Dominic Update 3.0 – Brown Eyed Baker

Howdy friends!

I hope that your summer season has been unquestionably great ☀️

I’m popping in currently to offer an update on Dominic so lots of of you have prepared and questioned how he is undertaking, and how the surgical treatment went, and I thank you for your endurance!

1st, a Thank You

The outpouring of wonderful cards, postcards, and items that have been sent to my PO box has been so heartwarming. Our family is fully and utterly humbled by your thoughtfulness, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for having time out of your day to do some thing that would bring a smile to Dominic’s encounter ❤️ THANK YOU!

Surgical treatment Update

Dominic had his tumor resection surgical procedure on Monday, June 20th at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. He went into the functioning place at 9:30am and arrived in his home in the pediatric ICU all around 6:45pm. Leaving him in that operating space was intestine-wrenching, but an OR nurse was capable to provide updates on a regular basis all over the working day, which produced all of the waiting around considerably significantly less agonizing. The surgeon was capable to remove his overall tumor, as perfectly as all of the diseased lymph nodes that had been discovered in his neck, stomach, and pelvis. He was secure throughout the total procedure, dropped really minimal blood, and only stayed in the ICU for two times.

The surgical procedures merely could not have long gone any improved and we are just so grateful to the surgeon and for all of the prayers that were sent up for Dominic and the surgical group that day. There is just one rogue lymph node beneath his still left clavicle that the surgeon knew heading in was not capable to be achieved from both the neck or the thoracoabdominal incision. It will be re-scanned and either taken off by means of a scope process or if it has shrunk sufficient, radiated. 

Recovery was pretty sluggish heading the first handful of times having just a number of measures was tough for Dominic and it was so challenging to see him having difficulties and becoming fatigued by this kind of straightforward movements. He experienced a chest tube and catheter for four days publish-operation, and an abdominal drain for a week, which didn’t enable! But it was also remarkable to see what a variation just a couple of times could make. Performing with PT and OT was superb and in a 7 days he was strolling back and forth to the playroom in the medical center. 

A pair of times just after surgical treatment, they found out a chylous leak (generally, fats leaking by means of the lymphatic method), which we have been advised beforehand would be a risk since so several lymph nodes would be eliminated. It was the only serious complication write-up-surgical treatment they handled it with medicine and a lower-extra fat diet for about 5 days and it solved.

A 7 days following surgical procedure, Dominic started his fourth spherical of chemo. This one particular hit him the toughest, possible because he was nevertheless recovering from surgical procedure, he misplaced his urge for food for a variety of days, had some nausea, and was extra worn out than regular. We were being capable to head back household just after that cycle of chemo was comprehensive, 11 days right after his surgery.

Again Property

The surgeon indicated that full restoration will just take about two months, but that going for walks and mild exercising is great for him, so he started by walking our driveway and cul de sac and acquired again on his pedal kart bike (bike riding was health practitioner-authorized) for some easy rides. He has progressively regained a great deal of power, as perfectly as variety of movement, and is using his bicycle a lot quicker and is up and playing like regular.

One of our largest hurdles given that having dwelling is that he just wasn’t again to himself for very some time, which we experienced been informed was entirely standard. He was lethargic, not talkative, not interested in participating in, and we all skipped our Dominic!

Section of the concern is that it took him a great deal lengthier to rebound from this past round of chemo than any of the former rounds that he had. His white counts sat bottomed out at or near zero for two full weeks, and he required three platelet transfusions and two blood transfusions inside a week. We logged some Extended days at clinic the week just after we acquired again.

The other situation is that he had prolonged reduction of hunger soon after chemo and experienced continued to shed pounds (and he was minor to begin with!). As a outcome, the medical doctors started him on an appetite stimulant a week ago and it appears to have kicked in over the last few of days simply because he’s been taking in so significantly far better and acquired a tiny above a fifty percent pound given that his clinic appointment final 7 days.

All of his counts started off coming again up in the previous couple of times and he has not necessary any transfusions considering the fact that early final 7 days. We’re so grateful he’s finding back again to his old self, gradually but certainly!

Following Steps…

Up coming 7 days, Dominic will go through a battery of scans and a bone marrow biopsy to see the precise position of the disorder write-up-medical procedures and right after completion of chemo.

Shortly thereafter, he’ll start off his very first round of immunotherapy antibody solutions, and then have radiation. The lengthier-phrase system is that he will have at least five rounds of immunotherapy treatment plans, spaced out about a month apart. Scans will be completed following every single two rounds to see how issues are seeking. Inquiring for a lot of prayers that we get clear scans as before long as possible 🙏🏻

Thank you all so much all over again, for achieving out and asking about Dominic, for retaining him in your prayers, for showering him with playing cards, and for continuing to appreciate on us as a household. We feel you, and your kindness and prayers raise us up and give us power.

I’ll share an additional update right after we get by way of our subsequent measures! In the meantime, we’re soaking up each one day that we can all expend time collectively underneath one roof ❤️