Pleasant Surprises

It's been a long, good day. I'm tired, so this will be quick. Keith is doing excellent. Surgery went very well. The neurosurgeon believes he got all of the tumor except for some remnants near the cranial nerves next to the brain stem. (Obviously he didn't want to touch those. That would affect Keith's ability to swallow and affect function and feature in his facial nerves.)
The neurosurgeon is pretty confident that with radiation and chemo those residual tumor cells can be "mopped up" quite well. We certainly hope so. We'll know after the MRI tomorrow exactly where we stand, but he called it a "gross tumor resection" which are the exact words we needed to hear for the best outcome for Keith.
The pediatric anesthesiologist was impressed at the resilience of Keith and his ability to come out of anesthesia so quickly. He called him "an amazing kid" especially considering how small he is for a 3 year old.
Keith is doing so much better after this surgery than the last resection surgery. It probably has to do with the fact that he didn't need a blood transfusion this time and that the tumor was not so deep. It was also nice that he didn't have to remain sedated for a day and a half. They were able to wake him right away. He was talking to us within 30 minutes of surgery and begging for popcicles immediately. (At one point, he tore the stick out of my hand and shoved it into his mouth--showing extraordinary strength and coordination post-surgery. I was cracking up. Only happy tears today.)
He even looks great. The swelling is minimal and he is able to move and speak remarkably well. I can't express how grateful we feel for that.
His scar is unforgettable. It is exactly in the shape of a number "7" on the back of his head. I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow. I suppose he'll never need to wear a sports jersey, as long as his coaches allow him to be number 7 for the rest of his life.

Anyway, we are deeply humbled by the support of so many and by Heavenly Father's answer to our prayers. Considering the news that kept getting worse and worse the first few days of this month, we are truly amazed and grateful for where we stand today. We know our prayers have been heard and answered. We appreciate the physicians, nurses and other medical staff who have used their talents to bless the lives of others. We are humbled by the bravery and resilience of a special little boy and are grateful for more time we get to spend with him. Keith isn't finished teaching us yet and we still have a lot more to learn.