Thursday morning bright and early, Atticus and I arrived at the OHSU hospital to get his biopsy done. We were both very anxious and he hadn't eaten since before midnight, so neither of us were doing so well. As per typical Irene, we got lost a couple of times and didn't really know what on earth we were doing. Fortunately, I gave us enough time and the staff was very friendly and helpful.
Pre-Op Atticus
They sent us to pre-op and Atticus prepared for the operating room, and we sat and waited, while numerous people from the surgical team came in to say hi and ask us questions, mark the correct leg, and make sure all was well. It was time for me to leave, and I went to get a coffee and wait in the waiting room. After surgery, the surgeon came to see me and went to talk in a private room about several different things, surgery went well, and I should be able to see him soon.
A bit later, the nurse called telling me I could come see him, Atticus was just waking up. The recovery room was tough, very emotional for me, even more emotional than I was earlier, seeing him being wheeled off into the OR. He was in so much pain and hungry and thirsty. It was heart-wrenching for me to see him like that, and we waited awhile in recovery before we attempted to go home - he had some ice chips, jello, water and medicine and we waited until he was feeling a bit better before we left.
When I talked to the surgeon after the biopsy, he did say it looked as he suspected- an Osteosarcoma. Yesterday, Atticus' Oncologist called and she had just checked in with pathology and the first tests came back and it was definitely cancerous. We all suspected as much and were preparing for the news, but it was still difficult to hear it for real. She told me he would be getting his port-a-cath in on Friday, the 19th and they would be starting chemo straight away, keeping him in the hospital overnight or the weekend.
My brother Joshua and sister in law Brittany were here Thursday after we got home from the hospital, helped clean my house, organize all the food, and brought us take out. It was so lovely to see them and I appreciated them just jumping in and working on what they saw we needed. My parents show up on the 18th, so it will be good to have them here for the first bit of all of this, and helping with the girls. We go see the oncologist on Thursday and she sits down with us and tells us the treatment plan and answers all of our questions. I know a lot of you have many questions and when I am on the phone or meet with doctors, I ask my questions, but then a friend will ask another question, to which I don't know, because they didn't say, and it wasn't a question I thought of. So please be patient with me again, I don't know everything, I am trying to digest the information as it comes to me. But for now, we know it's cancerous and chemo is the treatment.
We are worried for the process ahead, but I hope it all makes more sense on Thursday. For now, Atticus is still resting comfortably at home, sore from the surgery. Thank you all for the support this past week, all of the delicious and wonderful food for my family; the notes of encouragement, the cards in the mail. We are so fortunate to have you all in our lives, supporting us in the different ways you can and are able.