It's that time again ...

It's hard to believe that the summer is almost over. I guess that is a sign of how much we have enjoyed it. It also means that it is time for Michael's quarterly MRI.

Jeff & Michael made the trip to Rochester yesterday for the actual test. It didn't go as smooth as it usually does. There was a different anesthesiologist and he chose to use a different anesthesia which can have a nasty side effect. And, as luck would have it, Michael experienced it. It is called Delusional Emergence and according to Jeff it is terrible to see. As Michael was coming out of the anesthesia, he starting suffering severe terror and paranoia. I also found during my research of this drug that many sufferers claim that at the time of the delusions they think they are in extreme pain and don't realize until afterwards that the pain was not real.

Jeff said one of the recovery room nurses came out to the waiting room to get him saying they needed someone strong to hold Michael down - he thought she was kidding. When he got to the recovery room, Michael was screaming at the top of his lungs and fighting the nurses. Apparently this went on for a while until Michael fell back asleep for a short time. He remembers the incident but doesn't seem traumatized by it. He told me that he was screaming really loud and that he hurt. When I asked him where he hurt, he said he didn't know. Trust me - Jeff and I will make sure they don't give our little buddy that drug again.

Today was a much better day. The three of us made the trip back to Rochester to see Dr. Korones and received very good news. It appears the tumor may have shrunk a little more. At the very least, it certainly didn't grow. Now we wait another 3 months until the next MRI. In the meantime, we are enjoying life to the fullest.

I didn't notice until tonight how long it had been since I posted. A lot has happened...

... there was Kindergarten graduation ...

... six weeks of playing t-ball ...

... and Buster has definitely kept us busy.

We've done lots of fun things like spending the day at a local water park ...

... and a week in Cape Cod.

That was the best! I promise I won't wait so long to post again and I will share some more of our summer with you in the near future. Until then - please keep Michael in your thoughts and prayers, JoAnne.