A Ray of Sunshine

Today is a big day... Jenson's 7 week check-up on his broken wrist. It is a good thing because that cast has some seriously stinky smells built up in there.

Jenson is brave. He holds my hand as we walk in and sits next to me on the doctor's bed. They bring out the loud blade/vacuum tool. His bravery quickly turns to tears as the fear of this loud tool cutting away at his cast overwhelms him. They cut a line the entire length of the cast on both sides. They break the cast and take it off.

Underneath his tiny shriveled arm is stuck bent at the elbow. Doug tells him, "Jenson, I had a broken arm too and your arm will feel funny for a while when you get your cast off. You won't be able to bend your elbow. And then it will feel better."

Jenson says, "I not need new cast?".

"We don't know yet buddy. We have to wait to see the doctor first," I reply.

He goes to get "pictures" (aka x-rays) of his wrist.

I see another boy about 4 who just had his cast removed with the same shriveled looking arm stuck bent at the elbow. There is comfort in numbers.

Then we see the doctor who takes a look at his x-rays. He says, "He has new bone growth and the LCH tumor in his wrist appears to be gone with new bone growth replacing it. You can also see new bone growth where the break occurred. It is healed, and he doesn't need a new cast."

It is healed! FINALLY. A ray of sunshine. Jenson's wrist is healed and the big tumor in his wrist bone is being replaced by new bone growth. Praise God! Finally something to celebrate with his health.

The doctor goes on to tell us that he won't get full use of his arm back for a while and that is perfectly normal. In fact he says it can take as long as the cast was in place (51 days in Jenson's case).

The words "healed and perfectly normal" are music to our ears!!!

We have the MRI and PET scan tests again on Nov 3 and Nov 4. Jenson's eyes are still buggy, but the healed tumor in his wrist gives us some reason for hope.

In the meantime, we will smile at this ray of sunshine. :-)

Kristin