Some good news and some not so good news-

[Oscar]

Haven't posted in a week or so, things have been pretty busy around here of late.

The GOOD news is that we are now married.  We were planning on marrying next month (nearer our 90 days that I promised I would use)but circumstances have dictated that we needed to marry last Friday.  Sometimes extreme circumstances do call for extreme measures.  We married in my sisters home with about 15 family members attending.  My sister and female cousins helped pull it all together and it really was very nice.  I would like to post some photos but with things the way they are right now, it might take a while.  Not exactly what I had planned, but life has a way of just kind of happening ya know?
Went to Vegas for a long weekend, stayed in Mandalay Bay, one of my favorite hotels.  23rd floor, complete view of the entire strip, it was truly an amazing view.  She couldn't believe Vegas!  We had a very nice and much needed time away to prepare for the coming storm..

The BAD news is that when they got here, I thought it would be a good idea for both of them to get full physicals, even though they had them in Kiev for the interview.  I bought them their own health ins policies (something I highly recommend).  
Everything was fine until about a week and a half ago when the clinics' radiologist said he thought that there might possibly be a very small spot on the boys lung but he wasn't sure.  Thought it might have been some active Tuberculosis or something.  We ended up getting a full chest cat scan and again checked his original blood test.  Talked to the infectious diseases folks and they didn't think TB, given his blood work etc..  But the cat scan pretty clearly showed that he appears to have a small lung tumor.  They say it has not "metastasized" (spelling) and that whatever it is it seems to be "encapsulated" i.e. well contained.  But rather than do a biopsy, they said benign or not, it has to come out.  The consult with the surgeon is tomorrow and surgery is scheduled for Thursday.  I don't know at this point if this means cracking his ribs to go in or going in between some back ribs.  I'll find out tomorrow.  Swell way for a really good little seven year old Ukrainian boy to be introduced to America..  The surgeon and the facility "Primary Childrens Hospital" are probably the best in about a five State area for Children.

So got married last friday to make sure that they were both covered under my insurance through my work which is better than the private policies I set them up with when they got here.  No waiting period, no pre-existing conditions etc..  So whatever his own little policy doesn't cover or they deny, my insurance will pay at 100 percent, which certainly is helpful.  Talked with both insurance companies for about 3 hours today.. talk about fun.. I had a root canal that I enjoyed more.

Some might ask if she had any hint of this before coming here and I can say with all certainty, no.  Her doctor there never picked anything up, the docs in Kiev never picked it up, nor did our own pediatrician.  It was at a team consult that their radiologist who happened to see the x-ray that thought there might possibly be something, but wasn't sure.  
She hasn't told her family in Dnepro yet because she is terrified they will be totally upset but unable to do a thing about it other than worry and lose sleep, so she has elected to tell them about it after the surgery.
How is she holding up?  She is very calm and holding it together on the outside and has never "lost it" or been angry or anything, but I know she is churning inside.  I find her crying in a different room sometimes.  She has a strong spirituality and real faith and this certainly helps.  It has certainly brought us closer together.
I have to remember, I have been with this kid for a couple of months total.  He's a fantastic kid, but I can't possibly have anywhere near the investment of time and love that she has with him.  I'm afraid if things don't go well for him, she will be destroyed.

Wish I had better news..

Will try to update as I can as events unfold.

Later
Oscar  

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

He can get better care here than in the US than he could have in Ukraine.  Young kids can heal up from some pretty bad stuff.  A kid I knew got hit by a car when he was 5 years old and was pretty messed up but by 10 years old you could hardly tell anything ever happened.

[BURKE89]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

Oscar,

I'll pray for your son. It's certainly fortuitous, in the fact, he will have the finest health-care available.

Regards, Vaughn

[Oscar]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

We both want to thank all of you for your kind thoughts and encouragement.  I am pretty amazed at the response..  Some pretty darn nice guys here.  We have pretty much been stressed to the max with all of this but I cannot believe how strong she is..  and he is totally oblivious to it all.  He just says if we think it is important, he's fine with it!
 
Met with the surgeon today and as has been suggested, they are not going in through the chest but between the ribs on his side, they spread the ribs a little.  The doc said he will likely be in the hospital for about 4 days..  

Again, thanx to all of you.  I will let you all know how things come out..

Oscar

[John F]

... in response to Met with the surgeon today-, posted by Oscar on Feb 26, 2003

n/t

[don1]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

Life can be a real roller coaster sometimes . Keep your chin up , you're in our thoughts and prayers . Hope things turn out OK for you and your family , Oscar .

[Rags]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

Congratulations on your marriage Oscar. I am sure that this was the wisest thing considering your circumstances and the high cost of medical care. I can certainly relate to dealing with insurance companies. They seem to change the rules after the fact unless you nail them down to what they will cover and what they won't.

I am both sad and elated about the news of your son's illness. It will be a scarey thing to go through for all of you but it is very gratifing that they found it at an early stage.

My neighbor just passed away from lung cancer. Even though he had been examined by several "specialists and experts", they failed to diagnose his disease properly until in was far too late.

This is truely providence that your son came here in time to find this before it got out of hand. I doubt that it would have been discovered and properly treated had they remained in Ukraine.

Your family will definitely be in my thoughts until this thing is past. If your wife would like to talk to V regarding medical practices here in the US, feel free to call.

Please keep us posted.     Ed

[thesearch]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

Oscar,

My prayers are with you and your family at this time.

Greg

[Michael B]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

to break a parent's heart. You give you wife all the support you can, and then reach into your inner strength reserves and give her some MORE. (Kind of an uneccesary message, all of us here know that's exactaly what you're going to do anyway). Hope he comes through it alright.

[Cold Warrior]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

Like most heart surgery nowdays no cracking is necessary. it is done by using keyhole technique ie using laser a lot of tubes. The doctors here can give you more info. I remember the old days when a heart bypass meant having to open your whole chest. Don't worry, your boy will be OK.

[Bubba]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

It sounds ok based on the description you posted, so I hope all goes as planned.

[KenC]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003


KenC

[Dan]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

n/t

[micha1]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

[This message has been edited by micha1]

You have done all of the things right.
Sure it is a hell of an ordeal. At this time.
But in a few months from now, when all is behind you.
Your family will be well bonded together, welded because of this.
The sentiments of satisfaction and strenght that will inhabit you and
your family, very few people can aspire  to have in a relationship.
Only the best to all of you.

[tfcrew]

... in response to Some good news and some not so good news..., posted by Oscar on Feb 25, 2003

Welcome to the fold. I hope everything works out..
Karl