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Welcome to Your Story: Please share comments, stories, poems, ideas, helpful info, etc This is your chance to have a voice on the KCN site.... We look forward to your stories of encouragement in the midst of your cancer battle. Think of this as an opportunity to cheer others on!
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(Note to grieving parents/families: please visit another section of our site (grieving parents)...Thank you for your discretion.)
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January 20, 2011
Shortly after I turned 2 years old, my mom and dad noticed a white spot in my right eye. After a few weeks of wondering, they took me to the doctor, because after doing some reading, they thought I had caught a virus from our new puppy that was messing with my eye. The doctor quickly noticed a tumor in my eye, and sent us to an eye doc the next day. The day we met with the eye doc, we were sent 5 hours away to Iowa City, Iowa, where I was officially diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer that affects the retina of the eye. My eye had to be removed the next day to save my life. I went through 5 surgeries all together, and 6 rounds of chemotherapy. Today, I'm cancer free!!!! I have to be put under anestesia ever 3 months to make sure I'm still healthy, and we have to drive over 300 miles for every appointment. During the first year, we made that trip over 30 times!!!! I'm so happy to be healthy now, and I'm looking forward to living a cancer free life!
Colton Barker, age 3 Iowa
Retinoblastoma
staciabarker@msn.com
April 06, 2010
Madeleine, age 5
wilm's tumor stage 3
TN
Madeleine, 5 years old, very active, beautiful .In January 2009 , after her belly was swollen, we took her to the hospital. The diagnosis was terrible.Wilms tumor , at stage 3. After a first operation that was supposed to remove the tumor, doctors realized they could not touch it, it was everywhere( intestin, lower abdomen, blood vaissels.) So after 5 days in ICU and 6 weeks of chemo, doctors went back again , remove the kidney and all the tumor. It 's amazing that she is still alive and doing so well.She is still undergoing chemo and 7 radiations and we all believe she is gonna make it.Be hopeful , strong and always positive. Together we are going to fight all types of cancer.Thanks to all Doctors , nurses that are saving children's live.
October 12, 2009
Hailey, age 3 CA
rmkent441@hotmail.com
Infantile All/mll
Hailey was born on June 6th 2006 prematurely along with her twin brother Ryan. They were born at 33 weeks and 5 days. They both required oxygen and needed to learn how to eat. They spent 15 days in the NICU. They both came home and seemed to be progressing nicely but shortly after Hailey began having problems with her health. She began vomiting and getting Petichae(pinpoint bruising) and running low grade fevers, after several trips to the pediatrician & being misdiagnosed with a typical virus Hailey was sent to the emergency room at Tarzana Hospital and was then rushed to Children's Hospital Los Angeles on October 4th 2006. She was in critical condition & was not expected to make it through the night,she was diagnosed with a rare aggressive form of Leukemia ( Infant ALL with the mll gene) she started an aggressive high dose chemo
regimen the next day and achieved remission on day 28. She has spent a total of ten months of her life as an in patient & countless days in the day hospital. She was an extremely sick baby and had several infections and fevers along the way, seizures and many many surgeries and spinal taps. Afer four months and still on chemo she relapsed in February 2007. She was started on another even higher dose of chemo to get her into a temporary remission so a bone marrow transplant could be performed. During this time she had several setbacks with infections but was eventually back into remission. Unfortunately her brother Ryan was not a close enough match so the search began for a marrow donor. There were no perfect matches on the National Marrow Donor Registry so we held several marrow drives but Hailey was too sick to wait.
