On Tuesday, we received a call from Dr. Bowman regarding a revised histology of Payton's tumor. A pathologist at the National Wilm's Tumor Study Group modified the prognosis from a stage 1, favorable histology to stage 2, diffuse anaplasia (unfavorable histology). Apparently the tumor had penetrated the renal capsule (outer lining of the kidney) and the cells displayed subtle characteristics associated with anaplasia; therefore necessitating a more aggressive post-surgical approach. Bad news to say the least! Now Payton will have to endure more extensive chemotherapy (5 chemo drugs for 28-30 weeks) accompanied by two weeks of radiation. This more aggressive approach carries with it a higher likelihood of long-term side affects due to the chemotherapy and radiation and an increased chance of relapse. Payton will start his Radiation and Chemo treatment on Monday. He will spend at least one night in the hospital to be monitored and kept on an IV to make sure that he stays well hydrated. Despite this, Payton still has a very good long term prognosis. With proper Chemo and Radiation the odds for relapse at a stage 2 with unfavorable histology are around 20 percent. We have faith that Payton will come through this just fine. We are praying that he will have the strength to get through this without any long term side effects, minimal short term effects and no relapse. After 28-30 weeks of treatment Payton will have continue to have MRI’s every 3 months, and they will continue to monitor his heart since one of the side effects of the chemo drugs could cause damage to the heart muscle (the left ventricle.)

Our love for Payton grows more each day. He has such a special place in our hearts and we are determined to do whatever it takes to help him get through this. We ache to know what he has ahead. We will be right there by his side to make sure that he stays strong. We can’t thank everyone enough for your continued prayers and strength that you give us. If I could give any advice it would be to not take life for granted, don’t let a day go by that you don’t appreciate what you have. Life is so precious. I want to thank everyone in our lives, we love you all.

Payton enjoying some "hot noodles"

Welcome Home Payton!

We received great news today from Doctor Black who told us that Payton was ready to go home from the hospital. We were so excited since Payton was getting restless of being in his room. He was having a hard time staying in bed and was constantly saying "down". There is not much that can stop this little guy. Before leaving, we took Payton on a final wagon ride where he proceeded to give the fish in the playroom a kiss goodbye. We loaded Payton in the car and told him that we were finally going home. He grinned, began clapping his hands and said "yea, yea". He was truly excited to be going home. We stopped at Sonic and got him his favorite, blue coconut slush. We were greeted by Grandma, Savannah and Becki who had brought over a welcome home sign and balloons. There wasn't much we could do to stop Payton from running through the house in search to find his toys. In the afternoon our neighbor Becki took Payton for a ride in Tony's truck. Payton smiled from ear-to-ear as he got to ride around. We decided to get take-out from Payton's favorite restaurant Joe's Pasta. He could hardly wait to get his "Hot Noodles" which are his favorie food. He didn't even make it to the table before he started eating away. He quickly finished and said "more, more". We were thrilled since he has lost some weight from being in the hospital. While still in some pain, Payton is trying to carry on as best he can at getting back to being a rambunctious two year-old. We are meeting with the oncologist on Friday to discuss our plan with Payton's Chemo. We anticipate that he will start the following week. We are so grateful that Payton has done as well as he has this far. We can't thank everyone enough for the love, support, prayers and strength that everyone has given us. We know that we still have a road ahead of us, but are positive that we will see the end with good results.

A final wagon ride around the 4th floor.

Payton giving the fish a kiss goodbye!

Leaving the room!

Welcome Home Payton!

Hot Noodles Please!

Day #4- Restless in the hospital and on the road to Recovery!

Today was day #4 in the hospital for Payton. He was finally given solid food which seemed to make him sit up in bed with such excitement. The minute they brought in scrambled eggs and french toast he sat right up and scarffed it down without taking a breath in between bites. His favorite food is "hot noodles" and he kept calling his scrambled eggs "hot noodles" because he was just so happy to have FOOD. He is also getting very restless in the hospital bed and every time he is put back in the bed insists that "no, No Nigh night" He wants to be up and going and his little body is just not quite ready for the energy and activity inside him. Payton wanted to be up in the wagon or in the play room all day. He was hard to keep up to because he is still connected to his IV fluids/pole. We could tell that he was hurting more because he would run around the room or try and pull his wagon and hold onto his back and say "ow, ow". We have been trying to push fluids with him since he just doesn't want to drink much. This is very unlike Payton since he has always been our "juice" boy and his favorite thing is a Route 44 drink. We are pushing popsicles, juice, water, ice cream, you name it so he can get out of the hospital tomorrow. These four walls are closing in on him and us! We are so grateful that he has come so far in just 4 days and are anxious to get him home and on his feet before we get to start chemotherapy.

Day #3- Much to be Grateful For!

They had a party for patients and their families in the Atrium at the hospital. It was a chance for us to get out of the room and spend some time with Savannah. Between the playrooms, playground and all the children's activities, Savannah and her cousins, Noah, Riley and Ella, think that a children's hospital is a pretty fun place to go. I think Payton would have a different story!

Payton did get out and play in the play room. He was a little wobbly on his feet but was still strong enough to push that lawn mower around and was even quite irritated at the tubing connecting his mediport to the IV pole and fluids.

Eating my pop-um in my bed and playing with my cars from Brian and Lisa, Michael and Dani.

