FINALLY A PHONE CALL!

Just got the call at 8pm from our oncologist...Here is the plan:
1. No results yet from the MIBG scan, hopefully we will have those Monday afternoon.
2. Monday 9:15 Bone scan done under sedation (thank goodness)
3. We will be admitted to the hospital after the scan.
4. Tuesday morning he will have surgery to have the Broviac placed in his chest and an echocardiogram (all done under anesthesia).
5. Sometime Monday/Tues we will be meeting with the oncology team to finalize the treatment plan.
6. Chemo will probably be starting Tuesday night. We will be in the hospital through the weekend.

So it begins. I can't believe this is really going to happen. Please pray for courage, comfort for Brady, and a sense of security for our whole family.

Still No News

Still no word from our doctor. We have called the oncologist "on call" several times, and basically it boils down to this: Apparently we have a 9:15 appointment with Radiology on Monday for a bone scan. The only reason we know this is because the tech on Friday happened to mention it to us. Our doctor was supposed to call us with results on Friday and the schedule for the week. She hasn't. The last we heard from her we were supposed to be admitted after the scan on Monday. The person we spoke with today said that there is nothing on file saying we will be admitted. Our other concern is that they are saying that plans haven't been made to sedate him. The scan will take 30 minutes straight, meaning he will have to held down for that whole time. We are not okay with this and do not understand at all why things aren't being coordinated better. Ughh!

Brady is pretty much the same today. We got a few laughs out of him this morning which was wonderful! It seems Eli may be coming down with something, so there is a lot of snuggling going on over here.

One of our readers, Pam, shared a wonderful devotional with me regarding prayer. Please read it and remember how important your prayers are to us!
When You Speak, God Hears
by Max Lucado

Those who pray keep alive the watch fires of faith. For the most part we don’t even know their names. Such is the case of someone who prayed on a day long ago. His name is not important. He is important not because of who he was, but because of what he did.

He went to Jesus on behalf of a friend. His friend was sick, and Jesus could help, and someone needed to go to Jesus, so someone went. Others cared for the sick man in other ways. Some brought food; others provided treatment; still others comforted the family. Each role was crucial. Each person was helpful, but no one was more vital than the one who went to Jesus.

John writes: “So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick’” (John 11:3, emphasis mine).

Someone carried the request. Someone walked the trail. Someone went to Jesus on behalf of Lazarus. And because someone went, Jesus responded.

In the economy of heaven, the prayers of saints are a valued commodity. John the apostle would agree. He wrote the story of Lazarus and was careful to show the sequence: The healing began when the request was made.

The phrase the friend of Lazarus used is worth noting. When he told Jesus of the illness, he said, “The one you love is sick.” The power of the prayer, in other words, does not depend on the one who makes the prayer but on the one who hears the prayer.

We can and must repeat the phrase in manifold ways. “The one you love is tired, sad, hungry, lonely, fearful, depressed.” The words of the prayer vary, but the response never changes. The Savior hears the prayer. He silences heaven so he won’t miss a word. The Master heard the request. Jesus stopped whatever he was doing and took note of the man’s words. This anonymous courier was heard by God.

John’s message is critical. You can talk to God because God listens. Your voice matters in heaven. He takes you very seriously. When you enter his presence, the attendants turn to you to hear your voice. No need to fear that you will be ignored. Even if you stammer or stumble, even if what you have to say impresses no one, it impresses God—and he listens.

Intently. Carefully. The prayers are honored as precious jewels. Purified and empowered, the words rise in a delightful fragrance to our Lord. “The smoke from the incense went up from the angel’s hand to God” (Rev. 8:4). Incredible. Your words do not stop until they reach the very throne of God.

One call and heaven’s fleet appears. Your prayer on earth activates God’s power in heaven.

You are the someone of God’s kingdom. Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear: Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth. What an amazing thought!

When you speak, Jesus hears.

And when Jesus hears, the world is changed.

All because someone prayed.


In the Eye of the StormFrom
For These Tough Times:
Reaching Toward Heaven for Hope and Healing
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado

The End of a Long Day

It is 9:15pm and we still haven't heard from the oncologist regarding the results of the MIBG scans over the past 3 days. We have called the "on call" service two times and the farthest we got was speaking with the on call doctor who had no clue what was going on with Brady. We want the results of this test...we were told we would be called tonight not only for results, but to have the plan for Monday. The waiting is agonizing, frustrating, and really unfair. Add this to the stress of having to watch Brady endure another scan today without sedation. Although painless for him physically, he cries throughout the whole scan unaware of why he is being strapped down and put into a confining tube. As you can tell, spirits are low tonight. He is still up and upset at this hour, he has only slept about 1 hour all day. He is agitated, overtired, and is experiencing painful constipation.

