Happy Ending

Our short appointment today with Lindsey's Surgeon produced very good news. The biopsy results showed the removed mass was a benign cyst. The Surgeon stated that they are in fact common, only not so much in children. Dr. Klein reassured us that there was absolutely no reason for concern moving forward. Needless to say, this was a huge weight lifted from our families' shoulders. Thanks to everyone for your continued support and especially your prayers. The power of prayer is unparalleled!

......and waiting.....

Christine talked to the triage nurse at the Surgeon's office yesterday, and they confirmed that there are no results yet from the biopsy. Lindsey has her follow-up appointment with the Surgeon on Wednesday afternoon, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that we will have some answers by then. We're trying to stay busy in the meantime to reduce the anxiety but it's getting harder by the minute. Lindsey is feeling great and you'd never know she went under the knife only 12 days ago. We are very thankful for her fast recovery.

Still Waiting.....

Christine talked to Lindsey's Pediatrician today. He assured us that as soon as the results were available, he would contact us immediately. We are trying to be patient but the anxiety is beginning to take it's toll. I'll post as soon as we hear the good news.

Success!

I am very please to say that Lindsey's surgery went very well this morning. We are back at home and she has just finished a bowl of soup and is watching Shrek. She has no pain or discomfort at this time and is quite comfortable. The hospital staff at UNC's Rex hospital was very caring and miles beyond our previous experiences at Duke's facilities. Prior to the surgery, the Surgeon decided to remove the entire mass instead of only a sample for biopsy. The procedure was completed in about 45 minutes and all that remains is a 3/4 inch incision sealed with "super glue". The Surgeon stated that the biopsy results could take awhile due to the calcification surrounding the mass. I am currently waiting for a return call from our Pediatrician regarding the path of our results. Hopefully it will be sooner than later, but the estimated time at this point is a full week. Needless to say, the worrying will continue for Christine and I, but we are very happy that whatever it is has been removed. I cannot thank you all enough for your thoughts and especially your prayers. I will update as more information becomes available, starting with our Pediatricians time-line for the results.

The surgery for Lindsey is scheduled for Tuesday June 29th at 10:30am. Dr. Klein seemed mystified by the size, density and location of the mass. He prefers to only remove a small sample at this time in order to determine what we are dealing with. This will allow the procedure to be much less invasive and should only last around 10 minutes. Dr. Klein stated that it is difficult even in an adult to numb this area enough to allow removal without general anesthesia. Christine and I could not agree more since only three weeks ago, Lindsey had every Nurse at her Pediatricians office petrified after her outburst during her latest round of shots. She is quite the firecracker!

Thank you all for your support and especially all the prayers.

I thought I would start a blog in order to inform everyone of our little Princess' progress. There are so many important people in our lives, and the thought of keeping everyone up to date individually, in a timely manner, has overwhelmed my wife and I. Quite honestly, it is much easier to type our progress as the emotions seem to overflow when the words are spoken.

Christine and I discovered a lump on Lindsey's rib cage about 10 days ago It protrudes quite a bit and is as hard as a rock. If you didn't know any better you'd think she had a cracked rib and it is the bone trying to poke through the skin. Our Pediatrician, Dr. Foote, was very optimistic since it was so hard and not painful at all to Lindsey. After the x-rays produced no visible sign of the lump, we were referred to Duke Hospital for an ultrasound. The images produced insignificant results, however did discover at least one other "nodule" in the same area. Between Lindsey's screaming and the incompetent, unprofessional radiologist's, we were told that further tests would be required. Dr. Foote called today and advised that he would refer us directly to a Surgeon. While a CT scan was an option available to us, Dr. Foote was concerned about the cumulative effect of the radiation at such an early age. Since surgery seems to be a likely outcome, we have decided to skip the extra scan and remove the problem. We will meet with our Surgeon, Dr. Klein, on Wednesday and discuss the procedure and schedule.
I will update the Blog on Wednesday evening to advise of our progress.

Any and all prayers are greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance.