We're Getting There!

Sorry for the lack of updates the last couple days. There hasn't been too much going on around here with Christmas and whatnot. Let me think where I left off last ...

John's MRI came back mostly clear. They went ahead and just did it on his knees as well while they were in there. The results showed something "odd" in a couple spots on his brain, but the neurologist said not to worry about it. They don't know if it's just circumstantial because his body has been under so much stress, something that developed along with everything that's going on right now, or something that's always been there and is really nothing. We've been told to just watch how his motor skills are over the next several months to make sure he doesn't digress in anything. Overall, they aren't concerned with it. The rest of the MRI came back clear and gave no new leads on anything ... of course.

The bone scan confirmed the mastoiditis (infection in the inner ear that also spread to the bone behind the ear), but it didn't give any new information either. John is on ear drops and antibiotics for the mastoiditis, and the tube in his ear will also be helping that. The fluid from his ear that they sent out for lab tests came back fine, but they half expected that considering he'd been on antibiotics for nearly a week before it was tested. The doctors said the antibiotics basically sterilize any fluids like that and make the lab results not nearly as helpful.

Now that John has decided to start walking again, he doesn't want to stop! We took him for a walk around the hospital last night for some exercise. I expected him to walk for a little bit and then chill in the wagon the rest of the time. Nope! He actually decided he was going to pull the wagon himself! Silly boy! We literally had to fight him to let us carry him so his knees could rest! He's not walking completely normal yet, but that is probably a combination of the joint pain, not being on his feet for a week, and suddenly being on his feet constantly.

Today he's been pretty happy and even joined in for activity time in the playroom on our floor. He painted and played with trains and had an all around great time! So wonderful to see him playing again!  He does seem to be overdoing it a little bit with all this walking, running, and activity. His knees are very sore, and he's whiney and irritable. But he's landslides better than he was when we first got here!

At some point today he has to have some pretty extensive blood work done to test for some less common problems. Also, a hem/onc doctor is supposed to come talk to us about some other tests to rule out any form of childhood cancer. His doctors said they don't think it is because he isn't presenting a classic case of symptoms ... but then again, he's not presenting a classic case of symptoms for anything at this point. We're just trying to rule out anything and everything we can think of at this point.

This morning the doctors said they expect us to be able to go home in the next couple days! Yay!