The parking lot was full and I told Fritz: "Start praying we find a spot!" After 5 loops, I asked him if he was still praying. I turned the corner and went down the same row for the 6th time and there one was! What a great omen.
We got to the oral surgery department and only waited for a few minutes before a nurse came to get us. She was happy to see Fritz, who is a smiley kid. And of course, she cooed over Pete (broken arm and all), because he's just so darn cute.
A younger doctor who had assisted with Fritz from the beginning (a resident?), came in and did the initial check-up. He asked some basic questions about Fritz's healing (bleeding, pain, etc) and then told me that the biopsy results were in. The cyst is a dentigerous cyst. This is great news. I could feel the weight falling from my shoulders. I've done research. I was waiting for the diagnosis, for the actual name of the growth, so I would know what we were up against.
Another doctor came in and examined Fritz. Everything looks good - no infection, healing nicely. The stent had fallen out on Friday, but we'd been using the syringe they gave us to clean the cyst anyway. The doctor told me that they had thought the best case scenario was that the cyst was an odontogenic keratocyst (OKC). He used this term (OKC) and was shocked that I nodded my head in understanding. I don't really understand much, but I had guessed that they were leaning toward an OKC and knew that they were nasty things.
I was really struck by his strong use of the phrase "best case scenario" regarding an OKC. When Bill was with Fritz for the inital appointment, he said that the surgeon had looked him square in the eye and told him that this was very serious. He had said that Fritz would be lucky if he only lost a few adult teeth. Bill and I fought fear for those two weeks before his biopsy as we dared not consider a worst case scenario. That this other doctor also said that "they" (the staff in consultation) considered an OKC to be a best case scenario tells me that they seriously considered the possibility that my son might have to fight for his life.
They are happy (and surprised) that it turned out to just be dentigerous. OKCs are hard to get rid of, but dentigerous cysts have a really good prognosis. Aside from the cyst disappearing overnight, we could not have received a better diagnosis. I consider this a miracle.
We have to go back tomorrow to discuss treatment options with his surgeon. Since it's not an OKC, the doctor may think surgical removal is better than waiting for the cyst to shrink. (I guess OKCs affect the bone too, but dentigerous cysts do not...so removing Fritz's cyst is not as big a deal as it might have been). The stand-in doctor didn't really want to discuss the pros and cons of the different options (Fritz is not his patient, I understand), so all this will have to wait until tomorrow.
For now, we can be happy that the news is good, and that Fritz is not looking at a lifetime of related problems! Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. I do not know if this was a dentigerous cyst from the beginning or if a true miracle happened before our eyes. I do know that this is the second time that the top surgeon at a hospital was convinced that my child had one thing, and it turned out to be something less severe.
Bill reminds me that God only gives you what you can handle...and that God knows just how weak he and I are. Lord, forgive me my weakness and thank You for Your mercy.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
If you believe in a Higher Power
We were lucky and it only took 6 loops in the parking deck to find a spot.
We got to the oral surgery department and only waited for a few minutes before a nurse came to get us. She was happy to see Fritz, who is a smiley kid. And of course, she cooed over Pete (broken arm and all), because he's just so darn cute.
A younger doctor who had assisted with Fritz from the beginning (a resident?), came in and did the initial check-up. He asked some basic questions about Fritz's healing (bleeding, pain, etc) and then told me that the biopsy results were in. The cyst is a dentigerous cyst. This is great news.
Another doctor came in and examined Fritz. Everything looks good - no infection, healing nicely. The stent had fallen out on Friday, but we'd been using the syringe they gave us to clean the cyst anyway. The doctor told me that they had thought the best case scenario was that the cyst was an odontogenic keratocyst (OKC). They are happy (and surprised) that it turned out to just be dentigerous. OKCs are hard to get rid of, but dentigerous cysts have a really good prognosis.
We have to go back tomorrow to discuss treatment options with his surgeon. Since it's not an OKC, the doctor may think surgical removal is better than waiting for the cyst to shrink. (I guess OKCs affect the bone too, but dentigerous cysts do not...so removing Fritz's cyst is not as big a deal as it might have been). The stand-in doctor didn't really want to discuss the pros and cons of the different options (Fritz is not his patient, I understand), so all this will have to wait until tomorrow.
For now, we can be happy that the news is good, and that Fritz is not looking at a lifetime of related problems! Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. We were very worried and are just thankful that it was just a dentigerous cyst after all.
We got to the oral surgery department and only waited for a few minutes before a nurse came to get us. She was happy to see Fritz, who is a smiley kid. And of course, she cooed over Pete (broken arm and all), because he's just so darn cute.
A younger doctor who had assisted with Fritz from the beginning (a resident?), came in and did the initial check-up. He asked some basic questions about Fritz's healing (bleeding, pain, etc) and then told me that the biopsy results were in. The cyst is a dentigerous cyst. This is great news.
