Chase's Condition Remains Stable
Chase's MRI was the smoothest one to date - he cooperated well and was in and out of the hospital fairly quickly. He was also in great spirits (probably because he got to stay home with Carol for the day). I got to the lab in the afternoon to review the scan with the Radiologist and compare it to our previous baseline – they continue to be extremely helpful at Beaumont.
Unfortunately, we didn't get the news we were hoping for yet. Chase's tumor actually appeared to be somewhat larger (around 10%); however, it isn't clear whether this is actually due to growth or just some swelling because of the treatments attacking the lesion. The MRI can't distinguish the difference and it's not uncommon for this type of swelling to occur before the tumor actually breaks down. It was also visible from the scan where / how the growth infiltrated the area of the nerves that control his facial muscles, which led to the recent drooping of his smile.
Nevertheless, we're not overly alarmed. The most important thing is that Chase seems to be doing well - his eye actually looks somewhat better and he isn't showing any further symptoms of progression. If the tumor did actually grow, it certainly wasn't very fast (particularly given the diagnosis) which is still good news while we continue to give him the treatments to attack it from many angles.
On a side note, Chase came home with candy from his classmates on Valentine's Day. Knowing that he wasn't going to be able to eat it, he told Carol that he wanted to give it to kids that “weren't as lucky as he is” - that just demonstrates his outlook, despite the situation. We're proud of the little trooper...
We are now planning a trip to Medjugorje right after Easter to take Chase to the area where Our Lady has appeared and there have been many miracles reported. We continue to have strong faith that Chase is on his way to a full recovery and we're excited about the unfolding of this miracle. Thanks for all the prayers and support!
Love,
John & Carol Sammut
Chase & Barbara Ann
Unfortunately, we didn't get the news we were hoping for yet. Chase's tumor actually appeared to be somewhat larger (around 10%); however, it isn't clear whether this is actually due to growth or just some swelling because of the treatments attacking the lesion. The MRI can't distinguish the difference and it's not uncommon for this type of swelling to occur before the tumor actually breaks down. It was also visible from the scan where / how the growth infiltrated the area of the nerves that control his facial muscles, which led to the recent drooping of his smile.
Nevertheless, we're not overly alarmed. The most important thing is that Chase seems to be doing well - his eye actually looks somewhat better and he isn't showing any further symptoms of progression. If the tumor did actually grow, it certainly wasn't very fast (particularly given the diagnosis) which is still good news while we continue to give him the treatments to attack it from many angles.
On a side note, Chase came home with candy from his classmates on Valentine's Day. Knowing that he wasn't going to be able to eat it, he told Carol that he wanted to give it to kids that “weren't as lucky as he is” - that just demonstrates his outlook, despite the situation. We're proud of the little trooper...
We are now planning a trip to Medjugorje right after Easter to take Chase to the area where Our Lady has appeared and there have been many miracles reported. We continue to have strong faith that Chase is on his way to a full recovery and we're excited about the unfolding of this miracle. Thanks for all the prayers and support!
Love,
John & Carol Sammut
Chase & Barbara Ann
posted by John & Carol Sammut at 5:48 PM
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