Pin Cushion

We just got word that another surgery has been set this Monday, August 16th for Tag.  We will be going to Primary's on Sunday to do some initial blood work as well.  The purpose of this surgery is to go back into the scalp where the tumor used to be and scrape the inside of the skin to make sure there are no more cancer cells present.  Making certain the tumor is fully removed is the best strategy used on this type of tumor.

What they do is re-open the wound (that was almost healed!), and scrape a little bit.  Then, while Tag is still asleep, they rush the cells to the lab where they test for cancer cells.  If they find any, they keep scraping until they find no more.

The surgeon is hopeful that he won't find any and there will be enough skin to sew back up.  However, there is a possibility that they may have to take all the skin off and would have to perform a temporary skin graft until he is old enough to do yet another surgery where they put skin expanders in the other side of his head and stretch enough that would suffice to use as a patch over the other side.  UGH, we hope this worst-case scenario doesn't have to be so.

We understand that Tag will be staying the night on Monday, as will his parents.  While we are grateful for the staff and expertise up at Primary's, we certainly are not excited about another night at the hospital.  However, it's just part of Tag's grand adventure, so hang on for the ride!

Tag had his first run in with a pen yesterday and Joann sent the picture of his self-made "mustache" to my phone.

Then, this morning Tag was up and ready to play at 6 AM so I took him outside to help me water the plants while Joann tried to sleep.  Tag loves to put his fingers into the stream of the hose.  He also loves to be outside.  There is so much to see from the eyes of an 8 month old.  I remain inspired at how he lives in the present and I try to do the same the more I am with him.

He was quite fussy around 8:30, even while Joann was feeding him.  I heard her upstairs on the phone telling someone that he didn't seem himself.  Then, it was quiet.  I heard her laughing and she brought me down this photo.  I guess he was breast feeding and fell asleep mid-feed.

On a side note, I have a nephew who just turned 5 named Niki Kriser.  He's a great kid and I promised him I'd take him miniature golfing, so last night he and I cruised up to the old Trafalga in Orem, Utah.  We played 18 holes and Niki scored two completely legitimate hole-in-ones.  It was so funny because he could barely hold the putter and his stroke was unconventional to say the least.  But I'll be damned if he didn't smack two amazing shots against the wall that banked right in the hole.  He also managed to hit into two bushes and the lake, where Uncle Mitch had to use his ball retrieving skills.  Good thing I've hit a lake or two in my day.

Hole In ONE, baby!

We also rode the go carts and played some video games.  We tried our best to win as many tickets we could so he could get a prize.  We found one game where you try and drop your token through the machine into some plastic footballs that were rotating in a circle with little holes cut into the top.  You could see hundreds of tokens by the wayside where the machine had taken its victims.  We mastered it and won nearly 400 tickets!

I thought for sure that meant a great prize for Niki, but that only qualified him for a Pixie Stix candy stick.  What a racket!  We also watched a pretty cool roller coaster movie in 4D, where the seat moved and shook and wind blew on you to create the sensation you were actually on the coaster.  I thought it was pretty cool.  I asked Niki if he liked the ride and he said, "Yeah".  Then I asked, "Would you do it again?" and he frankly said, "No."  You gotta love the honesty.

These glasses don't fit my head, Uncle Mitch...

It was fun to spend the evening with a 5 year old and imagine all the adventures I hope to have with Tag as he grows.  Thanks for the good time, Niki, and Happy Birthday buddy!