OK, I'll now own up to this topic.
Tom is my #3 son. After suffering a torn groin muscle in his last High School soccer game in the last week of October and aggravating that injury showing off for his girlfriend, he developed some really bad internal bleeding. He spent a total of 34 days in the hospital, 2 big surgeries to remove the accumulated blood which had turned into a huge clot that had virtually paralyzed his left leg, several CAT scans and MRI's and over 10 angiograms to look for the sources of the bleeding. He has been to three different hospitals, the latest being Cincinnati Children's.
The doctors still do not know what it is he had. They have taken to calling it a "inflammatory vascular tissue mass". Neither they nor the doctors worldwide they have consulted have seen something like this before. But there is good news. The MRI done in April showed a significant decrease in the growth, and in another taken Monday, it could barely be seen. The doctors were amazed it shrank that much. He has been cleared for full activity now, although to be fair, he's been burning the candle at both ends since graduating week before last. His goal had been to enlist in the Marines and now the doctor said she'd run interference for him if it stayed clear for a year. He still has a long recovery ahead, as he tried running yesterday when he got home and a mile run wiped him out, but he plans to attend the local junior college and work for the next year while he gets back into shape.
Thank you Melani and everyone else for your prayers and concerns. It meant a lot to us during this time.
Joe Wooten