Hailey received a mismatched Umbilical cord blood transplant on May 30th 2007 at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Afer an intense conditioning regimen she recieved her transplant and spent another four months in the bone marrow unit. She was extremely sick but got to come home on September 4th 2007 and she is still at home under strict house isolation along with her twin brother Ryan who is also isolated so that he wont bring any illnesses home to Hailey. She has developed Acute and Chronic Graft versus host disease (where the donor cells attack her cells)do to the mismatched transplant. She must stay at home indoors and avoid the sun. She also suffered from VOD (venous occlusive disorder) but she is free from it now. She takes several medications daily and is on high dose steroids & anti-rejection drugs. She is also recieving in home therapy, physical, Occupational, Feeding and speech four to five times a week and has to go back to Children's Hospital weekly. Her risk of relapse is very high but we continue to pray this will never happen, this would require another transplant which is usually not very successful. She has recently lost her hair again and it is believed it may be due to the graft versus host disease and she is having Thyroid problems due to the chemo she recieved. She still has issues eating but she is quite happy most of the time in spite of everything she has been through and has recently learned how to walk. She is a very strong baby girl and she is our hero & a true miracle from God.
August 11, 2009
"Ethan" was born on June 12, 2009, a healthy 7lb 11oz. Ethan was a very active, vibrant 6 yr old that played soccer and t-ball. He loves his sisters and his ponies and loved to ride his 4-wheeler. On January 6, 2009, he came down with a fever that lasted for more than 4 weeks. After hearing for several weeks from his pediatrician that "sometimes kids just get fevers for no reason" he was finally referred to Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma where he was diagnosed on February 3, 2009, with Embryonal Undifferentiated Sarcoma, a very rare malignant cancer affecting mostly a pediatric population. The 11 cm mass in his liver surely would have killed him if left untreated. So he spent the next 3 months receiving toxic chemotherapy which ultimately reduced the mass in size but it remained unresectable. After 6 rounds of Isofosfamide and Doxorubicin, Ethan received a full liver transplant from a living donor on May 30, 2009. This rare procedure called a "Domino Tranplant" allowed two children's lives to be saved. Ethan is now in recovery and will begin new chemotherapy to remove any "left over" cancer cells that may remain behind. He now begins a new journey as a cancer survivor and transplant recipient. We are not sure why our family was chosen for this journey but we are trying to find that light at the end so we can make our way to some sort of "normal" again.
Ethan, age 7 OK
rhenry3@cox.net
Embryonal Undifferentiated Sarcoma
July 17, 2009
Jasmine, age 16 CA
ricanfeva@comcast.net
brother has Retinoblastoma
My name is Jasmine and I am an older sibling to one sister and two brothers with two loving parents. Some people complain on how bad or difficult thier life is, but I think they are wrong in a way because when I think about people with cancer, I wonder on how they get through it. I guess I can say I know now. My brother is three years old but he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of one and a half, he has gone through what believe no other kid should go through in life that young. My brother... I guess you can call him little soldier just because he has gone through so much in life. I mean come on now almost two and a half years of chemotherapy and still continuing to go on. The cancer that he was diaginosed which is called Retinoblastoma which is cancer of the eyes, it is one of the most deadliest childhood cancers. Our family has gone through our ups and our downs but we always turn to God and he just always seems to be there when we need him the most. I do believe my brother has a guardian angle with him at all times. Now when I ask my brother "who blesses you?" He says, "He does", and points straight up to the sky. I think his biggest down fall was Radiation because he just seemed always tired and his eyes weren't the same,they were always red and had a dry skin look to them all the time.He has also lost his hair do to chemo, but that was about 8 months ago he now has a full head of hair, it is always wild when he wakes up. He just started going outside alot more so he wears his Batman sunglasses that I bought him.His eyes are very sensitive to the sun.It is just so funny because when he is outside you can't get him back in. Through this time of him recieving chemo we have suffered great losses but at the same time gained so many other great things.I do believe that every time there is a closed door God opens a window. I think what has kept our family strong is faith with God. My message to everyone is to never give up and always have faith no matter what happens to you!!
May 05, 2009
Aurora, age 12 AB
SAA
aurorabunny@shaw.ca
Last year my young friend Parker Stanley Anderson last year passed away a day before his mom's birthday this year Briony Fast passed away the day after valentines day and a day before family day. These true heros will always be close to my heart in heaven always.
