Dealing With Cancer

Dealing with cancer can be a big challenge for anyone. When its your own child its even bigger.

A diagnosis of cancer changed our lives forever. I had a long family history of a rare childhood cancer called Neuroblastoma.

Over 65 years ago my uncle, at age 3 months, died of a "stomach tumor". We now know that this "stomach tumor" was neuroblastoma. The story doesn't end there for my family. I was to lose a cousin at age 4 months, a sister at age 2, my aunt would be diagnosed with it in her early 50's (very rare for an adult) and my own daughter was diagnosed with this dreaded familial disease at age 13 months of age. All would be gone from our lives on this earth forever within a very short time.

Fast forward 18 years and I became pregnant with our latest miracle. A beautiful daughter. During a routine ultrasound when I was 7 months pregnant, there was a "puddle" on the ultrasound. "What is that?" I inquired of the ultrasound tech, She went for the doctor. I again asked "What is that?", only this time I inquired of the doctor. "That is what we are going to talk about she went on." I had shut her out by this time. I knew. My heart stopped for a moment and then I sprang into immediate action.

I called our family doctor and told her our family history in depth. She called a wonderful oncologist she knew. Our daughter was delivered 3 weeks early via C-section. Within an hour of her birth she was having a CAT scan. Within a few hours, we knew she too had Neuroblastoma.

At age 3 weeks we began treatment for our daughter. She would ultimately have 5 major surgeries and 7 rounds of chemotherapy treatment.

I am pleased to report that today, she is a thriving 6 year old in Kindergarten with no signs of the cancer that once threatened to take her very life. We do have to deal with Addison's disease (non functioning or in our case no adrenal glands). But that is nothing compared to the time we spent undergoing chemo and surgeries.

I hope that this blog will help someone else along this journey. Please check back often and feel free to leave your comments or prayer requests.

Together we can help each other through this journey.