Final scan day- a day to celebrate!!!! 11/10/11
Let's just play outside and enjoy life for a small moment! 
Before Chemotherapy: October 2010 This is a great view of the bone lesion under his eye. It was swelling so quickly that it seemed that it would have affected his vision soon. The bone lesions over his right eye brow are visible in this picture too.
Also October 2010. This was taken just after the biopsy of the lesion on his forehead.
After Chemotherapy: September 2011! The forehead bone lesion is still a little noticeable but may never be invisible unless he "grows into it." (The scrape on his left side of his forehead was from a fall on the cement, a normal toddler thing to do!)
WOW!!! We are grateful for the chemotherapy medications!
Today, November 19, 2011!
Benjamin with our friend and neighbor, Hunter. We got to attend Hunter's Make-A-Wish follow-up party this afternoon! Hunter and his family got to see a Rascal Flats concert in Florida recently for his Wish. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in June of 2010, just months before Benjamin was diagnosed with his LCH. We have felt so appreciative of the bond we have had with Hunter's family!
Friday, 11-11-11!!! A good day for Benjamin- port removal surgery! He did great through the twenty minute surgery, but didn't want to wake up afterward!
11-11-11
Just waiting for surgery and trying to distract the hungry little guy!
Daddy is so much fun! He was "speeding" down this surgery hallway with Benjamin in the wheelchair. Daddy is the best!
11-11-11, Still waiting for surgery and watching the fishies in the fish tank!
November 10, 2011, scan day. Benjamin and all of the Park cousinsMy sister-in-law, Christine, said she was going to bring us dinner
and instead they had a big surprise party planned for us! It was so special to celebrate our good news, especially with our family. They are wonderful!!!! Thank you to the Parks!
Short version of the last scan day story:
*Thursday, November 10th: Benjamin's skeletal survey showed no bone lesions or any other problems! Head CT, the same, and Chest CT, the same!!!! The mass in his chest is gone and the lung nodules are gone as well. ALL DONE with chemotherapy (unless we have a recurrence)!
*Friday, November 11th: Surgery was done to have his IV port removed! All went well and we were so very excited! Benjamin did great! Now we ask him where his port is, and he points to the sight and we tell him, "All gone!" I think he gets it!
*We will follow-up in three months (February) and then every three months for the next year. They will continue to follow him until he is six or seven, unless he has a recurrence.
WE HAVE SO MANY REASONS TO BE THANKFUL!!!!
Long version of the scan day story: Yay!!!!!!! Last Thursday, November 10th, was Benjamin's scan day and what a great day it turned out to be! Here's the story . . .
After having his port accessed, we learned that he would have to have an IV in addition because they won't put the dye for the chest CT in his port anymore. (They have had too many problems doing so.) The positive side to this is that Benjamin got to choose a toy out of a toy chest they had and so he chose two bouncy balls- one, a basketball, and the other, a soccer ball! He and his daddy played ball during the long waiting room waiting times! The CT's were first. We were worried that they actually would have to sedate him this time because of his increased inability to hold still, but he did great for the CT's! Thankfully, daddy is a great bubble blower and mom a great bubble popper!
Skeletal survey (full body x-rays) was next. Usually this is the worst part, but I was allowed to stand next to Benjamin this time and that seemed to help with his anxiety for the first several pictures.
Later, we were able to see the wonder Dr. F, the world traveler. We are so happy that he is back in the country so that we could see him this time. It was especially sweet to have him present the good news! He had all the results and explained that Benjamin's LCH is all clear and gone right now! We are so excited! In fact, we are so excited that we decided this news and blessing is worth big celebration for our family and so WE ARE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!!!
When we told Dr. F. that we are going on our vacation, he wanted Benjamin to be able to have his port removed asap or wait until after our trip. We were hoping to be able to have it removed before we go to California so that we don't spend a Disneyland day in a hospital ER for another fever (which would very likely happen considering how many fevers Benj has had). Surprisingly, we were able to have the surgery scheduled for the very next day, Friday. Yes, he had his port removed Friday and all went really well! It was another long day at the hospital, but a day to be so grateful for!
It is so difficult to express the emotions we feel with this whole experience over the past year! Immense gratitude overwhelms our hearts! What a Thanksgiving we are going to have!
Lastly, I just want to share a quick thought along these lines. A couple of months ago, I received an answer to prayer(unrelated to this situation with Benjamin) that I had needed for a long time, but it wasn't the answer I necessarily wanted. I have learned much from that particular experience and have been reminded about how life is not always what we think it will be, no matter how much we plan, work, and organize for. Life takes it's turns, and sometimes not always happy, good turns, such as this trial we have had with Benjamin and his LCH. But when we put our trust in God, things will work out for the better- ALWAYS!
I experienced my answer to prayer that I didn't necessarily want while I was reading an April 2011 LDS General Conference talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The talk was about divine chastening. Suddenly while reading, it seemed that these words stood off of the page and were meant just for me! "Divine chastening has at least three purposes: (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine us and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path." (I added the emphasis). Once again, God has redirected my course in life to a better path! Benjamin's LCH has been trying at times and I wouldn't have chosen this trial for us, but we have learned so much. A lot of good has come from this whole experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything! I feel so thankful that God knows me and knows what is best for me! I know that He knows each of us on this earth, and He knows how to redirect our courses to better paths!!! We must have faith in Him and allow Him to do so, however, and sometimes that isn't so easy. BUT I do know, from my own experiences, that as we do this, HE WILL PROVIDE AND TAKE CARE OF US! I know it! Phillipians 4:13 states, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." I have great faith in that scripture!
With these thoughts, I am reminded of a wonderful family that we met last Thursday while in there in the hospital. A young boy, Coulter K., (is about the same age as Benjamin) had a stroke earlier that morning and was undergoing extensive testing still to see how serious his condition was. The last we heard, they were concerned that he will have to re-learn how to talk and walk. Doug and I spoke with his two grandmothers, who coincidentally live not far from us. We have thought about him and his family a great deal this past week and have prayed for them. We will continue to pray for Coulter and ask if any of you read this, if you would pray for him too. Prayers have been everything for us in Benjamin's situation! I know they work even and maybe especially for strangers as well. We needed them so much. I am sure that they do too!
I thank you once again for bearing with my need to share! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! As many of you have prayed for Benjamin over the past year, will you also remember with us to thank God for his mercies and blessings on behalf of Benjamin too? Thank you, thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Angela