Briony Fast 1992-2009 February 15th
Parker Stanley Anderson 2002-2008 April 3rd
We will miss them dearly I feel for every one who's lost someone to cancer... or well,
anything really. I am still sad but they truly are in a better place.
For me its really hard because I have a blood disorder so there is like a 50-50 chance I'll live.
It was 2 years ago on February 16th 2007 -normal day for normal people but for me thats my life changing moment. The next year I went to Disney World and Ontario. Then in September I went into the hospital for my bone marrow transplant on September 23rd 2008. I was reborn (though I really don't remember anything from the hospital my mom took pictures of my cord blood lol cool huh). Everyone I know has been through worse (1000 times worse).
ACH Angels
I have met a thousand angels and in a way I can't say how theve helped me. There's April, there's Rav, there's so many more and in a way I cant say thank you- oops I just did.
Well I'm off... bye every one! Thanks for reading my story!
January 26, 2009
laura age 13
non-hogdkins lymphoma
lmf590@hotmail.com
it all started around feburary 2008, i was on a ski trip with my school and it was all going fine, but then i fell off the chair lift and got piled on, but i got back up and continued skiing anyways.
I didnt really notice anything until i got home that day, my leg was kidna swollen, kinda red, kinda sore, but i thought, oh well, i'll just take some advil, (which i lived off of, since i played almost every sport thinkable no matter how sick or in pain i was ) so i lived on advil for about two weeks, evenutally i started setting my alarm in the middle of the night, to wake me up to take more pain killers so i could sleep, and not wake up in pain, becuase boy, it was so painful, i wouldnt be able to sleep or even move if i didnt have pain killers in me.
My parents we're amazed that i needed the painkillers that bad, and that one night when the painkillers didnt kick in did the trick. my father took me to emerg and i saw some docters, they said it was probley a pulled muscle and to rest it for a week.
That's what i did, and it didnt get better, instead i started feeling pain in my lower back too, But it wouldnt stop me, i still did everything i ever had before, i got up every morning, did my hair, walked a km to school , excelled in school, played basketball at school with a junior high team, played badminton then played a championship basketball game and got player of the game.
but now i had unbearable pain not only in my leg grion, (top of my leg) but also in my lower back, and it wasnt getting any better although i was icing it for most of the day for about a week.
my dad took my to a muscle expert, who suspected it was not a pulled muscle so a couple days later, back to emerg.
We saw the same docter, which was very lcuky, he said, it should have been better by two weeks, so we had some scans done. After getting the results, the doctor sat us down and told us i had non-hodgkins lymphoma.
I was devastated. My perfect life;shattered.
I now was scuelued for a biopsy of my tumor in my groin and other tumor in my lower back, and they took a sample of my bone marrow.
I started my first round of chemo March 28 2008; my 13th birthday. I was supposed to be out-paitent, but right after going home from chemo, i was too sick and was admitted.
I dont remember much of that part of my treatment, my doctor said there's a place in your brain that blocks out memories until you are strong enough to handle them.
But i do remember getting multiply visits from certain friends, and small amounts of visits from other friends.
i also remmeber losing my hair,
That was probley the worst, my hair was my eveyrhting. I straighted it, curled it, loved it.
when it started falling out it was horrible but i was for suer not getting it cut.
I was snet back home after a week, and was now starting my year long of chemo. Each week for six weeks i had chemo. then i had pills. lots of pills. at one point, i had to be admitting for vomiting up everytime i took a pill.
After finishing the first six chemos, my remission cycles started. Now every three weeks, i got chemo, plus five days of 22 pills each day. I still have trouble taking pills. and i cant drink ornage juice becuase it makes my stomach turn, ( i took all my pills with orange juice when i started)
But now i am on chemo cycle number 10 out of 15 and every time i get through another five cycles, (cycle 5,10,15)I get to go out to dinner with my family to celebrate.
