Priorities Changed

There's been a lot going on since I last blogged and the sleep priorities have gone out the door. Many of you know we've been having a bit of a challenge the past 3 weeks. The day I last posted, I took B to the doctor to investigate numbness on his left side that was unexplained. The other thing that had been affected while I was in Utah was his vision, so we had that looked at while we were there. Some blood tests were done and an MRI was set up for Wednesday, along with an appointment with a neurologist for late October. Monday night, he went to sleep after school for about 3 hours and we couldn't get him to wake up for dinner, and he didn't remember us trying to wake him once he did get up.

The MRI took about 1 1/2 hours Wednesday morning, and by 3:00 pm, our world was turned upside down. B's doctor called and said something had been found on his MRI called a "Cavernous Angioma" or a "Cavernous Malformation" in more general terms. Short explanation...a group of blood vessels at the base of his brainstem near the pons part of the brain that are shaped like a mullberry with many "cave-like" areas. It's very rare and even more rare to be located where his was. Dr. T told me to go get the MRI films in far east Mesa because I would need them to give to the doctors when we went to the ER at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix. He said that B would have to have the "Cav-Mal" removed and that because of the MRI and symptoms, he needed to get to that hospital as soon as we could. The reason to go to that specific hospital was because that's where "Barrow's Neurological Institute" is, and that's where he would be able to get the care that he needed. (Begin whirlwind and auto-pilot) I called W, who was in Phoenix at work, and asked him to come home to be with me when B was told. We all ended up at home around 5:00 and woke up B to tell him the news. His response was, "That makes sense!" After receiving a blessing from W and our neighbor, he got his shoes, cell phone, and ipod, then we headed to Phoenix. (At the same time, W's mom was being hospitalized in Mesa. A whole different story!) After we got taken back in the ER and examined, he was admitted and taken to the neuro ICU. Neuro ICU? Yes, the severity sunk in fast. We were told he would be having surgery the next day. The good news...it would be done by the best surgeon in the WORLD that specializes in neuro-vascular surgery, Dr. Robert Spetzler. Many prayers were already being offered in our behalf, and that was one of the first blessings we received. MUCH more to come as time allows. (Pictures, too!)