We are praying for a weekend of some peace before we begin this battle. Pray for Brady's comfort, his sense of security... Pray for some peace within our family. Our little world is so vastly different than what it was just two weeks ago. That is difficult for me...I'm overwhelmed by everything and just keeping praying "strength for today God and hope for tomorrow."

We will update as soon as we hear anything for the doctor.

Plan for Friday

Today we traveled to Strong (on clear roads this time thank God!) at 10:30. We decided to get there early so that we could have lunch with Brady in the cafeteria. He seemed to love his french fries with ketchup...could there be a cuter boy? Our first stop was to meet with the nurse practitioner from neurology. We had expected to have his stitches removed...guess what? They are dissolvable!!!! Praise God he didn't have to sit and have them all removed!!! He was still miserable while she checked out his surgery site, but we dodged a bullet there. We then headed down for day 2 of his MIBG scan. He didn't need to be injected again today, the solution is still in his body from yesterday. Even though there was no pain involved, for Brady this was one of the most difficult things so far. He has to be strapped to a board using this vest type thing that confines his legs and body. They scan his body in segments for about 5 minutes at a time in a machine similar to an MRI tube. The total scan time is was about 20-25 minutes, but it felt like an eternity. At times we had to hold his head still or his arms down. He just screamed the whole time and cried out for me. We also found out that we do have to go back tomorrow for a 3rd scan..ugghh...Matt is going to go to work tomorrow. My friend Lynn will be coming with me and mom will be home with the kids.

We just received a call back from our oncologist. The plan has changed a little bit for Monday. We will go on Monday and Brady will have surgery to place his Broviac catheter, have a bone scan, and have an echocardiogram. After his surgery we will be admitted, but chemo will not start until Tuesday afternoon. From there it will be 3-5 days in the hospital as chemo is administered.

Many people are asking us how the rest of the family is holding up. There is no doubt that they are being well-cared for! Our parents are amazing and love and care for Eli, Cara, and Allie just as we would... Eli spends his days "beezzering" as we call it. He is a happy wanderer who loves to just go from place to place, never spending a whole lot of time doing one thing. He is a sweet sensitive boy who I know misses his care-free days playing with Brady. Cara spends her days caring for her baby-doll. Despite her loud, assertive personality, Cara has a strong nurturing spirit, and she really senses that I have been upset lately. Allie is God's daily reminder to us that His love is always with us. She is a perfect baby in every way...Matt and I just love each of them so very much.

No Big News Today

Matt and I took Brady to Strong today for the first part of his MIBG scan. He had to have an injection of a chemical that will allow areas of neuroblastoma to be visible when scanned. It was very difficult to see him so upset, so confused. I'm struggling with that as a mommy right now. I guess I took for granted always telling my babies that "it's okay, you're safe." I feel like I can't say that to my Brady right now. I just keep reassuring him that I'm there and that I love him.

The scan itself only took about 3-5 minutes and he wasn't sedated. Tomorrow we have to be at there at noon to meet with neurosurgery to get his stitches out, then go back for the second part of the MIBG scan at 1pm. Depending on the quality of the images, we may have to go back Friday, maybe not.

Please pray in the following areas (remember how much we appreciate these prayers!!):
1. Continued comfort and sense of security for Brady: The medicine continues to alter his personality and his ability to tolerate all of this stress well.

2. Safe travel for us in the snowy weather.

3. Peace of mind for Matt and I. There is SO much information out there. There are SO many stories of children who have survived NB, and many who haven't. We are scared and overwhelmed by the amount of info out there. Pray that God is leading us towrads the right treatment for Brady. There are options for treatment at a hosptial called Sloan Kettering in NYC. We have asked our doctors to consult with them, but we are constantly second-guessing that maybe we should just seek treatment there.

4. For our families and friends who are here joining us in this fight. In big ways and small ways so many people are stepping forward to help. Pray for all of those organzing help for us.

Bone Marrow Clear!

