MRI Results and July 11th - Week 17

On Monday, I still hadn't heard any results from Kayla's MRI, so I called and left a message at the clinic asking them if they had received any results.  I didn't hear back from them until Tuesday morning (and the nurse was very apologetic).  She told me that Dr. Hansen  has not had a chance to look at them yet, but she looked at what was written on them and it sounded very positive.  It said that there was a "marked decrease in size" of the tumor and "no new abnormalities."  I think that is very close to quoting what it said.  Anyway, very good news!

So, today (Wednesday), we went in for a blood count check.  Her counts were good. . . but low (low enough that if we were scheduled for chemo, she wouldn't be able to do it because they didn't meet the criteria).  They were on the rise, though, so with two more weeks until her next treatment, she should be fine.

We met with Marnie, the nurse practitioner,  and she said that Kayla looks great and is doing great.  She also commented on her MRI results.  She read what they said again and then told me that typically when they have patients with the same tumor as Kayla, they do not see any change in size from MRI to MRI (which are every 3 months).  It is usually over a longer period of time that they see change in size, like a year or a year and a half.  So, to see a "marked decrease in size" in just a 3 month period is FANTASTIC and very unusual.  Yay!!  The chemo is doing it's job!  And even more so are all of your prayers!!

Marnie also told me that there is going to be a brain tumor conference at the end of this week with all kinds of doctors, nurses, teachers, and just a whole big group of professionals that get together and discuss each case.  They will be looking at Kayla's MRI and making official conclusions about her condition.  We will meet with Dr. Hansen next week and he will tell us about what was discussed about her case.

So, great news all around.  On our way home, I heard from my friend who was watching Nathan and Lily that there was a great sale going on at Old Navy today only.  I ended up meeting her there and finding some good deals on school clothes.  It was a little (okay, a lot) chaotic with all four kids asking me if they can get this or that all at the same time (Benson was crying because he had hardly eaten any lunch and was hungry), but we made it through somehow and I was soooo ready to go home.

We got out to the car and I realized that I locked my keys in the van!  Ugh!  It was 100 degrees outside and we were all  completely tired and starving. We went into Petco and looked around at the animals while I made some calls.  Unfortunately, we don't have a spare key (and we keep saying we need to make one!) to our van, so Bryson called a locksmith to come out and open the door.  We waited for OVER AN HOUR for the guy to come.  It was so miserable.  Everyone was tired, cranky, hungry, and complaining.

We finally made it home and I was so grateful to have a friend bring us dinner tonight!  My visiting teachers and other friends take turns bringing us dinner whenever we go in for Kayla's appointments.  It is such a blessing.  Thank you!!!