What do I make of this?

I never know where to start when updating about certain aspects of Arleys journey. I type, delete, start again, delete and keep going until I feel as though I have written something worth publishing. Here goes...

Arley and I have had a rough couple of days. Yesterday was very long for us. We spent four hours in clinic before our appointment with Orthopedics to have her fitted for braces. Before I go into that process though, allow me to update you on the results of her CT scan.

There's some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the Rhabdomyosarcoma has NOT spread to anywhere else in her body. It has remained isolated to her neck which is fantastic so we will continue to treat it with the same regime that we have been on for the last seven months, but the bad news has been very hard to swallow.

The CT scan has basically shown some tissue growth in her face. (The same side as where the cancer originated from) Her doctor is unsure if it is cancerous and there are very few options right now. We have to either wait to see if it starts to grow bigger and take immediate action if it does OR wait three months from now and do either another CT scan to see whats happening or a PET scan. 

Her doctor doesn't want to do the PET scan because of the radiation involvement and why put Arley through something that may not be necessary, however the CT Scan may also not give us the specific answers he desires. So now, we have to sit and wait. Wait to see if the tissue blossoms into some type of mass that is easily seen on the exterior of her face or wait until enough time has passed and decide which of the scans will be more beneficial in providing the answer to know what exactly it is. 

I hate the fact that I don't know what's going on and what the cause is and that with one good revelation a bad one soon followed. Seriously, can Arley just catch a break for once? This poor kid keeps having to go through one battle after another after another and it's just NOT FAIR! I'm over this, I'm in need of a vacation away from life and hospitals so that for one moment Arley and I can focus on something positive and happy. 

Can someone make that happen please? Just saying.... 


Sigh....


Moving on... the process of making the casting for Arley's braces was really cool. First they marked her legs and foot for measurements and then put this white stocking on her leg that reached from her knee cap to her toes. Soaked an ace bandage type adhesive in water and then wrapped it around her legs one at a time. Once it dried up, Arley helped the doctor cut the castings off which she got a kick out of it. We would have been able to pick them up on Monday, but because I wanted the braces to be spruced up for her itll take a couple weeks to get them in. She got to pick a special color and image to be placed on the braces so they will be unique and hopefully will help her want to wear them.

That's all the updates I have for right now, it's been a very long and exhausting couple of days as was as emotional with the new findings or lack thereof with Arley's face, so for now this is all I have to share. Until next time...