After the April chemotherapy, Dr. Long called us into his office and told us that Ricky’s X-rays and tests had all been gone over carefully and, as far as they could tell, there was no evidence of disease.
Now it was possible to think about a fusion of the vertebrae in the neck and eventually, maybe at Christmas, Ricky could be out of the brace and walking around like a normal ten-year-old boy.
We were all overjoyed. Ricky began talking about his bionic neck and how he would be playing football.
He had one more course of chemotherapy, just to make sure, and then he could go home and get ready for his marvelous operation. The first seven vertebrae would be fused, using good bone from the upper thigh, and then he would be in a striker frame. It would be worth the long, hard recovery.
We talked it all over with Ricky. He wanted to go to Disneyland before his operation. We knew that after the fusion there would be months in bed and very little movement, so we went ahead with plans for a trip to Disneyland.
The hospital wrote letters and made arrangements with the special tour people at Disneyland. We would be able to drive right up to the gate and would be given a wheel chair there.
Chapter 16 to follow
