Hunter LiveStrong: May 5th..Day25..

THE BEGINNING

January of 2007 we found a small lump on Hunters back located just under the skin, between the shoulder blades. The doctor told us it was a fatty tumor or sebaceous cyst, and it would get bigger, then smaller and go away. If it grew, or bothered him we could have it removed. June 27th it was removed in surgery and on July 3 we were back for a check up of the area and were told he had, cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma PNET (of the soft tissue surrounding the bone). A year of Chemo was started, which consisted being in the hospital every 21 days for 6 or 3 days at a time. He underwent a second surgery in October 2007 to clear the margins. On May 27th of 2008 he finished chemo and was "Cancer Free".

He was scanned and examined on regular intervals and his last clear scans were on August 19th 2009. October 28th 2009 we noticed a lump in the original tumor location. After a biopsy on October 29th, we were told the next day that the cancer has returned. The central line was put back in his chest on November 2nd and a series of tests have begun to determine the extent of the disease. Please view "posting" dated November 7, 2009 for treatment plan...

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

May 5th..Day25..

Hunter is still feeling great and ready to go home. His counts are still really good and it's looking like we are going to be going home on Thursday the 6th..Day 26. Hunter has set the "new" record at City of Hope! He is the first Auto-Stem Cell patient to go home that early. Auto Stem Cell simply means that he received his own stem cells and not a strangers. Hunter is still going to have follow up doctor appointments, as we already have one scheduled for Monday. He is also going to have to still be extremely careful as to what he does so he doesn't get sick, over due it or do anything that is going to cause him to end up back in the hospital. Just because he is being released doesn't mean he is able to do everything that he could before and trying to explain that to him hasn't been real easy. Hunter is feeling good so he thinks that he can do anything but it is still going to take some time for his "actual" cells to really take ahold and be as strong as they were to begin with. We have an appointment with the doctors today so we will find out more information about his release but "we" are really looking forward to going home.

This month long journey has been a long one, but one we can now mark off the calendar..

THANK you for your FRIENDSHIP and LOVE,
The Herrick Family