Another doctor came in and examined Fritz. Everything looks good - no infection, healing nicely. The stent had fallen out on Friday, but we'd been using the syringe they gave us to clean the cyst anyway. The doctor told me that they had thought the best case scenario was that the cyst was an odontogenic keratocyst (OKC). They are happy (and surprised) that it turned out to just be dentigerous. OKCs are hard to get rid of, but dentigerous cysts have a really good prognosis.
We have to go back tomorrow to discuss treatment options with his surgeon. Since it's not an OKC, the doctor may think surgical removal is better than waiting for the cyst to shrink. (I guess OKCs affect the bone too, but dentigerous cysts do not...so removing Fritz's cyst is not as big a deal as it might have been). The stand-in doctor didn't really want to discuss the pros and cons of the different options (Fritz is not his patient, I understand), so all this will have to wait until tomorrow.
For now, we can be happy that the news is good, and that Fritz is not looking at a lifetime of related problems! Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. We were very worried and are just thankful that it was just a dentigerous cyst after all.
If you are an atheist or an agnostic
After a few loops in the parking deck, we found a spot.
We got to the oral surgery department and only waited for a few minutes before a nurse came to get us. She was happy to see Fritz, who is a smiley kid. And of course, she cooed over Pete (broken arm and all), because he's just so darn cute.
A younger doctor who had assisted with Fritz from the beginning (a resident?), came in and did the initial check-up. He asked some basic questions about Fritz's healing (bleeding, pain, etc) and then told me that the biopsy results were in. The cyst is a dentigerous cyst. This is good news.
Another doctor came in and examined Fritz. Everything looks good - no infection, healing nicely. The stent had fallen out on Friday, but we'd been using the syringe they gave us to clean the cyst anyway. The doctor remarked that they had thought the cyst was an odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), but were happy that it turned out to just be dentigerous. OKCs are hard to get rid of, but dentigerous cysts have a really good prognosis.
We have to go back tomorrow to discuss treatment options with his surgeon. Since it's not an OKC, the doctor may think surgical removal is better than waiting for the cyst to shrink. (I guess OKCs affect the bone too, but dentigerous cysts do not...so removing Fritz's cyst is not as big a deal as it might have been). The stand-in doctor didn't really want to discuss the pros and cons of the different options (Fritz is not his patient, I understand), so all this will have to wait until tomorrow.
For now, we can be happy that the news is good, and that Fritz is not looking at a lifetime of related problems!
We got to the oral surgery department and only waited for a few minutes before a nurse came to get us. She was happy to see Fritz, who is a smiley kid. And of course, she cooed over Pete (broken arm and all), because he's just so darn cute.
A younger doctor who had assisted with Fritz from the beginning (a resident?), came in and did the initial check-up. He asked some basic questions about Fritz's healing (bleeding, pain, etc) and then told me that the biopsy results were in. The cyst is a dentigerous cyst. This is good news.
Another doctor came in and examined Fritz. Everything looks good - no infection, healing nicely. The stent had fallen out on Friday, but we'd been using the syringe they gave us to clean the cyst anyway. The doctor remarked that they had thought the cyst was an odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), but were happy that it turned out to just be dentigerous. OKCs are hard to get rid of, but dentigerous cysts have a really good prognosis.
We have to go back tomorrow to discuss treatment options with his surgeon. Since it's not an OKC, the doctor may think surgical removal is better than waiting for the cyst to shrink. (I guess OKCs affect the bone too, but dentigerous cysts do not...so removing Fritz's cyst is not as big a deal as it might have been). The stand-in doctor didn't really want to discuss the pros and cons of the different options (Fritz is not his patient, I understand), so all this will have to wait until tomorrow.
For now, we can be happy that the news is good, and that Fritz is not looking at a lifetime of related problems!
Friday, July 28, 2006
Kosovo Salad
2 to 3 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
6 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon oregano
black olives, chopped or whole
feta cheese, shredded
Mix everything except feta in a bowl. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Transfer to 4 plates or bowls. Garnish with feta and serve.
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
6 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon oregano
black olives, chopped or whole
feta cheese, shredded
Mix everything except feta in a bowl. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Transfer to 4 plates or bowls. Garnish with feta and serve.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup sugar
2 large ripe bananas, well mashed
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dressing and sugar. Add bananas. Combine flour, baking soda and chips; mix with batter until just moistened. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan or into greased and floured mini loaf pans. Bake 15 minutes for muffins, 30 minutes for mini loaves. Makes 12 muffins or 2 mini loaves.
1 cup sugar
2 large ripe bananas, well mashed
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dressing and sugar. Add bananas. Combine flour, baking soda and chips; mix with batter until just moistened. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan or into greased and floured mini loaf pans. Bake 15 minutes for muffins, 30 minutes for mini loaves. Makes 12 muffins or 2 mini loaves.
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