Loki had his third chemo treatment, vincristine, outpatient at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He did not appear to have any adverse reaction.
July 24, 2003:
Loki was released from the hospital, again, today. Hopefully, our return home will be a little more smooth.
July 23, 2003:
We found out that Loki's kidneys are indeed fluid filled, but the doctors are going to take a wait and see approach. So no surgery!!!!! We also found out that the tumor looks to be responding to the Chemo
July 22, 2003:
Loki has continued to vomit this morning. We are taking him into the clinic.
We are being readmitted to the hospital. Apparently vomiting is a sign that Loki's kidenys might be swelling. One kidney showed signs of slight swelling last Friday. We are scheduled for another ultrasound and second CT this evening. The vomiting has not occurred since the doctors gave a dose of Zofran via IV.
July 21, 2003:
Today Loki is supposed to be released from the hospital to go home!!! We are looking forward to this, and I think he wants to go home too. Loki is not eating well, and he vomited once before we left.
Loki has vomited several times since returning home, and Zofran is not helping. If this continues, we are going to have to bring him to the clinic tomorrow.
July 12, 2003:
Loki turns 1 yr old today! His birthday was wondering thanks to the wonderful efforts of Kara and Anu. He began chemo after his party.
July 11, 2003:
Loki was confirmed to have Stage 3, Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Prostate, but they can't tell if the tumor affects his bladder. It's just too big at this point. He begins chemo tomorrow He will have VAC chemotherapy alternating with VC/Topotecan for 12 wks, surgery, then radiation therapy, then chemo for another 30 weeks. We are all so very scared.
July 9, 2003:
Loki underwent biopsy surgery today. Mike was there for Peter and I when they told us the news, our baby has cancer. He came out of surgery alright, and had a Broviac installed. My mom arrived after the surgery, and Peter's parents arrived shortly after that. God, I am so glad they are here.
July 8, 2003 :
The day our lives changed.
Since the pain had persisted, the doctor ordered an ultrasound. I asked the tech that morning if they were going to look at his intestines, I still thought that there might be some sort of obstruction. She said No, just the bladder and kidneys. Loki was not very cooperative, but that didn't seem to affect the scan. The tech excused herself, and brought back the ultrasound doctor. He pointed to something in the ultrasound, and told the tech to get pictures of the spine, spleen, pancreas, and liver. I sat there in disbelief. All these organs are areas where there might be problems? What are we looking at? Cancer? The doctor asked if we had any other appointments that day, and I said No. He said to wait, and he would call Loki's doctor.
Loki had an abdominal ultrasound where the doctors found "a lump." They admitted to Loki to the Children's Hospital at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. That evening I struggled with the thought that there might be something seriously wrong with my son. My husband soon joined me at the hospital. Loki underwent a CT that evening.
July 3, 2003 - July 7, 2003
I had brought him in to his peditrcian due to severe constipation, and we had been treating this with lactolose for several days (July 3- July 6). Constipation was getting better, but the pain was still there. The doctors decided to give him a KUB X-Ray, which showed only that he was constipated. In addition, the doctor did a rectal examine.
June 2003
Loki had pain in urination and constipation. At first, it was thought to be pain from a recurrent diaper rash, which turned out to be a yeast infection. Then, the doctor thought it was a stenosis of his penis, but that was not the case. His daycare providers indicated that the situation was getting much worse, and that the pain was in no way caused by the yeast infection which was healing.
