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This is my brave boy.
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We had our doctor appointment on Tuesday, and it’s taken a few days to work up the emotional strength to update everyone.
My son’s femur has not healed.
What does that mean?
It means he’s confined to a wheelchair and crutches w/ 50% weight on his right leg until it does heal–which could take years. It means he can’t run or jump or play, as his leg is extremely fragile.
It means we have to move, because we live in a 4 level multilevel and he can’t function well here.
It means we have to have additional surgeries. We have two options:
1. After cutting a 3-4 inch incision, they will drill out the center of the femur shaft, remove all the bone marrow, scrap out more bone around the perimeter of the cyst (weakening the bone), fill the cyst with cadaver bone and my son’s marrow. He would be casted for another 6 weeks.
This surgery will weaken the bone further. It only have about a 50% chance of working.
2. They will make two scope holes, drill into the bone and remove what they can of the paste, scrape out what bone they can reach, and pump it full of steroids.
This method is even less effective than the first one.
My husband is behind #1 because it has a higher percentage of working. I am not, simply because I refuse to make his leg more fragile than it already is.
We haven’t made a decision yet, as I’m hoping to find another doctor for a second opinion.
Things feel very much in upheaval right now. Like I’m in the center of a tornado and I keep searching for something to grab onto, but I keep being blindsided by debris.
My son is frustrated because he misses soccer (he’s a very talented soccer player). He misses playing with friends–he get’s left out a lot simply cause he can’t do the things the other kids want to do.
My writing has ground to a halt, which is very frustrating for me, as my career was just starting to gain some major traction. But he’s more important. He will always be more important.
Author
I had much of my leg bone scraped away because of an infection when I was young. Had a cast for almost six months. In the end, it was the better alternative to amputation, which was the doctor's first choice. I'm sorry your family is going through this, and knowing you, I know the best decision will be made. Keep up the fight! 🙂
My heart and prayers go out to you and yours. Hugs!
Patricia aka Mamaw
It's so hard to know what to say to this kind of thing. I just want you to know that I love you and my love and prayers are with you and your family. I know what an amazing person you are, and I know you will pull through this stronger and better. You all will. Hugs!
I'm so sorry your family is going through this. We will keep you all in our prayers
I am so sorry to hear this. My sister had the same thing. It was nice to meet you at the writers conference.
Thank you all for your support!
So so sorry.
I am so sorry to hear this… Will keep you all in our thoughts and prayers
I am so sorry for your pain. I do not understand why children have to experience this. I know that you, like me, would a thousand times rather you had to suffer this yourself.
*hugs* Amber, I'm so sorry you're all going through this. There's nothing worse than watching someone we love in pain and feeling helpless to help.
My daughter has been going through this since age 4-she is now age 11, and the cyst finally healed after bone cement injections. She just underwent surgery to remove the plate and seven screws that were inserted into her femur two yrs ago to reinforce her bone that had become so weakened by the cyst that it had slightly fractured at the neck of the femur. It has been a LONG ordeal, but I believe that we are at the end of this nightmare. Now we are just waiting to see if she'll be able to walk without a limp once she heals up. Keep your head up, and make sure you have a good dr. Ours was Dr. nelson davino here in Houston, and I'd highly recommend him to you.