I am now back at school, back with my striaght As, which i have managed to keep since i started everything, back to making all the junoir high teams, back to playing all my sports, back to hanging with my friends, back to my size 1 body.
Of course there's some down sides, I have a portacath by my left rip, which i get my chemo through, it is a metal device played right under my skin whcih a tube that goes through to my artiries. It feels really werid when i get hit there, but i get through that, i figure, it could be worse. I also have really short hair, its about an inch and a half. so i wear my wig right now, but after christmas, my wigs gone. :]
Im not as fast as i was before and i definitley do not have the stamina, but im building it up, and i can still play a full basketball game runing up and down the court.
But theres also up sides,
alot of people never know who there true friends are, im different. Going through this really gives me the chance to see my true friends shine. The people i thought we're my besties, visited me once, through all the days i stayed at the hospital, ditched me, and when i was back at school, basically kicked me out of their clique.
My true friends we're always there for me, i had one girl who left school everyday at lunch to come visit me in the hospital and update me. Now when they say, through thick and thin, i know they mean it.
Now im stronger, more confident and have a new perceptive on life. and im here to face the world. yes, i have very high excepttions for myself, hgiher they i have or any body else, but thats just me, I know i can run for an hour, i know i can score 30 points, i know i can do it all. Even with this cancer.
And when im done. it will be the happiest moment of my life.
Anyways,
i just wnated to share my story, and i would really like someone to talk to, so add me on msn ?
kay,
:]
September 28, 2008
Ivory's angel
I felt terrible
For almost a year
Then they gave us the news
That mom always feared.
The doctor then said
The CT scan came back
I'm sorry to tell you
She has a brain mass
Ed Kosnick was my doctor.
God placed me in his hands,
As he took out the cancer
That invaded my brian.
The road has been rough
But i kept on fighting.
I thought I was dong fine
Until I saw Mom crying.
Then I reached out my hand
In my own special way,
To comfort my Mom
As she wept that day.
My sweet voice told her
That i would be okay
Because I had a vist
From my Agnel that day.
She had a white dress
With long pretty hair
Her presence gave me comfort
I was no longer scared
No matter what happens
I've been blessed from Above
With my Guardian Angel
Who now shares my love.
To my family and friends
Please be thankful today
My Angel's beside me
In a new special way.
To comfort and love me
Sent from the father above
To guide my caregivers
With God's tender love.
I give out bracelets
To whom I meet
Pray Until Some Thing Happens
We've accomplished this feat.
My grin is contagois
Now i laugh more then I cry
My life is my leagacy
Blessed by God from on high.
by joyce brezny CNP
August 29, 2008
It all started with the suggestion from my driving instructor that I should be tested for ADHD for my safety on the road, his suspicions proved to be correct little did we know I had a much bigger problem.
It was mandatory to receive a physical before starting my adhd medicine and during the examination, the pediatrician noticed my thyroid felt enlarged and also thought she felt a swollen lymph node. Right away the pediatrician ordered an ultrasound of my thyroid even though a blood test showed my thyroid levels to be within normal range. Results from the ultrasound showed two nodules on my thyroid so I had to be seen by a pediatric endocrinologist.
The endocrinologist explained to my parents that thyroid nodules in children are very rare which means that there is a higher chance of my nodules to be cancerous. Not for a minute did My parent consider the possibility of my nodule being benign so I was soon to be scheduled for a BIOPSY...skipping the painful fine needle test, due to it's chance of inaccuracy. It was very overwhelming for me to go through a long process to get ADHD medication for driving, and then find myself sitting up on an examining table as the doctor explains to me and my family that I could have cancer.
Finally the of my biopsy came on March 7, 2008 at the Cleveland Clinic. Eventually I was wheeled off with my dad at my side, and the surgeon was listening to "Stronger" by Kanye West (with the lyrics "That that don't kill me, can only make me STRONGER") and that is truly my song after this terrible ordeal. My surgery was scheduled as a routine lobectomy with an initial frozen section biopsy, which was supposed to only take 2 hours.