Day #3 and Payton finally got to start drinking. As much as he thought he wanted juice or "wa-wa" he still was just not feeling very well today and didn't drink quite as much as we thought he would. The one thing he did want was a "pop-um" or popsicle as well all know it. He was so happy to have a popsicle and he loved being pulled around in the wagon eating his popsicle. Day #3 brought more pain because he is starting to want to move more and insists on walking. He has learned that he really doesn't want to get back in the hospital bed and points to the chair to be held to go nigh-nigh! He was started on oral pain medication tonight so hopefully it will last a little longer than the morphine but still continue to control his pain. He was a little more irritable but that probably means he is now wanting to be more like his normal self and just is not quite ready to be.

Good news came from the biopsy reports today, stage I Wilm's tumor with favorable histology. The lymph node and liver biopsies came back without any cancer growth. What an answer to lots of fasting and prayers. Because of the tumor being in stage I he will still need 19 weeks of chemotherapy, but will more than likely have a 100% cure rate after the chemotherapy. Tonight the surgeon brought in pictures of the kidney/tumor. It was hard to tell that it was actually a kidney because it was so large. The tumor weighed 449 grams and was 12.5 cm long. Payton's little round belly is much flatter now that that awful tumor is gone. We are hoping to be out of the hospital by Saturday, much will depend on how Payton does on oral medication and how he does with eating tomorrow.

We are so very grateful for all the love and support that we have felt. We have had so many people bringing food, toys, balloons, flowers, prayers and words of encouragement. How do you even begin to thank the wonderful people in our life that we call family and friends. We are so grateful that the Lord answered our prayers. In so many small and large ways, we have seen the Lord's hand in carrying us through this experience. 19 weeks to go and we are ready to face the battle!

The first step! Payton's first two days in the hospital!

Our sweet little Payton- this is when we finally got to change him into his own pajamas and he was in a nice little sleep thanks to his morphine! This is the children's hospital, Cook Children's, where Payton is and where his surgery occurred!

Savannah came to visit me in the hospital- she brought Payton so many cool toys that he just couldn't help but dive into the bucket! Payton with his nasogastric tube still in place- he did so good at keeping it in and not touching it!
Payton after he got his nasogastric tube out- he quickly decided that he wanted juice and cookie!

Grandma and Savannah coming up to visit me on my second day in the hospital!

Our Sweet Payton! June 5- Day 1 on the Road to Recovery!

Our Sweet Little Payton- so tough and all boy- has endured so much these past couple of days. He is so strong and has tugged at our heart strings and made us pray more than we have ever prayed before.

The Beginning of the Battle!

Payton had been running a fever for the past couple of weeks, some days more than others with very vague symptoms of just being irritable, lethargic and not acting himself. I took him to the doctor after about 3 days of symptoms and he was diagnosed with a viral illness which she said could last up to a week. Towards the end of that week, I had Payton to the urgent care wondering if he was dehydrated because he had fevered all day and was not drinking or peeing. After some nausea medicine, he was sent home. For the next week he continued to intermittently run a low grade fever. Another phone call to the doctor and Payton was back in to be checked on again. This time the doctor decided to run some blood work and set up an appointment for a liver ultrasound because his liver looked slightly enlarged. That night, Payton still ran a fever and I called the next day to report the fever and check on the blood work. We ended up back at the doctor's office with Payton and the doctor ended up moving up the ultrasound to the following day. His pediatrician was almost certain that since his blood work looked normal, that the liver enlargement could just be the virus settling in his liver. Chad ended up taking Payton for the ultrasound so I could get Savannah to swim lessons. Chad knew that as they were doing the liver ultrasound but appeared to be measuring something across the screen, that something was wrong. I ended up getting a horrifying phone call to come quickly, they have found a tumor on Payton's kidney, something called Wilm's tumor. That afternoon we ended up in an oncology clinic, meeting with Dr. Bowman, who will now be the oncologist for our little Payton. The tumor was palpable and large and the stage of the tumor cells unknown. A very frightening and saddening picture was painted requiring the removal of a kidney, placement of a port, and minimum of 18-30 weeks of chemotherapy.

After a long and scary weekend, Chad and I returned to Cook Children's monday morning for a CT scan to further evaluate this tumor. The ultrasound was indefinite at describing the extent of the tumor and it was a possibility of their being either lobes or several separate tumors up into the liver. The CT scan was done to determine the difference. That day we got to meet with our surgeon as well and discuss the plans for removal of the kidney first thing tuesday morning.
Payton bravely underwent surgery on tuesday. The tumor was described as the size of a grapefruit which also had "tails" that extended towards the liver. Payton's stomach is already noticeably smaller and thank goodness free of that horrible tumor. Now we await the biopsy reports to find out the plan for chemotherapy. Payton came out of surgery having had a "caudal" or otherwise known as an epidural block. This would keep him comfortable for the next 12 hours and then he began on morphine while his nasogastric tube remained in place. Prior to being put to sleep, Payton was talking about going to ride in Tony's truck. When he awakened, despite his confusion and wondering exactly what did you do to me and where am I, he asked, I go ride in the truck. Thank goodness for the amnesic effect of anesthesia.

Payton's second day in the hospital has been a remarkable day of progress. He awakened still drowsy and barely moving. By the afternoon he perked up wanting to play with a bucket of toys and wanting to get down and walk. He ended up getting out of bed and walked the entire loop around the unit on his first time getting out of bed. His nasogastric tube was removed this afternoon, even though he still can't eat or drink until tomorrow. By tonight he was up in the wagon and almost running around the playroom and looking at the aquariums. He is SO tough and is such a strong little boy. Savannah, Noah, Riley and Ella came up to visit and ended up spending time outside on the playground and eating ice cream in the cafeteria just so Grandma and Jennifer could take turns being able to see him.