a mother's reflections - jan. 28/11

The long and short end of the stick.

by Vivian Ketchum on Friday, January 28, 2011 at 4:12pm

 I think I am beginning to understand what Tyler has, not the tumour, just how this is going to be like the next year or so

Tyler has a unknown brain tumour. The tumour is causing hydrocephalus and it is a bleeding tumour. Those two factors are creating complications such as the seizures, headaches, fever, infections etc. Those two health problems can be dealt with in the short term time frame and does pose a immedaite health risk to him.Part of the reason he is in the ICU unit right now

The longer term is the bleeding which the doctors haven't been able to control or stop. They have tried waiting and more waiting and numersous drains in different areas of his  head. The doctors want to do more and see approach, this has been the main idea since this began in October.

If they can control or stop the bleeding of the tumour, then it is radiation of the tumour, which might not happen foor another six months, is my guess. The radiation treatments are on long term basis, maybe another six months? The tumour is unknown and inoperable.

If Tyler does manage to get through all that, it is rehab for him.

During all this might mean more then one visit to the ICU unit and long term stays in the hospital.

I am hoping for the best outcome out of all this. That Tyler makes through each stage of this journey, but I am fully aware of the risks involved. Each time I have come across a health risk, I ask for prayer and it has helped.

tyler update - thurs nite

tyler update via rev marg, 012711 pm: Tyler is holding his own They needed to give him a heavy dose of anti seizure meds last night and it affected his level of consciousness enough that he needed help breathing. More decisions regarding his care will be made after the test results from today are in and the Doctors consult. 11 hours ago

012711 - a turn for the worse

tyler update 012711, via rev marg: Tyler Ketchum's condition is failing. He is being transferrd to ICU tonight. The Tumor is bleeding out again and his brain is stressing out from the pressure. Pray. 8 hrs ago

info on donating to the ketchum relief fund - jan 23/11

Friends - here's the latest update from Rev. Margaret of Winnipeg Inner City Missions:

Tyler is failing. This weeks problems have been; the tumor bled out again and his brain pressures and pain level went up, he is having seizures that have not gotten controlled well enough with meds yet, he has a fever from an infection in his brain caused by the external shunt to drain the fluids and blood which keeps the pressure in his head from causing damage, and they inserted a feeding tube through his nose to help keep his strength up. He is floating in and out of consciousness. When he is awake he is aware and talking. He is calmly accepting what each day brings and still concerned about others more than himself. His parents Vivian and Lenny, and Tyler and I all know this is not good. We are just taking one day at a time leaving the outcome in God's capable hands. He is getting excellent care and attention from the medical and surgical teams working with him. Good news - Vivian's sister Pauline is here and with Vivian. 

LD: The situation is taking its toll financially on Tyler's family. WICM has set up a Ketchum family relief fund - and donations made to it receive a tax receipt from WICM.

For those who wish to help, you can send snail mail donations to:

Winnipeg Inner City Missions

P.O. Box 2444 Station Main

Winnipeg Manitoba R3C 4A7

For those inclined to send donations online, I have set up a donations  button thru my PayPal account and will forward your donation to WICM. Find the donation button on this webpage:

http://www.sumacksix.com/hhyouthmissionteam/tyler.html

Thanks so much for your ongoing support of the Ketchum family.

tough times, 011811, via vivian and rev marg

vivian: Tyler has had a crazy two days. Yesterday he was running a very high fever and his heart started beating too fast and too slow in rapid succession. He was delerious for a while and unconscious for a while and recovered again. Today he started seizuring and they had trouble getting it under control. He was totally unresponsive for a couple of hours. After the crisis he wakes and starts talking to us again.


- My son has begun his journey home. I and his dad will hold his hand as much as possible. Not sure how long or short the journey will be, but it will be done with love and respect. I read Tyler 1 Corth 13:7 this afternoon .


rev. margaret: Today after the crisis he asked me if I though we were winning the fight. I said with God whatever happens we win and he said okay just keep praying! I do not want to give this boy any false hope. He knows this tumor is very aggressive. He is not ready to let it win. Watching him suffer is difficult. Experiencing his courage and his concern for others is delightful.


- re Tyler Ketchum - The Doctors cannot treat the tumor with radiation or gamma knife until the blood clears out of the brain so they can get a clear picture. He bleeds out. It stops. The spinal fluid gets clear. They think they can start treatment and something happens again.


- Tyler has had a crazy two days. Yesterday he was running a very high fever and his heart started beating too fast and too slow in rapid succession. He was delerious for a while and unconscious for a while and recovered again. Today he started seizuring and they had trouble getting it under control. He was totally unresponsive for a couple of hours. After the crisis he wakes and starts talking to us again.

recent updates- jan 15/16

via vivian, jan 16/11 - Tyler's pain level is at its max, so they have medicated him so that he is in a deep sleep. The nurse wakes up him to do vitals and you can see by his eyes, he is alot of pain. Even when he is in deep sleep, tears roll out from the corners of eyes, the pain reaches him there. As much as I want my son to stay alive, I can't bear to see him in that much pain.
2 hours ago

via rev marg, jan 15/11 - Tyler Ketchum update: 24 year old Aboriginal youth has an aggresive brain tumor. It is taking too long to get a firm diagnosis and he is failing. This young man grew up in 'the hood' and stayed good. He Completed grade 12 and security guard training and had a full time job with APTN. He wants to be a police officer. Pray he hangs in long enough for them to figure out how to treat this. It is inoperable. 
22 hours ago 

update - jan 15/11, via vivian

The news about my son hasn't changed that much. He still has a drain in his head. They are waiting for the bleeding to clear up and he had a recent CT scan done today, there is still lots of old blood. Now anther issue has shown up, wieght loss, he has lost close to 70 pds and can't lose any moore.

Yesterday at 7:50pm ·

• • One doctor told me there was blood that has shown up in the spine MRI. He said that could be good news if there is another tumour there, they could get a piece of it. I told him that is your version of good news, another tumour? They will d another MRI in a week or so to see if ther are any changes. My poor boy will be glowing from all the CT scans and MRI tests.

more bleeding 010211

via rev. margaret: Was just up to the hospital to see Tyler Ketchum at noon today
His tumor started bleeding again yesterday
by this a.m. they could not wake him up
By 2 p.m. today he was waking up some.
Keep praying!