Once those painful two hours had passed, my parents instinctively knew that I had cancer. One of the doctors gave my parents the mesasge that "Surgery is still going well and progressing".
I woke up in a painful daze and while my eyes were closed I heard my dad whisper to my mom about Papillary thyroid cancer. Neither of my parents made their phone calls in the recovery room and I suspect they did not want to freak me out right as I was recovering from my surgery.
Later, the doctor came to explain what was happening to me. He reassured me that although they had found cancer, I would be okay. He also promised me that I would be able to finish my junior year of high school and probably could hold off getting radiation treatment until May or June. I felt I had made it through the roughest part of the ordeal.
But a week later, my pathology report revealed that my cancer had spread to three of the four lymph nodes they had removed. I was to begin treatment sooner than we anticipated.
After stopping thyroid medication and beginning a low-iodine diet for about a month, my radiation treatment started. When diagnostic scans showed a lot of dangerous tissue still left in my neck and lymph nodes, I needed to receive a high dose of radioactive iodine to kill it off.
For four days following treatment, I had to maintain a distance of 10 feet from other people, and I could not leave my room. It was very hard living in isolation from my parents, but they eventually developed a strategy to safely bring me my food and medicine.
While few would consider a diagnosis of ADHD a blessing, I’m thankful my driving instructor’s suggestion led me to the doctor. Thyroid cancer is slow-growing, and often, in older people, it is discovered so late that it has already spread to the lungs and bone.
Papillary carcinoma is the only kind of thyroid cancer caused directly from radiation exposure. A rambunctious child, I’d had numerous X-rays (head and neck, dental and full body) following accidental injuries. My doctor thinks repeated radiation exposure may have caused my cancer.
Now that I know where to look, I see that photos taken over the years show a little lump in the front of my neck growing ever larger.
After making sacrifices and overcoming this unexpected turn in my life, it is now my mission to make sure everyone is aware of the importance of checking his or her neck and of the dangers associated with excessive X-rays.
It is unfortunate that I had to learned the hard way of the importance of being aware of lumps and other unusual things you may notice on your body. It is a painful memory that I noticed a lump in my neck about three years ago and did not think anything of it. Every 3-6 months for the next 4 years, I will need to have MRIs and examinations to make sure my thyroid cancer does not come back. As a result of the excessive amount of radiation I was exposed to from my treatment and the insurmountable x-rays I received I will also need to full blood counts taken every year as precaution since I am also at risk for leukemia due to the radiation exposure. Everyday I am thankful to be alive and I have already had an article about thyroid cancer published in a local newspaper! Best wishes for everyone!!
Susan F., age 17 OH
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
April 24, 2008
My name is Melanie. I first started out with my battle of Osteosarcoma cancer in 2005. It started in October (2005) when my leg started swelling up, and hurt really badly when I would get home from school. My sister had an old pair of crutches, so I used them, and my parents told me they'd take me to the doctor. But, when that day came, my mom had to cancel the appointment. Then there was another scheduled, and we went. The family doctor thought it was a pulled muscle. But she wasn't sure so she sent me to a specialist. There was x-rays taken of my left femur, and then, when we got back to the room, they called my mom out. Then I saw my dad. I overheard the doctor say, "Bad new's folks'. You're daughter's got a tumor." I didn't know what that meant, but I knew it was bad. REAL bad. We went up to the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester Minnesota, and had 14 rounds of chemotherapy altogether. I also had a limb salvage done with plates and screws. I had a allergic reaction to Methotrexate (chemo) and had a seizure and a stroke. Two Summer's after that I broke my leg. Had another surgery that replaced my plate and screws, and the breakasge was filled in because it wouldnt heal. A couple years before 2008 I went to GKTW (Give Kids the World) Village to go to Disney World, Universal Studios, AND Seaworld for Make A Wish Foundation.