Good news tonight...Dr. Asselin called at 7:30 to tell us they just received another "all clear" report for Brady's bone marrow! This is great news and just another piece of the puzzle. She seems more certain that we are dealing with Stage 3 intermediate risk neuroblastoma. That basically means that prognosis is "favorable." That word annoys me...doesn't sound bad, doesn't sound great. Remeber though, that the MIBG scan coming up could still show cancer show where else in this body. We are still on track to be at Strong tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday during the day. Then home for the weekend, and back on Monday to begin the battle.

Please pray in the following areas:

1. Comfort for Brady. The steroids are causing him to not be able to sleep for any period of time. Poor honey, it is heart breaking to watch him...so agitated, so sad, so confused. We are being allowed to give him Benydryl tonight to help him sleep...pray that it works.
2. More comfort for Brady! Tomorrow he will need an IV and that is not a fun thing for a toddler. He also will need to get his stitches out (we are estimating there are about 100 of them). He will be having his Broviac placed surgically on Monday...more pain.
3. All remaining tests and scans to be clear!!!
4.Continued strength for Matt and I and our families.

Tentative Plan

We did hear from Dr. Asselin (Brady's oncologist) this morning at about 8:45. This is the basic news we have right now. The samples that were collected during surgery and during the bone marrow biopsy continue to be tested and analyzed. She gave us good news that the samples continue to show "favorable" results, meaning that the more favorable they are, the better they will respond to treatment. This continues to be a work in progress and we will continue to get more info throughout the week. Brady does need to have a MIBG scan: "An MIBG scan uses a chemical called metaiodobenzylguanidine that is slightly radioactive to identify areas where the neuroblastoma has spread. It is a very sensitive method of detecting the spread of cancer in bone and soft tissues." We have to be there tomorrow for the first part of this process. They will use an IV to put the chemical into his system, then we wait 3 hours, then he is scanned. This process may also have to be repeated Thursday and Friday to get an accurate picture. We will be home each night after the scan. We also are meeting with neurosurgery Thursday to check Brady's surgery site to see if staples can be removed. On Monday we will be back at the hospital to have another bone scan done, probably the surgery to place his Broviac catheter, and possibly to start chemo. We will be admitted to the hospital at this point for 3-5 days. The catheter will be surgically put in place to administer chemo. It basically is two lines coming of out his chest that can be hooked up to administer drugs, eliminating the need for IVs. Blood can be drawn from it as well. My mom had this with her 2nd battle with lymphoma so I became very familiar with flushing it and keeping it clean.

That is the news of today. We are going to give Brady morphine to help him sleep today as he is having difficulty staying asleep for any period of time. What an amazing boy he is! Would you believe he crawled across the playroom today and even crawled up one step to get out of the playroom!!! He's my hero!

I'm posting a few pictures of our family so that our "new friends" can get to know us a little better. I hope they bring you a smile today...

Frustrated

When we left the hospital Saturday night we were told that the oncologist would call us Monday (today) with a plan for the final scan that needed to be done, Brady's surgery to place the central line, and the start of chemo. That is not what happened. A secretary from the oncologist's office called and gave us very vague instructions about being at the hospital Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Monday for different tests. By the time I called to clarify, no one was available to talk with us. So we wait...With waiting comes time, with time comes fear, and with fear I feel my faith slipping. Please be praying in that area.

Brady's days have been okay since coming home. He certainly isn't "our Brady." He is on heavy doses of steroids which cause him to be lethargic and sad. This poor boy...he never could walk, so he relied on crawling for his mobility. He would keep up with Eli and Cara so well and spent his days playing with them and then playing independently for hours. His mobility has been taken away as crawling is painful for him since the surgery. He seems much too weak to even know what he wants right now. So, we are having to carry him everywhere. My heart is breaking as I feel his spirit slipping further away. I miss so much the sounds of him playing with Eli and Cara.

We are currently trying to put together support "teams" to organize groups for the many areas for which we need help. Matt put it best when he said that he is learning to swallow his pride and accept help. We are graciously accepting help on behalf of our children.

Please, please keep praying for all of us. Please don't forget to pray for our whole family, including my mom, Ron and Sandy (Matt's parents), my sister and her family, and my brother and his family.

