The surgery went very well and was a complete success. The doctor had estimated 45 minutes and ended up clocking in at 43… not that anyone was counting, of course. He was also 100 percent certain that the removed cyst was benign, confirming the ealier opinions of the pediatrician and radiographer. Thank you all very much for your prayers.
Also, in case you missed the note posted by Andrew’s grandfather about his grandson in the comments from a few days ago, it went as follows:
I am Andrew’s grandfather. Andrew is doing very well. After the first round of Chemo, he recovered completely and shows no sign of his disease. He has completed his second round and is recovering his blood supply. He will go home for a week or so this week. His hair has be reduced to a few wisps like an old man. But he never lost his energy this time and is VERY active. My wife and I spent the day with him on Sunday, and he wore us out playing play-do, reading, running around the hospital with his mask and little hat to cover his bald head, trying to understand his jibberish and hand gestures. But we loved every second. A crying screaming brat is music to your ears when he may otherwise have died.
But it is very hard on his whole family. The doctors and nurses are well trained to never give any encouragement or discouragement, i.e., they never say he is going to be okay or he is going to die. So we have to rely on hope and prayer.
During his first round of chemo, he developed a stomach infection and nearly died, but they did not tell us that. We found out by accident. Dr. Stella stopped by and prayer over him. That did the trick. She gave my wife some inside info the rest of the doctors and nurses could not.
Leukemia is never gone. It could pop up anytime during the rest of his life. It is not like watching a scary movie that you can just turn off. It will always be with us and we do not know how it will end.
My daughter and her husband have lived almost every night at the hospital for two months, and look forward to living there until August. His maternal and fraternal grandmothers and aunts have spent days and nights at the hospital. Andrew has spent one week at home and gets to spend one week between each of the 5 rounds of chemo. Andrew has had a feeding tube in his nose for two months, because the chemo makes food seem inedible. He has a tube sticking out of his stomach to inject the chemo and antibiotics and blood transfusions.
Highlights are when we read that people around the world such as yourselves are praying for Andrew. It is so wonderful when some anonymous soul provides pizza through Greenmill for all the family and staff on the 8th floor of the hospital. Or while spending Easter at the hospital and Boston Market provides complete meals for all the families. It is the little things that count.
It is devastating when you hear a code red and the little child next door is no longer there.
Prayer works. Prayer has provided the doctors and nurses, many whom are Christians. Prayer has provided the doctors with the skill to design the treatment that appears to be saving Andrew. Prayer makes Andrew understand that all this must be necessary. Prayer gives his parents and family the courage to stay the course. God has given Andrew family.
Your praying is working. Please continue.
Sincerely.
Granddad