I am now healthy, and just got back from the doctor with a GREAT report. I'm cancer free, and will be able to get off of my crutches in 3 months, for about a total of 4 years. :]
Melanie, age 13 IA
Osteosarcoma
monkey_butt887@hotmail.com
March 19, 2008
My nephew is Shawn and he was diagnosed with a pontine glioma on Dec. 26 2007. We went to MD Anderson in Houston for radiation and chemo. He had a wonderful oncologist and radiologist. He lost his hair, lost weight, tired, etc. but we have great news his tumor is gone for now. He got to come home on Feb 23rd. He has some neuro damage that we are going to work on with physical and occupational therapy. I just wanted to thank everyone out there who was praying for Shawn. For now all our prayers have been answered. They have told us that this tumor will return in the future, but we were supposed to have made it this far, so prayers to = miracles. Thanks again to everyone.
Love and prayers back to all who are in need.
Tandi, TX
nephew with pontine glioma
tkimmgonce@yahoo.com
November 14, 2007
My name is Brittany. About two weeks after I had just turned 9, I was admitted to Wesley Medical center because my pediatrician at home had said that I had a type of cancer called acute lymphocytic leukemia. not knowing what exactly what was happening i made the 4 hour trip in the middly of the night unwillingly along with my parents to the hospital. there i was met by my oncologist and some nurses wanting to start ivs and some medication for a series of test the following day. it was confirmed, set in stone the next day, the day before thanksgiving that i had ALL. My family and friends were notified and I started treatment right away.
I went through numerous ronds of chemo therapy, and thankfully got to go home for chirstmas but only for a few days. when i got home for chirstmas, my family wasn't ready for the sight they saw. I was swollen from the steroids the doc put me on and i had gained a lot of weight but was growing weaker by the hour. the swelling finally went down, but then i was all skin and bones weighing in at 60-70 lbs...a big difference since i went into the hospital weighing almost 100 lbs.
my life consisted of treatments, throwing up, crying, missing school, and crying. if i got to go home after treatment...i went right back to the hospital at most three days later, because i spiked a fever or had an infection. one night i reality hit me when my hair started falling out. this had to be the most devistating part of everything for me considering my hair had been long black indian hair. so my mom called my hair dresser and she cut my hair to a short bob so there would be less to fall out...i didn't go completely bald, but bald enough.
i think the most heartbreaking moment of my whole ordeal was when i almost died on mothers day. i had first been admited to the hospital because of a fever, then early the next morning i hemeraged and was put in the icu, unconcious. my grandma had taken me up there that round, so when the doctor told her to call the family because i wasn't going to make it, she did...and the next day which was mothers day, i was sitting up in bed when my mom and the rest of my family arrived.
my school had a hat day for me when i finally started going back to school at the end of 3rd grade. the superintendent of our district said that under no conditions was i to be failed, and if a teacher tried to fail me from third grade he would make sure it was changed...i made it to fourth grade but only for a little while, because there was a chicken pox out break in our school and i couldn't catch it or else.
i was hospitalized for pneumonia for three weeks, and finished chemo threapy and had one last spinal tap at the end of 5th grade...i had been in remission long enough to be cleared and just continue shots and check ups.
at the end of my 8th grade year we thought my cancer had come back but a check up and a spinal tap cleared it. then during spring break of my first year in hs we thought it was back again...but once again a blood test put me in the clear.
I thank God every day for me being alive. I thank all the nurses and my doctors for helping me get better. i still see my nurses at a camp and i see my oncologist once a year and i'm 18 years old. I'm living proof that it is possible...I am a survivor.
Brittany, KS age 18
marchingbaby_bri23@hotmail.com
Accute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
April 09, 2007
My name is Alanna. When I was 8 years old I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called T-Cell Lymphoma. My Pediatrician put us in touch with a special Doctor at DeVos Children's Hospital, Dr. Al. Dr. Al ordered more tests and also had us meet with the surgeon.
