THis blog will have a bit of a scrap hiatus

as I will have limited scrap time. My middle son has a brain tumor which we will have surgery on tomorrow am. We just found out late Wednesday in a freak way. He was having an eye exam for his "lazy" eye.

It is kind of out of the blue that we found out he has a tumor about the size of a golf ball in his cerebelem. He has been complaining of headaches and migraines for the last four months. We have been to the drs for the last three off and on about them with the doctor reassuring us there is no tumor. Hindsight is 20/20 of course but we had no reason to doubt the doctors. She was concerned though about his "lazy" eye and wanted an acutal opthomologist or full on eye doctor to check him out on in he needed eye surgery for his eye turning slightly which then we would patch for the laziness. We have patched on and off over the years as each eye doctor has a different theory so with each new insurance came different thoughts. So we had to come to Columbia MO at the univeristy of MO hospital due to insurance. it is an hour and a half away but a very good hospital we are told. The eye resident doctor dilated him then after our wait he viewed his eyes and saw his optic nerves were bulged. Very rarely a good sign. So we had an emergency CT scan which showed the tumor and later that night a three hour MRI as they did every test possible.

Good news it is not in the spine at all. Good news is it is in a forgiving part of the brain. Good news is they think it is a type of cancer that is fairly treatable. No way to know for sure until next week after the biopsy.

Bit of bad news is it is resting on his brain stem ... if it is just resting not too many worries if there are tendrils into it that is way riskier. The surgery takes at least six hours so it will be a long day.

He is scared of course and doesn't want another surgery. But has been a super trooper. He hasn't even really taken any pain meds. I finally kind of pushed him to take a little for bed. If he really thinks he doesn't need them then fine but I want him to know it is ok if he does need them.

So my husband brought me my laptop. I had just my blackberry before. I am glad as it keeps me a little distracted but I am debating on whether I should google the type of tumor they think he has or wait. My one friend says to wait no matter what kind it is. I don't know if I can hold out. I just keep telling myself for every bad story with cancer in children there are miracle stories. I feel my son will be a miracle.

I am going to part with a few pictures of how lively and silly he is. he has always been my cuddle bear. He would always sit for me for hours and cuddle and rock. Even to this day he loves (at 7) to take a nap with me. Thankfully they let me sleep with him in his bed here.

So please please pray for him. I don't really know what will follow but I have faith there is purpose.

Thank you!

Angela

Here he is as a baby with his Grandma Linda (my MIL)

Here he is at his seventh birthday party this June.
Here is on the last day of summer school putting on a play.
He is always my ham!!Horrible picture of me but funny how this is now my favorite picture in general. Just taken a couple weeks ago while in DSM for a wedding reception and funeral.