One more thing: There are SO many people contacting us via this blog, through email, and in other ways. This outpouring of support is so important to us right now as we need constant encouragement to keep going. I wanted to say that I'm finding it difficult to keep up with writing back to everyone and to contact everyone who has reached out. I WANT TO but right now, I just can't. I'm very sorry about that, and promise that in time I will get to it:)

Seeing God's Grace

We had a memorial service for my Grandma today. My heart was certainly somewhere else, but as much as possible I tried to let my mind be present as I listened to Pastor speak about God's grace. It is IMPOSSIBLE to look back on the events of the last month and not see God's grace sprinkled throughout this journey. With each day's events, I can't help but find incredible encouragement in the assuredness of God's grace from scripture, but how amazing to see it working in our lives. We are desperately trying to cling to this as we continually deal with feelings of sadness, anger, fear, and doubt. I wanted to share with all of you some of these miracles as a witness to God and His grace:

1. After our Dec23rd appt with the developmental specialist, Brady was given a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. The doctor set us up with an appointment for an MRI of JUST Brady's head for Jan21st. As the weeks went on and Matt and I studied more about CP, it just didn't seem like Brady. We both had an instinct that this was not what was wrong with Brady. I felt compelled to call the doctor and ask that they also do an MRI of the spine. The secretary was VERY reluctant to even ask the doctor, she told me several times it was not going to show anything for a kid with CP. I persisted. I called back two times and finally she agreed to run it by the doctor. They finally said they would do it if the insurance would okay it.

2.Up until Jan1st, we had Univera insurance. The first time the doctor submitted just the brain MRI to the insurance, they denied it. After Jan1st, we had to switch to Preferred Care. At this point, they submitted the request for both the brain and spine. We were okayed without any problem for both tests.

3. It is unimaginably horrifying to think of what would have happened if #1 and #2 above hadn't happened. We have been told that the tumor on Brady's spine could have caused paralysis at anytime. Had we not insisted that the spine be captured by an MRI, we would have never known about the cancer. Brady would most like have become paralyzed and more than likely the cancer would have spread making successul treatment highly unlikely. If we hadn't switched insurances, we would not have been able to get the spine MRI done, at least not for quite sometime.

It is impossible for us not to see our God at work in Brady's life. It is easy for us to be mad, we are mad. It is easy for us to be scared out of our minds, at times we are paralyzed by fear. But, we are committed to seeing God's grace in Brady's life and to share that with others. May he be a living testimony of God's goodness that is available for all who believe.

Gratitude Overflowing...

To all of our dear friends and family,

Please take a minute to read our enormous list of thank yous to the right. We arrived home today around 5pm and were instantly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we came home to. We feel wrapped in the love of those around us. God has put so many wonderful people in our lives to hold us up during this time. For tonight, we have 4 beautiful perfect babies tucked safely in bed...we are so thankful.

Matt and Megan

Going Home

We will be heading home this afternoon for sure. Here are some things we need specific prayer for right now:
1.The blood clot remains in Brady's arm. In most cases, these will go away on their own. I'm a nervous wreck thinking about taking him home with a blood clot. They will do more tests next week to check on the status of the clot.
2. We have decided that we would like our oncology team to consult with Dr. Cheung, the most experienced neuroblastoma doctor we have read about at Sloan Kettering Hospital in NYC. This cancer is very rare and we want to make sure that the protocol our doctors are using is what this doctor would do. We need to do this for peace of mind that Brady is getting the best care possible.
3. Prayer for our family as we reconnect as a family of 6. I'm praying that we will have some wonderful moments together before we begin this battle.
Thank you all so much!

Delay

We were down to one wire in Brady, which was his PIC (sp?) line in his arm. This was put in with the thought that his chemo would be administered through it initially. It threads from his arm to his major artery. He was going to be sent home with it still in place. Last night the nurse noticed some swelling in that arm and they ordered an ultrasound. They found a blood clot from the PIC line. Right now we are waiting to find out what is next. One doctor wanted to administer heparin, the head neurosurgeon did not think that was wise because of the risk of bleeding. We are just waiting, but it sounds like going home is put on hold for right now. Some good news: Brady was up last night, sitting on the bench in his room, feeding himself applesauce! He ate like a pig (one of the side effects from steroids) but it was so good to see him getting some nourishment. He ate another big breakfast this morning after a good night's sleep. He has taken a few rides around the unit in a little car they have here. What an absolutely amazing boy he is. I can't think that too many of us would be up and about after major spine surgery.

histology report

We just spoke to the oncologist again. He said the histology report is "favorable" for intermediate neuroblastoma. Based on what we already knew about the tumor size and growth, this was the best news we could have received. It is still very serious, but the oncologists are optimistic that it is curable most of the time. We are still waiting for biology and further bone marrow testing to determine exact staging and course of treatment. The plan for now is to discharge Brady tomorrow so he can go home and heal from his spine surgery and begin chemotherapy at the end of next week. We are so looking forward to time together as a family before we begin the battle of a lifetime. Brady will also have some kind of nuclear test done next week when he comes in for his first round of chemo. Keep the prayers coming, especially in the hard days and weeks to come.
Matt

bone marrow results

We just received the bone marrow results and they were negative. This is good news, but there are two more very specific bone marrow tests to still be done. The oncologist said that these tests are to "make sure we didn't miss anything".
Matt

Sweet Brady

I just wanted to quickly share some precious pictures of Brady from last night. What a brave and amazing boy he is. We got to snuggle for quite a while and it never felt so good to hold a baby in my arms. We will update again later today.

