been used for about two years and there are no studies saying if it is effective or not. They know it works in some cases, but Rhabdomyosarcomas' are very tough tumors and they usually don't respond well to many forms of chemo. We will take what we can get though...any success is still success!
So now we are back in the hospital for round three! Kade is starting a new chemo that has been proven to be effective in 80% of cases. He will be going through three rounds about one month long each. He will be admitted to hospital for two days for the first week, taking one type of chemo. Then he will be going to the day clinic for a few hours the next week, taking another chemo....that he's already been taking. The third week, Kade gets admitted for five days taking another new chemo. Week four, Kade gets a break! This cycle repeats three times and then he gets another evaluation. This is a fairly agressive therapy that has proven to work in most cases...so with a little luck...!

Scans

We just got home from the hospital where Kade has just had his evaluation C.T. and M.R.I. scans. Hopefully we will find out soon how well the chemo is working. We do know it is working, but not to what extent. We are keeping our fingers crossed!

Bald Buddies

Home Again...Again!

So Kade is now finished week two of round two of chemo. His limp is a lot better and his energy level is pretty much back to normal. When he was in the hospital he seemed listless and uninterested in getting out of bed. He just wanted to play with his toys and his video games and be unco-operative with the nurses and doctors! His hair started coming out with the last round so he and his Daddy made a deal to be bald buddies.
Kade had a rough morning as he had to get up early to be at the hospital for an out patient chemo dose and check up today. The feeding tube that has been helping him so much, has been a burden lately. It is extremely uncomfortable to be inserted, since it goes through his nose into his stomach. It is horrible to witness because it seems like the poor little guy is being tortured. Unfortunately he has had to go through this several times now, due to throwing it up and having it get blocked, etc.! When we got home from the hospital monday within a few hours he threw up his tube. We phoned the hospital and were told that he could wait until he came in for his next treatment to have the tube put back in...it was only one day after all. Well it's like he was a freed slave! He ran laps around the house and was playing and getting into trouble just like he used to...it's like a miracle. Unfortunately the need for the tube made itself well known. Kade wasn't able to keep any of his meds down, he wasn't eating and drinking very little. In no time he started to get weaker...well weak for him (it still takes four nurses, or two nurses and mommy and daddy to hold him down to get the tube in.)
Enter the rough wednesday morning...he had to get up early to get to the hospital in morning rush hour traffic. Then on the way there he threw up in the car. Mommy and daddy forgot to put on the cream to numb his access point for his I.V. (yes we did it at the hospital and waited until he was numb...we wouldn't just stab the poor little fella...what kind of parents do you think we are?!) Then he had to get the tube inserted again...yuck, what a morning!
There is however some good news. The Oncologist feels that the tumor is SHRINKING!
I wish I was as brave and strong as our little king! Our love to all and stay tuned for the next exciting adventure...