Day 26

The beginning. Some are familiar with Shane’s story, but some are not.
It all began with me taking a breather. I wasn’t seeing that much of Chase since he is in school all day and had soccer at nights. Usually my husband or father in law would take him to practice.
On this day, March 4, 2014, my in-laws offered to watch Shane and Ella so I could take Chase to practice. I don’t remember what Paul had that night.
I had just gotten done planning Shane’s Christening which we held on March 2nd.
So that night I went to Chase’s indoor practice. It was for an hour and it was just a quiet way to relax.
When I picked up Shane. My mother in law told me that Shane had a lump in his groin area. It reminded her of a hernia, since my SIL had had one as a baby.
I racked my brain and thought, “how did I not see this?” I had changed his diapers all day and nothing stood out. Shane always had a “fat patch” area, but nothing like the lump I clearly saw now. Guilt.
The next day I made an appointment with his pediatrician. She agreed it looked like a double inguinal hernia. I even remember her pushing the lump upwards. Shane would have to have a surgical consult. It was recommended that we go to St. Chris, but I called CHOP.
We were able to get an appointment that Friday, March 7th.
The surgeon examined Shane and was sure it was not a double inguinal hernia. He ordered an ultrasound. We strolled Shane down to another floor where he laid on a table while the probe collected data.
We returned to the surgical waiting room. The wait was long. Well over an hour. We never really thought anything of it. Perhaps the doctor had lunch, other appointments, the reports didn’t come up in time, etc.
Finally we were called back to the same examining room. The doctor stepped in and he looked unsettled. He faced us both and said. Shane’s lumps are enlarged lymph nodes.
First thought, no surgery?
Then, he said, “We also found a small mass.” He explained, it could be inflammation from the lymph nodes, but he wanted to send us down to urology to get more opinions on the matter. Mass.
Shane was 7 months old.