MIBG Scan and The Results

 Today was our final day of scans, at least for this go around. We had the MIBG scan, which is where they inject the isotope and it lights up on the scan wherever there is cancer. MIBGs and bone scans are probably our favorites because the techs, Doug and Scott, who run the scans are super nice.

Here is Brynlee resting in recovery. Finally done, at least for now. 

After Brynlee had recovered from sedation, we headed up to the Hem/Onc clinic to meet with her doctors. After waiting for about an hour and a half (I guess they went to track down the radiologists and go over everything with them), we finally met with the fellow, Dr. Stadden. He went over all of the results of the scans with me. The tumors that remain in Brynlee are all stable. Neuroblastoma is different from most other solid mass tumors, and Brynlee will most likely always have tumors in her body. He described what's left in there as possibly being scar tissue and/or shriveled up dead tumor, but the bottom line is that they are not active tumors presently. I know it is a hard concept to grasp, and I explained this to him, but he reassured me that this was normal for neuroblastoma. So Brynlee's tumors all seem to be stable currently. They have not increased in size, and they really haven't decreased in size. However, the spots in her liver did appear to be perhaps a little smaller. As for the spot that was in question on her lungs after her last scans, the doctor reassured me that she does not have any metastases in her lungs and the spot in question is actually part of the original main tumor mass in her chest; it is just near the area of the lungs and ribs. He assured me that he clarified this with the radiologists. We did an HMA/VMA urine test today, and if everything is within normal limits then we can proceed with taking out her central line. The HMA/VMA test can show secretions from the tumor, so it can be an indicator of tumor activity, and we will continue to do this test monthly. We will also be repeating her scans every three months for at least the next year.

Dr. Bruggers also came in to talk to me, and she essentially just reiterated everything Dr. Stadden had told me, and she reassured me that we would follow her closely.

I was told that we would wait for the results of the urine test, but the hospital called me to schedule the procedure to remove Brynlee's central line today, so we are having it removed on May 4th. It should be a simple procedure as it is being done in what they call the RTU (rapid treatment unit) and not the OR. The RTU is where we have Brynlee's bone marrow aspirations. She will have anesthesia, but it should be a fairly straightforward procedure and recovery.

Thank you for your prayers and for thinking of Brynlee and our family! I know that prayers are answered. They might not be answered in the time or way that we think they should be, but they are answered.

This is one checkmark on our list of things to accomplish. I hope we can continue with good news and get that little girl's legs going and get her moving somehow.

Thank you to my friends for celebrating with me at Cheesecake Factory tonight! I know we weren't going to celebrate this as we planned it before the good news came, but it was definitely a great way to spend the evening.