Hope

This is Matt joining the blog. Today Brady had a bone marrow extraction, CT scan, and a PIC line inserted for chemotherapy. We just spoke to the chief oncologist and got our first bit of good news, although preliminary. So far the CT scan does not show cancer in any organs. It still hasn't been read by the radiologist. Also encouraging about the CT scan is that the spinal cord seems to be mainly decompressed and back to its normal position. The tumor had invaded the spinal canal as well wrapping around it. This could mean that there may not be permanent nerve damage, however, way too early to tell. The surgery last night was very involved, but seems to have been successful. Before the surgery, there were several levels of his spinal cord in which the tumor took up more space than the spinal cord. The preliminary bone marrow results are negative. This means there isn't a large amount of cancer in the bone marrow. There could still be neuroblastoma cells in the marrow in smaller amounts, we will find out more tomorrow. Brady is off of the ventilator and breathing on his own. We were able to hear his cries for the first time since yesterday...what a beautiful sound. This is serious cancer and our treatment path from here is uncertain. We know it will be difficult and involve chemotherapy and possibly stem cell transplant, but there was definitely hope given today. God does answer prayer. Matt and Meg

I know many of you want information, so we are going to try and continue updating via this blog as best we can. Our world has come crashing down and we desperately need the prayers of our friends and family. I'm having a hard time putting thoughts together, so I will just list the events of yesterday and today so far;
1.Came in for an MRI--unexpectedly they found a mass on Brady's spine.
2. Within a few hours we were told that Brady would be having spinal surgery to relieve pressure caused by the tumor on the spinal cord.
3. Later we found out the tumor was much larger than earlier thought...what we know is that it is cancer, it is big, it is in his chest.
4. The surgery was from 7-9:30pm. They removed some of the tumor and that part was successful in that his spine was somewhat decompressed. A lot of tumor remains. What was removed will be tested to diagnose the specific kind of cancer.
5. Brady is intubated and being kept somewhat sedated until further notice.
6. A risk of surgery was loss of function in one or all of his limbs. So far, his movement in all limbs looks good..Praise God.
7. At 9am this morning they did a bone marrow extraction to test if the cancer is in his bone marrow. This will be followed up by a CAT scan to look for other areas of cancer in his body.
8. We expect to hear more about the chemotherapy process, learn what type of cancer/prognosis, and possibly another surgery to place a central line today.

We need our friends and family right now. Please please pray for Brady. Please pray for our family as we continue to try and decide what is best to do in regards to having a memorial for my grandma. Please pray for Matt and I to find the courage to face all of this.

MRI Time

I just got the call from the MRI department at Strong. Brady is scheduled for 9am, we need to arrive at 8am. That means we will be leaving here by 7am. Because he is having his head and total spine scanned, the nurse said it will take about 2 1/2 hours once he is under anesthesia. What are we going to do for 2 1/2 hours? I'm so glad Matt will be there with me...maybe we can sit and have an actual conversation for the first time in months! I really liked the nurse on the phone and she will be one of the two nurses with Brady during the anesthesia process and afterward. She definitely had "triplet fever" and needed to know everything about what it's like to raise triplets. Then she heard Allie cry and she practically flipped out when she found out we had 4 under 2. She told me to bring his "lovies" so it looks like Cookie Monster and Brady's favorite polka dot blanket are coming along too:) I'm glad the MRI is early since he cannot eat or drink until afterward.

I'm planning on asking for a preliminary report and a copy of the scan before we leave and I'm hoping they will accommodate. I'll update as soon as I can once we get home. Please be praying!

