For those that know, Children's Hospital of King's Daughters in Norfolk has got great doctors, on call specialists on-site, and the organization to get things done on the Fin' double.  I hope none of you ever have the need of their services.

My oldest boy (7) races karts with me, yesterday was our first practice of the year at Langley Speedway, and he did great.  After his shower to wash away the day's grime, he was complaining of some chaffing, because it happens when you're sweating and moving all day. So Dad was called in to check things out and see what could be done to alleviate his discomfort, drawing on my years of experience in the area.

Instead, I found some very not-normal swelling that wasn't there a few days ago.  Urgent care visit turned into an immediate referral last night to CHKD, where he was admitted immediately.  After Ultrasound and CT scans, he was added to the OR list as an add-on for today, and they removed a 5cm mass and his right testicle.

Immediate pathology came back good, but we have to wait till the end of the week for the final testing to know what we're dealing with.  The immediate good news was the mass was encapsulated in a hydrocele, and my wife and I are hoping that's the end of it, but in the meantime I just have to share how positive our experience has been so far for a service nobody ever wants to use.

The immediate downside is that he's going to be on very limited exercise for 30 days, he's got a 3 year old brother, and they rough house like professionals.  Even if we're out of the woods, we're going to have our hands full.

Man, that's rough. I hope he is doing better soon, and back to roughhousing. 

Second that for CHKD in Norfolk, nothing but exceptional work and care.  

And if I may get personal, I was in the same boat as your son when I was younger than 1 - not cart racing of course.  Had one removed as well and everything worked fine even through my younger years.  Wife and three children later and still going strong.  

Sorry to hear of your boy but you all are in good hands.

Yeah, my wife was concerned with that, but I and the doc assured her that he'll be fully functional with one.

Good to hear he's in good hands.  

All my hopes for the best possible diagnosis and fast healing.  

He came home around just after lunch time today.  He's his normal self, aside from twinging when jumping off the couch too fast.

Our follow up for the rest of the answers and results is Wednesday next week.

Wow.  

I'm glad that everything fell into place for your little man, and that he's on the road to recovery.

Initial pathology came in on Friday.  Rhabdomyosarcoma

We were supposed to meet with oncology tomorrow, but the final final pathology isn't complete, so we've been pushed back until next Tuesday.  Could still meet with them earlier, but Tuesday is the hard date.

The good news:  He's had the entire mass removed with good margins, he's young, and all the scans they've done so far have come up dry.

The bad news: He'll still have to go through chemo and radiation treatments as a preventative measure against recurrence because of the type of tumor removed.

Also pretty sure the mass was abdominal in growth direction, which means the movement and activity at the race track likely allowed it to migrate down where we could catch it.

As soon as we've put all this behind us and I know he's ok, I plan on running "Racing Saves Lives" decals on everything I strap into the rest of my life, that gives me something to look forward to that makes me grin.

Sorry to hear but stay positive.  Stay strong.  
Fuck cancer.

Hope your boy is okay. I have two seven year old boys so this hits home. I didn't have kids when I lived/worked in Norfolk. I worked security part time at Sentara Norfolk General in addition to the PD and I was always impressed with Kings Daughters, you are in good hands.

He's doing good, bummed on not being able to race, or go to karate class, or crazy physical activity, but he's making the best of it by trying to leverage as much video game time as he can (he normally gets maybe 3 hours a week).

We met with the docs yesterday, he's going to start 22 chemo treatments over 24 weeks, starting tomorrow.

Fuck cancer. My thoughts are with your little guy, I've got one of my own going through some stuff but nothing like this.

Thanks for everyone's concern.

I'm not looking for anything.  Between me and the wife, we're inundated with offers of all kinds, I started posting here not because I figured you guys wouldn't care, but since it's more anonymous (though with any amount of looking at past posts I've made here in the VA HTF, anybody can figure out who I am), the over the top "let me help" would be much, much less. And in the future, if I want to look back at things, I figured this thread would be much trimmer than other (facebook) online areas.

Anyway, I have the little kid, wife's with the big kid at the hospital (siblings aren't allowed to be present during chemo treatments), he had his portocath put in around lunch time today, now they're trying to get his hydration levels right to get his first round of chemo done tonight.  

Hopefully he weathers the cocktail well, they say the first round is the roughest.  He should be home sometime tomorrow, and the rest of the treatments should be out-patient basis.

Fuck Cancer indeed.