Jimmy's Brain Tumor

You read it right!!

James Liounis Stringham probably has a brain tumor.

Since late summer, he's had vomiting spells that last 6-8 hours, have no fever, hardly ever have diarrhea, and go away quickly- not quickly, like *poof* gone!  It happens approximately every other week.

Getting him to a Dr has been on my To-Do list, I just hadn't gotten to it, with everything going on. I figured I'd mention it at his well visit in June, if we didn't get there by then. 

I couldn't think of what could be causing it, I figured the Drs would blow it off, or maybe send us to talk to a GI Dr. I found stuff online about Cyclic Vomitting Syndrome and Abdominal Migraines.  What I didn't think is that they would want us to see a Neurosurgeon at CHOP next week!!!!  Sometimes, I think I may be the worse nurse out there.  I'm often blown away by the Drs findings/plan!   And talk about Mother-Guilt!!!  Now I feel awful, and sad, and stupid, almost incompetent at being his Mom. The Dr said that without my history, she still would proceed in this direction.

He was awesome at getting his blood taken yesterday... probably because he was so sick and lethargic.  The Drs st CHOP want him to have an MRI with sedation, here in Lancaster, before we go see them. I'm waiting for an appointment time. It should be next week sometime.  I tested his pee (Per Drs request) last night and it was FULL of Glucose and Ketones. His blood glucose was only 63. Even the Dr's unsure why he was spilling so much Glucose. She had me retest it this morning, and there's no Glucose. She said to check it randomly this week, we will delve into that issue later, first she wants to get the MRI done and move on from there. 

This morning he's not acting sick at all. He tells me that his "back is a little sick", but I can't get him to elaborate on that, and he's not acting like he hurts. He's such a trooper. I told him yest that we needed to take pictures of his brain. Today, he asked when we were going to cut him open? I didn't know what he meant. Then he said "To take the pictures of my brain?"  WHOOPS!! 

So, for the moment, everyone here is actually A-OK. I think we all are just kind of like "There's NO WAY!!" I don't know if we're eerily optimistic or if our guts are right. The Dr seems to be confidant that he does, in fact, have a brain tumor. She kept saying "Let's hope I'm wrong."  I agree... 

Here he is yesterday and today:

 

*** Update 5/18/17... we saw a Neurosurgeon at Hershey. Jimmy does have a pineal cyst 5mmx7mmx11mm but it is small and not causing any problems, he does not think that the vomitting is neuro-related!!!!  We only follow up with him if there are symptoms years down the line. Woohoo!!