Miracle Milestone Part 1

It was 5 years ago, Novemeber 16th, 2005, to be exact, that a miracle took place.

For those of you who aren't quite familiar with The Bone Jangler Family, I have a nephew/son. His name is Gregory, Greggy for short. While he isn't my biological son, he's my son in every other conceivable way, just as I am much more of a father figure to him. Back in October of 2005, Greggy came home from school one day, with a large bump, on his forehead. It wasn't there when he left for school that morning. When asked, "Did you fall down, and hit your head, today, at school?" He had no answer. "Did you run into something?" Nothing. "Did someone hit you?" Nothing. "Where did you get that bump on your head?" Greggy asked, "WHAT BUMP?" When his hand was placed on the bump, a confused look appeared on his face. He had no idea where it came from.

At the end of the month, shortly before Halloween, the bump was still there, the exact same size. He was taken to see a doctor. The doctor ran tests, and did some x-rays. In conclusion, he had no idea where the bump had come from, but was glad it was there, because it caused him to look inside. What he found inside was something called a "benign dermatoid;" a sort of cyst/tumor that only 1% of people develop. Actually, they're born with it, but no no one knows it's there until about the time they turn 18. At that point, they begin having severe headaches that become more frequent, and increasingly more severe, until they're constant, and their vision begins to get foggy. At that point, they fearfully go to the doctor, thinking that, perhaps, they have a brain tumor. As rare as these benign dermatoids are, the doctors recognize them right away, and, usually, simply send these people home, as it's too late to do anything about it. What happens is these things burrow into your brain over the years, and, by the time the symptoms arrive, there's not much that can be done. That bump was the first miracle.

Surgery would have to be performed, and the dermatoid removed. Everything about this thing was 1%. Only 1% of people survive the surgery, without dying, or becoming a "vegetable." Thankfully, one of only 3 doctors able to perform this risky surgery operated in the Chicagoland area, and would be Greggy's surgeon.

Greggy's surgery was scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 16th, 2005, and it was a scary time. Just a few months earlier, I'd created our 2nd TV program: "The Bone Jangler's Daytime Dungeon," a show I'd come up with for Greggy. Just 8 days before his life-or-death surgery, we taped what would become Greggy's TV debut, which would appear on episode #2 of "Daytime Dungeon." We had a great shoot, taping in a huge park, frolicing in the Autumn leaves. Talk about fun! However, this could've easily wound up also being Greggy's TV farewell.

More to come, tomorrow...