Hello there pals!
I hope that your summer months has been completely wonderful ☀️
I’m popping in today to deliver an update on Dominic so quite a few of you have published and requested how he is executing, and how the operation went, and I thank you for your tolerance!
To start with, a Thank You
The outpouring of wonderful cards, postcards, and gifts that have been despatched to my PO box has been so heartwarming. Our family members is wholly and completely humbled by your thoughtfulness, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking time out of your working day to do one thing that would deliver a smile to Dominic’s facial area ❤️ THANK YOU!
Surgical procedure Update
Dominic experienced his tumor resection surgical procedure on Monday, June 20th at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. He went into the operating area at 9:30am and arrived in his space in the pediatric ICU close to 6:45pm. Leaving him in that operating area was gut-wrenching, but an OR nurse was ready to provide updates on a common basis all through the day, which created all of the waiting much considerably less agonizing. The surgeon was in a position to take away his complete tumor, as perfectly as all of the diseased lymph nodes that were determined in his neck, stomach, and pelvis. He was stable throughout the overall operation, missing really small blood, and only stayed in the ICU for two days.
The surgical treatment only could not have gone any far better and we are just so grateful to the surgeon and for all of the prayers that were despatched up for Dominic and the surgical staff that working day. There is a person rogue lymph node below his still left clavicle that the surgeon understood likely in wasn’t able to be achieved from both the neck or the thoracoabdominal incision. It will be re-scanned and either removed by using a scope course of action or if it has shrunk plenty of, radiated.
Restoration was incredibly slow heading the first handful of times taking just a number of steps was hard for Dominic and it was so challenging to see him having difficulties and getting exhausted by this sort of basic actions. He had a upper body tube and catheter for 4 days post-surgical treatment, and an abdominal drain for a week, which didn’t support! But it was also incredible to see what a variation just a few of days could make. Operating with PT and OT was excellent and inside a week he was strolling again and forth to the playroom in the medical center.
A couple of times after surgical procedures, they found out a chylous leak (in essence, fat leaking by the lymphatic technique), which we were explained to beforehand would be a chance due to the fact so lots of lymph nodes would be taken off. It was the only true complication put up-medical procedures they treated it with medicine and a low-excess fat eating plan for about 5 times and it settled.
A week just after operation, Dominic started his fourth round of chemo. This a person strike him the most difficult, possible since he was however recovering from surgery, he lost his hunger for a number of days, experienced some nausea, and was far more fatigued than usual. We ended up equipped to head back dwelling following that cycle of chemo was full, 11 times right after his surgical treatment.
Back again Household
The surgeon indicated that complete recovery will choose about two months, but that strolling and gentle physical exercise is great for him, so he started out by strolling our driveway and cul de sac and acquired back on his pedal kart bicycle (bike driving was health practitioner-permitted) for some uncomplicated rides. He has steadily regained a good deal of power, as properly as array of movement, and is driving his bicycle more quickly and is up and enjoying like standard.
A person of our most significant hurdles considering the fact that getting household is that he just was not again to himself for rather some time, which we experienced been advised was totally regular. He was lethargic, not talkative, not fascinated in taking part in, and we all skipped our Dominic!
Element of the concern is that it took him a whole lot for a longer period to rebound from this past round of chemo than any of the previous rounds that he experienced. His white counts sat bottomed out at or in close proximity to zero for two total months, and he wanted three platelet transfusions and two blood transfusions in a week. We logged some Very long days at clinic the 7 days right after we acquired back again.
The other issue is that he experienced prolonged decline of hunger following chemo and experienced ongoing to shed body weight (and he was small to start off with!). As a outcome, the medical professionals started him on an hunger stimulant a week back and it seems to have kicked in in excess of the final pair of days mainly because he’s been consuming so much better and attained a small around a fifty percent pound considering the fact that his clinic appointment very last 7 days.
All of his counts begun coming again up in the previous pair of days and he has not desired any transfusions given that early previous 7 days. We’re so grateful he’s finding back to his old self, little by little but definitely!
Upcoming Steps…
Following 7 days, Dominic will go through a battery of scans and a bone marrow biopsy to see the specific standing of the sickness article-surgical procedures and immediately after completion of chemo.
Soon thereafter, he’ll get started his initial round of immunotherapy antibody treatment plans, and then have radiation. The for a longer time-time period strategy is that he will have at minimum five rounds of immunotherapy remedies, spaced out about a thirty day period aside. Scans will be carried out following just about every two rounds to see how factors are wanting. Asking for heaps of prayers that we get thoroughly clean scans as before long as probable 🙏🏻
Thank you all so considerably all over again, for reaching out and inquiring about Dominic, for maintaining him in your prayers, for showering him with playing cards, and for continuing to appreciate on us as a spouse and children. We experience you, and your kindness and prayers elevate us up and give us energy.
I’ll share an additional update soon after we get through our following steps! In the meantime, we’re soaking up every single solitary working day that we can all devote time with each other below a person roof ❤️
