Kids & Parenting

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July 18, 2013

Though the road is dreary we are celebratory this morning. The agonizing days of waiting to learn the nature of the beast are finally behind us. We were told pathology results would come back Friday at the earliest, and probably next week, so what a gift we were given for our doctors to come in first thing this morning.

John Ryan has a cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. It is stage ONE. We are so thankful that it is in the earliest stage. The doctors expect to be able to treat this cancer and CURE our boy. Due to the location of his cancer, which they believe is solely in the tumor behind his eye, they cannot remove it surgically. John Ryan will undergo a 42-week chemotherapy treatment, likely to start in the next two days. They will be performing a spinal tap today, as the final concern is that the cancer could be in his bone marrow, but the doctors believe it's highly unlikely since the CT scans showed his body to be free of cancer other than the tumor. Amen.

The preliminary treatment plan is:
12 weeks of chemo here at Duke
6 weeks of Proton Beam Therapy (radiation) at Penn
30 weeks of chemo at Duke

8/10 are entirely cured from this cancer
1/10 see it come back
1/10 are unable to beat the cancer

We understand that the next year will be the most trying of our lives, but I'm telling you, very little can be more torturous than the past week of enduring the great unknown. The outpouring of love and support from our family and friends has been so helpful. In our weakest moments we turn to God and to you and we find comfort. Please keep your prayers and positive energies flowing.

[email protected]
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/prayforjohnryan

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