the wife's perspective of yesterday....

Well, It's Katie, here. Ken's still up at the hospital, after what was not likely the most restful night. Are they ever, in a hospital?

So.. here are things as I understand them.

First off, let me say, Dr. Williams is amazing. That man puts up with my warped sense of humor, runs with it, and helps us understand this so much. He answers my questions like they're nothing. I heart him.

When he was describing the tumor and its behavior, it reminded me of something. (PIP, you'll be proud of me here!) Do you know what Rhizomes are? When a plant procreates by sending out a root system. Looks like a whole new plant that grows, say 20 feet away, but it's actually part of the same root system. Well, that seems to be the way Ken's cancer is behaving. Dr. W called them "scouts" or little satellites, but he is reasonably certain he got the "host" and eradicated any offshoots.

He had to remove a good portion of Ken's tongue this time, and used a skin graft from his thigh to create a "bolster" and the bandage holding it in place will be removed next Thursday. (And no! he will not have a hairy tongue because the skin came from his thigh. LOL) He has a patch of skin removed about 3" x 2", a few layers off his thigh. Doc W said it will feel like a rug burn.

To our knowledge, this means no chemo and no radiation this time. (YAY, and that's an understatement!)

It's a little after 8 a.m. and Ken has messaged me that he can come home.

What does he get to come home to? A 9 year old who has to start rabies shots today or tomorrow.. our life is SO exciting! (Sorry mom, if you read this before I call you in a half hour!)

More to come later... we need to talk about his teeth.