Hey! I realize that I have been so horrible at updating our blog the past 6 months!! But that is about to change!! From now on it is my JOB to do this, also my therapy!
On Saturday, March 13 we took Chase into the ER at Primary Childrens Hospital because his back was hurting and it was making him walk a little funny. (9 days before this we had been up there because he couldn't move his neck & after a million tests, they sent us home)... We got to the ER about noon and since his blood work was fine a week earlier and his CT Scans were good I was convinced that it was nothing serious and that he had just fallen and hurt his back, he's a boy he gets hurt all the time. So they took X Rays of his back and hips, all were normal... Good - but what is the problem? So at 4:30 they finally put in an IV and took blood and put him on fluids. An hour later they came and told us that they were admitting us to Oncology because he had Leukemia..... SHOCK!! I couldn't believe it! My baby boy has Cancer! I wanted to throw up and break things and crawl in a whole and scream and cry... Nothing can prepare you for this, every parents worst nightmare! So in 9 days it presented itself... On the 4th his blood work was fine, a little anemic but fine and then on the 13th his blood work showed no question that he has Leukemia(Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or ALL). So at Noon on Sunday, the 14th (just 24 hours after went to the ER to have them look at his hurt back) he went in for Surgery to have a PORT put in his chest (a permanent IV so that he doesn't need to get IV's in his hand all the time), they took Bone Marrow from his hip and he had an LP, a spinal tap to check his spinal fluid and then a shot of Chemo in his spine to go to his brain. Then on Monday he had a Chemo that is called Vinchristine that goes in his Port, he will get this every Monday for the next month. Also on Monday he started oral chemo twice a day which is basically very strong steroids, the side effects are "Roid Rage". Then yesterday he had a LAP shot in this thy muscle that was HUGE and BRUTAL!!! He is so brave! My LITTLE BIG HERO!! It's all happening so fast, no obvious warning but also no time to dwell on it, which is a blessing! We spent the week at the hospital and got to come home yesterday. We are very lucky that his treatment will be done as outpatient! We only have to go to Clinic on Mondays for the chemo in his PORT. Also on Mondays he will continue to get spinal taps with more chemo to the brain and bone marrow taken from his hip. If he needs fluids or more blood transfusions we will be able to do it there also. So barring any weird side effect or sicknesses we will be able to be at home! The bad news is that his treatment will take at least 3 years so this is our new "normal". The good news or the GREAT news is that ALL has a 95% cure rate! So he WILL be absolutely fine and cancer free but it will just take a while! There is no doubt in my mind that he will pull through this, he is so strong and so brave! Of all of my kids he is the most positive and go with the flow, I know he can do this! Besides it is really our only option! His hair will start falling out in the next few weeks so next Friday we are having a "Head Shaving Party", anyone that would like to join us is welcome to! My cousin Alysia does hair and she is bringing her clippers and clipping anyone that wants to help support Chaser! We are charging $5 a person and donating it to children's cancer research, we figure it is a fast, fun & easy way to support the cure! There are so many places my mind has taken me this week that I feel like I am a different person than I was 6 days ago. I've learned so much that I never wanted to know, ignorance was sooooo bliss for me. I follow so many blogs about sick kids and wonder where these parents find the strengh and how they do it everyday. And now I know that you don't even have to look for the strength, as Mommy's and Daddy's it is in our DNA... I wouldn't trade Chase for the world so I know that whatever kind of Hell we are facing I am ready for it, bring it on! We will do this and be that much stronger after words!!! There is no doubt in my mind that the pleasure of being his Mommy will be worth all the PAIN!!!! Pray for my little man and ALL of the kids that I met this week that are in the same boat or worse!! God Bless Everyone!
