We headed back to Philadelphia for more follow-up appointments, hoping for a little more clarity. Instead, we left with more information, more options to consider…and a few more decisions to make.

We met with the surgeon first, and the news was encouraging. Kobe’s head is healing really well. The surgeon talked with us about doing a skin graft, but at this point I think Kobe is going to let it continue to heal on its own rather than create another wound that would need to heal, too.

For now, we’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing…daily bandage changes. It isn’t exactly anyone’s favorite part of the day, but the wound continues to improve, so we’ll stick with what seems to be working.

We also met with the radiation oncologist to discuss the possibility of radiation therapy.

It was a lot of information to take in.

One option would involve four weeks of radiation treatments in Philadelphia, coming home on the weekends. As you can imagine, there are a lot of things to consider, especially when balancing the potential benefits with the possible side effects.

At this point, we haven’t made any decisions about radiation. We really want to hear what Kobe’s oncologist thinks before moving forward. Early on, he encouraged us to have the conversation with radiation oncology, but also shared that based on how things have progressed, radiation may not be the direction we ultimately take.

So, for now, we’re gathering information, asking questions, and waiting for our next oncology appointment before making any final decisions.

One thing this journey has taught us is that there are rarely simple answers. We’re incredibly grateful to have a medical team that encourages questions and takes the time to explain every option.

As always, thank you to everyone who continues to pray, check in, and encourage our family. Every message, prayer, and kind word has carried us through more than you’ll ever know.

For now, we’re thankful for healing, hopeful for what lies ahead, and continuing to take it one appointment at a time.

With coffee, hope & one step at a time ☕🤍

– Stacy