Dominic Update 3.0 – Brown Eyed Baker

Good day pals!

I hope that your summer months has been unquestionably wonderful ☀️

I’m popping in currently to deliver an update on Dominic so numerous of you have penned and questioned how he is doing, and how the surgery went, and I thank you for your endurance!

To start with, a Thank You

The outpouring of wonderful cards, postcards, and gifts that have been sent to my PO box has been so heartwarming. Our relatives is totally and utterly humbled by your thoughtfulness, and we thank you from the base of our hearts for getting time out of your day to do a thing that would bring a smile to Dominic’s face ❤️ THANK YOU!

Operation Update

Dominic experienced his tumor resection medical procedures on Monday, June 20th at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. He went into the functioning space at 9:30am and arrived in his space in the pediatric ICU all around 6:45pm. Leaving him in that functioning area was gut-wrenching, but an OR nurse was capable to give updates on a frequent basis during the working day, which manufactured all of the ready a lot considerably less agonizing. The surgeon was able to take out his entire tumor, as perfectly as all of the diseased lymph nodes that have been discovered in his neck, abdomen, and pelvis. He was secure during the full procedure, misplaced extremely minor blood, and only stayed in the ICU for two times.

The medical procedures simply just could not have long gone any better and we are just so grateful to the surgeon and for all of the prayers that had been despatched up for Dominic and the surgical crew that working day. There is one rogue lymph node beneath his still left clavicle that the surgeon realized heading in wasn’t in a position to be attained from possibly the neck or the thoracoabdominal incision. It will be re-scanned and both eradicated by using a scope technique or if it has shrunk ample, radiated. 

Recovery was quite gradual heading the 1st several days using just a few methods was difficult for Dominic and it was so tough to see him struggling and becoming fatigued by these types of easy movements. He had a upper body tube and catheter for 4 days post-surgical procedure, and an belly drain for a week, which did not assistance! But it was also awesome to see what a difference just a few of days could make. Functioning with PT and OT was fantastic and within a week he was walking back again and forth to the playroom in the hospital. 

A couple of days following medical procedures, they identified a chylous leak (essentially, extra fat leaking via the lymphatic method), which we had been instructed beforehand would be a risk for the reason that so many lymph nodes would be taken out. It was the only actual complication post-surgery they handled it with treatment and a minimal-excess fat diet program for about 5 times and it fixed.

A 7 days right after medical procedures, Dominic started his fourth round of chemo. This one strike him the most difficult, possible simply because he was however recovering from surgical procedure, he missing his hunger for a range of days, experienced some nausea, and was much more exhausted than usual. We were being capable to head back again house following that cycle of chemo was full, 11 times following his surgical procedure.

Back again Household

The surgeon indicated that complete recovery will take about two months, but that walking and light training is fantastic for him, so he started off by walking our driveway and cul de sac and got back again on his pedal kart bike (bike driving was health practitioner-authorised) for some straightforward rides. He has slowly regained a whole lot of electricity, as nicely as variety of motion, and is using his bicycle speedier and is up and playing like ordinary.

1 of our largest hurdles considering the fact that receiving residence is that he just was not again to himself for really some time, which we had been told was completely standard. He was lethargic, not talkative, not interested in taking part in, and we all skipped our Dominic!

Part of the problem is that it took him a whole lot for a longer time to rebound from this final spherical of chemo than any of the former rounds that he experienced. His white counts sat bottomed out at or around zero for two complete months, and he needed a few platelet transfusions and two blood transfusions inside of a week. We logged some Extensive days at clinic the week after we obtained back.

The other difficulty is that he experienced extended loss of hunger soon after chemo and had ongoing to drop body weight (and he was very little to start out with!). As a consequence, the medical practitioners started out him on an hunger stimulant a week ago and it looks to have kicked in more than the last couple of days mainly because he’s been ingesting so a lot better and attained a tiny above a half pound because his clinic appointment very last 7 days.

All of his counts commenced coming back up in the previous pair of times and he hasn’t essential any transfusions considering that early very last week. We’re so grateful he’s receiving back again to his outdated self, gradually but undoubtedly!

Future Steps…

Next week, Dominic will go through a battery of scans and a bone marrow biopsy to see the actual status of the condition article-surgery and following completion of chemo.

Shortly thereafter, he’ll start his first round of immunotherapy antibody treatment plans, and then have radiation. The more time-phrase prepare is that he will have at minimum 5 rounds of immunotherapy remedies, spaced out about a thirty day period apart. Scans will be done right after each two rounds to see how items are seeking. Inquiring for tons of prayers that we get clear scans as quickly as attainable 🙏🏻

Thank you all so a great deal once again, for reaching out and inquiring about Dominic, for maintaining him in your prayers, for showering him with playing cards, and for continuing to love on us as a family. We experience you, and your kindness and prayers lift us up and give us energy.

I’ll share another update following we get by our future methods! In the meantime, we’re soaking up each single working day that we can all commit time with each other below one particular roof ❤️