Dylan Update

On Tuesday June 2 we met with oncologists at the Primary Children's Hospital. While talking with them about the chemo that Dylan would receive they informed us that this is a chronic battle that Dylan is engaged in. More than likely, we won't be able to get rid of the tumor completely. Dylan will go through one round of chemo for x amount of time and then go on a "chemo vacation" before doing a second round. The doctors told us to view this like someone with diabetes. They also informed us that they would place a port in Dylan to administer the chemo. His veins are young and the chemo would tear his veins up and so a port would be placed to feed into a bigger vein (juggular) that would be able to handle chemo. It is placed under the skin on the right side of his chest.

The oncologists told us that we would put Dylan on the Carboplatin type of chemo. He will have it once a month with an MRI every third month. We will be on this schedule for however long the doctors tell us before we go on the first "chemo vacation". The good thing is that we have caught this early so hopefully WE can control the tumor. The side effects of carboplatin is permanent hearing loss of high pitches, nausea, hair loss, low blood counts, and all the other things associated with chemo.

We asked the doctor if this tumor is cancer. The doctor said it is not. It is a benign, grade 2 astrocytoma but is not cancer. We asked about seizures. He said with the tumor in this part of the brain he shouldn't have any.

They scheduled us to have a MRI on Dylan's spine, to make sure that it isn't spreading down his spine on Monday the 8th of June. Tuesday he had a GFR (glomerular filtration rate) test to test his kidneys. Wednesday at about 5:30 p.m. they placed the port in. We stayed Wednesday night at the hospital in the ICS. Thursday about noon they gave Dylan his first dose of chemo. They gave it through an IV and it took about an hour to empty the bag. Before they gave him the chemo they gave him some medicine for nausea. We stayed the night Thursday and left the hospital Friday about 11. After being away from our home for 2 weeks, we were ready to go home. We arrived at our house in St. George a little before 7 p.m. last night.

He has handled the chemo really well. He hasn't gotten too nauseous yet, but is still sore from the port placement. Today, 48 hours later, has been the hardest day. He is definitely not the same. He is sore and has no energy. You can tell he doesn't feel good. Poor kid.

Being placed on the 4th floor of the hospital and seeing all the other kids going thru chemo has been a real eye opener. The nurses that work in that hospital are amazing people. To work with all those kids, to deal with all they deal with and to treat us all so good is simply remarkable.

There are so many people to thank, that we don't even know where to begin. Thanks to everyone who housed us while we were living like vagabonds. Our kids slept on so many different pillows in so few days and never once felt unwanted. Thanks for watching Connor. Poor Connor doesn't even know what's going on. All he knows is that he gets dropped off somewhere while his mom, dad and brother leave him. Poor Dylan thinks that every knew face is out to poke him or make him sick, so we apologize if he isn't the friendliest when you meet him.

Chemo kills all the rapid growing cells. This is why you have hair loss, no growth of fingernails and mouth sores (cankers). Also it kills red blood cells and white blood cells. White blood cells are the blood cells that fight off sicknesses and diseases. While undergoing chemo Dylan has low white blood cells. We ask that if you visit or are around him that you are not sick and that you wash or sanitize your hands. He is very susceptable to sickness and doesn't have the fighting blood cells to fight off sickness. Please respect him and us with this and wash your hands and don't be around him if you are sick. Grandpa Mogle had to talk to Dylan thru a car window Friday because he has shingles.

Again, thanks to everyone for the help. We are finding out that life is what you make it and that there are a lot of good people out there. We all go thru hard times and trials. Having a hand to pick you up during that trial is heaven sent. No one thinks that the trial is going to happen to them and no one is prepared at the moment for the trial. But it does happen to you and it does come. It's thru the trial that you get prepared. While at the hospital a volunteer mom came around and gave all the "cancer" patients (Dylan is not a cancer patient but because he is having chemo he gets categorized as such) a gift bag. In that gift bag were letters from cancer patients who were all diagnosed. Not one thought it would happen to them and not one was prepared. But each one fought with all they had. That's all you can do.

If you get the notion to do something good for someone "Just do it". You could be the help that someone needs to fight their battle.