Andrew "Drew" Coleman

Welcome to Andrew's CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

On June 27 Drew woke up with pain in his arm.  He came home from baseball saying he couldn't move his arm.  By that time he had developed a low grade fever.  On June 28 Drew visited the Doctor and blood work was taken.  That blood work showed an elevated c-reacvtive protein.  Drew was sent home and told to follow up with orthopedics on July 5.  On July 5th he was sent home with a clean bill of health to resume his usual activity.  Later in the afternoon they found abnormalities in the x-ray and was told to follow up on July 13 with pediatric orthopedics.  On July 9 Drew's humerus fractured.  

On July 12,  Drew was diagnosed with osteomyelitis (bone infection) and  was admitted to hospital to have surgery to obtain a biopsy to determine the cause of the infection and confirm the diagnosis.  The following day he had a PIC line placed for IV Antibiotics.  On July 16th,  Andrew was sent home with daily doses of antibiotics for 6 weeks.  

Unfortunately, they were not able to grow any infectious material  to determine the cause of the infection, so back to the operating room for another biopsy on Tuesday, July 19th.  It was important to accurately determine the cause of the infection so the right antibiotic could be provided. This also allowed them to rule other causes of the infection and tumors. Nothing grew the second time either. 

After several weeks of daily antibiotic treatments, x-rays and appointments it was felt the antibiotics were working, and the bone fracture and infection were healing.  However, just to be sure the biopsies were  sent to another hospital for evaluation.  After review, they confirmed Andrew had Ewing's Sarcoma on Friday, August 12th.  Thus began our journey at Mayo Health Systems in Rochester, MN.  

This has been difficult for the whole family.  We are working hard to keep Drew and Jack on schedule and keep life as normal as possible.  Drew has been a rock, who has held us all together.  When asked how he felt about the road ahead, Drew replied, "The doctor told me that some kids with cancer have no treatment options, but mine is treatable. So we are going to get it!"