Sad Day

My grandma, my mom's mom, passed away suddenly last night. She was my only living grandparent, and quite a character as many of you know. She loved my mom, her grandkids, and her great-grandkids with all her heart. Grandma was loving and an amazingly generous woman. Her husband Bob even told me that she had been out shopping for my kids yesterday. She had just called me last Sunday to scold me that my house was too cold and she worried about my "babies" freezing in "your old, cold house." I guess she was looking at blanket sleepers for them and was mad they only came in infant sizes. She was a worrier, but she was a lot of fun! Mom confided in me that she had shared with her about Brady after we left her house on Christmas Day. Grandma was so sad to hear that there was health problem with him. I wish so much she could have seen him walk someday. That being said, I told mom today that I know Grandma's greatest joy was being at each of our weddings and seeing each of us become parents. She was always there...always. I love you grandma...we'll miss you so very much...

Delays

Ughh...another day, another delay! I got a call from Greater Rochester Prosthetics and Orthotics. Our appointment to go and get Brady's new braces on Monday was cancelled (again!). We have now been without them for over a month. Every time he stands he is doing damage to his knees because of how bad they hyperextend. We hate to discourage him from doing so though, because he is just trying to be a big boy. The company is apparently remaking them completely and they were unavailable as of Friday. So, it looks like they are just going to fed ex them here when they arrive and we will have to wait another two weeks to get them adjusted properly once they arrive. It's frustrating because one or two months in the development of a toddler is a HUGE deal! I guess our focus next week will just be the MRI...I'm so nervous...

Orthotics

Another part of Brady's treatment is the use of orthotics. His physical therapist, who comes to the house twice a week, recommended that Brady get fit for orthotics, which are like leg braces. We went to see an orthotist at Greater Rochester Prosthetics and Orthotics. Brady needs a leg brace to prevent his knees from hyperextending when he stands. It seems like he does this to compensate for the weakness in his legs. By hyperextending his knees he gives himself more stability. Unfortunately this is terrible for his knee joint and in this position he can't possibly walk. So back in November Brady was fit for these braces. Matt went with him to the appointment so that he could learn more about how they should fit. We had to wait a few weeks after the appointment for the braces to be specially made. Once they arrived, we quickly learned that they weren't going to work. They were made very large, extending from his groin all the way to his ankles. They did prevent some hyperextension, but they also weren't hitting the right places to offer support. So, back they went. Matt made all sorts of measurements and we sent them back. They had to make all new braces, so we are waiting for Monday when we go back to the orthotist to try them on again. Next week is going to be a big week for Brady!

I'm Blogging for Brady!

Hi friends and family,



I've been saying I'm going to do it for a while, and tonight I finally am starting! Blogging...I'm certainly no expert at this, but I think it is an important thing for me to do. This blog will keep friends and family up to date on Brady's progress. It seems clear that we have a long road ahead of us as we seek out a diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment for Brady. You will be able to check in on how things are going by reading my posts. Even more importantly, Matt and I believe in the power of prayer! For that reason I will be giving specific requests for prayer. Please pray for Brady! We know that God loves him even more than we do (thanks Julie for reminding me of that) and that He is holding Brady in the palm of His hand.



My first update: We finally have an appointment for Brady's MRI. His appointment is scheduled for next Wednesday January 21st. Our insurance change held things up a bit, but I'm so relieved to finally have the date set. This is the first very important step towards figuring things out. The MRI will have to be done under anesthesia, so needless to say, we are very anxious. I'm having a hard time thinking about my little boy being taken away, put to sleep, having an IV, and laying inside a big machine. But, it needs to be done so that the doctors can identify what exactly is going on.



At our last appointment the doctor, who is a developmental pediatrician at Strong Hospital, did a physical exam and medical history of Brady. Based on his evaluation, he feels that Brady has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia. Cerebral palsy is a permanent condition that occurs due to some form of brain injury usually occuring at birth. It is being assumed that Brady being born 6 weeks premature was the reason that his brain suffered some sort of injury. The injury ususally involves bleeding in some part of his brain. Only Brady's legs are affected so we can assume that his motor cortex is damaged in some way. The MRI of his brain will most likely show evidence of a past brain bleed which would solidfy this diagnosis. The doctor told us the scan could show something more serious, but that is not likely. He is confident that with a CP diagnosis, Brady will walk, but there is no definite time table. CP is a life long condition that doesn't progressively get worse, but does affect a person throughout their life.



Please pray:

For peace for Matt and I as we deal with anxiety and fear waiting for an official diagnosis.



For Brady and that he feels safe and secure throughout the procedure.



For wisdom for the people performing and interpreting the test.



Thank you all for caring about our family,

Megan