In the beginning...

I am starting this blog as a secondary blog to our family blog. This blog will be public, and because of that I am hesitant to share too many details. Knowing that I am going to hold back lots of private information, I still want to share updates on Jackson. I want to be able to have a place to update our family and friends on Jackson's progress over the next few days/weeks/and months.

Jackson is an incredibly bright, happy, energetic boy who has a magnetic personality. Jackson has many family and friends who love and look up to him. Jackson also has a brain tumor.

We have been on this treatment road for about 6 months. Originally we started seeing they eye doctor because Jackson was seeing double after getting hit in the eye with a 2x4. His eye started to slowly turn in towards his nose and the eye doctors diagnosed him with Sixth Nerve Palsy.

After the first MRI, we waited to see if the Sixth Nerve Palsy would heal on it's own, and the nerve would repair itself. The time frame when you are waiting for a Sixth Nerve Palsy to heal itself is 6 months. So we waited, and we would go back to the Pediatric Ophthalmologist every 4 to 6 weeks to track Jackson's progress. Through tracking Jackson's progress, we found that his palsy was getting worse, which is not common for a Sixth Nerve Palsy. So, we got a second MRI.

After the second MRI, and a second opinion we got two devastating phone calls from two different eye doctors that there was a growth in Jackson's brain.

From that point it has been a whirl wind of action. We have met with an Oncologist, and a Neurosurgeon. They stopped calling the growth a growth, and started calling it a tumor. We have had blood work done, a third MRI, more blood work and now we are scheduled for a biopsy on Thursday.

Our son has a brain tumor. No matter how many times I say it, it still takes my breath away.

The biopsy is more than just a normal biopsy. Because of the location of the tumor, the biopsy is major brain surgery.

We have been blessed with such a great support system of family and friends around us. We are amazed at the love we have felt.

This is an incredible trial that we are going through as a little family. And it is far from over. After the biopsy/ brain surgery we will wait patiently for 7 days for the pathology report. From there we will work with the doctors to find out the best possible treatment plan for Jackson. This is a long road that we are on, but we find comfort knowing that we are not on the road alone. We are so grateful that there are so many out there that are on Team Jackson.