What we know & what we don't

Today's appointment at MD Anderson left us with a few answers and even more questions. The short version is that we have to do more testing to determine the next steps, and we won't be able to start on a treatment plan for around three more weeks (during which we'll have to travel twice more to Houston).

Our urologist said he isn't sure that Levi has kidney cancer...it might actually be sarcoma, lymphoma, or cancer of the adrenal gland. His tumor is so large that it is distorting the typical view of his organs on the CT scan, so we'll have to do a biopsy to determine which type of cancer we're dealing with before we can proceed with treatment.

Before he can have a biopsy done he has to have blood work to test for cancer of the adrenal gland. It can be unsafe to take a biopsy of this type of cancer due to the possibility of a dangerous blood pressure spike, so we will instead rule it out with a blood test before attempting the biopsy. Unfortunately, the results of this test take a week to get back. Once we know the results next week, we can schedule the biopsy.

After Levi has the biopsy it will take 2-3 days to get the results. When we know for sure what type of cancer we're dealing with, we will either proceed with our current urologist or be referred to a different specialist at MD Anderson.

We did get some tentatively good news today. Two doctors looked at Levi's CT scans, and they can't find any cancer spots on his lungs. I'm not sure how that's possible since two OKC doctors told us there were some using the very same scans. They're doing another scan tomorrow morning to be sure. Pray there are no spots to be found!

While we were hoping to leave here with a definitive treatment plan, we are glad to have started the process of getting the exact treatment Levi needs. We'll be back in OK tomorrow!

This is The Mays Clinic where Levi was seen today. One of many buildings at MD Anderson. This place is huge! Texas Children's and Methodist hospitals are also next door, so together this area looks like a major city's downtown.

Texas Medical Center is this name of this whole area.