Just a few weeks before my appointment with the surgeon, my Daddy passed away because his heart was sick. I was really sad.
On February 23, 2004, I had surgery to remove the spot on my leg where the lymphoma was and do a bone marrow biopsy. Then he decided what treatment plan we would do.
Because cancer cells had entered my blood, Dr. Al decided to put me on Interferon. I didn't really like the pokes but I got used to them. Pretty soon I didn't even need my "magic" cream (Emla). I started taking Interferon on March 8, 2004, went into remission in July 2004 and finished my treatment on October 31, 2006.
I still have to go to see Dr. Al every other month and have scans every 3 months. So far everything has been okay and I feel good. I have to have scans again next month and see Dr. Al shortly after that.
Alanna, age 12 MI
T-cell Lymphoma
carebears9.1@juno.com
January 17, 2007
I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphona on July 21,2006 I was 10 yrs old going on 11. It all started when my mom noticed a bump on my neck she told me that she was going to take me to the doctor I didn't want to go I was afraid but I'm glad she took me. My doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong with me she ran test but still didn't know, so she referred me to a neck specialist at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles my mom took me still he couldn't understand why I had that bump and why I had no pain. He ordered a CT Scan after the scan he ordered a biopsy (that happened on a Tuesday) he said it will take about a week to get the results so he made an appt. for the next week on Tuesday but it didn't take a week the doctor Knew by Thursday and on Friday they called my mom to tell her to bring me to the hospital that's when the doctor diagnosed me on July 21. At first I didn't understand I was afraid I cried I didn't want to have cancer but after talking to the doctor and he told me that Hodgkins disease is highly curable then I wasn't so afraid. The week after I was diagnosed I had more test done ultrasounds, pulmunary test, another biopsy (bone marrow), CT Scan, and on Monday My parents and I went to see the doctor he explained to us about the Chemo the side effects and that I was stage 1B because I had it Chest and Neck. I never had a fever or night sweats. The next day Tuesday I got a call from the hospital that I needed to be admitted so they could start the chemo. I started Chemo on August 2nd. (I only needed 4 sessions) they gave me 3 days of chemo, the next week only 1 day. We were very careful about people coming to visit me my mom didn't want me to get sick and through out that time I only went to the emergency room 2 times. Once I was sent back home the other time I had to stay overnight for observation. The next morning the doctor came in and told me I had an infection on my Picc line and that I was going to stay in the hospital for at least a week (not good) I cried because I didn't want to be in the hospital for that long and because that week was going to be my last session of Chemo. They gave me Chemo on Friday because the infection wouldn't go away so they had to give me the chemo so they could pull the picc line. My Picc Line was pulled out on Oct. 7th 2006 I cried I was so happy. Now I'm just going for follow up appt. Yesterday january 15th I had a follow up CT Scan. I'm hoping everything is good. I didn't tell you about my hair loss after the first session of Chemo I started loosing my hair. My hair was long so my aunt cut it short but still I couldn't stand that my hair kept falling out every where that I laid I left hair so I told me dad to shave it off I think it was hard for him as it was for me because me being a little girl and him having to shave off my hair I cried when I finally seen myself in the mirror I was afraid that people would laught at me but no one did. My hair is growing now I'm happy. In the beginning I didn't know that there was so many kids with cancer and I thought that I was alone but I've made friends, I go to support groups and now I know I'm not alone. And if anyone wants to be my friend please e-mail me I would love to have more friends.
This is my story
Aileen, age 11 CA
hodgkins lymphoma
aileen_rositas@yahoo.com
January 02, 2007
In 2003 my mom started having a bunch of pains in her stomach and pelvic area. SHe went in for testing and it came back that she had ovarian cancer. I was so scared. I cried so much I'm sure that if I'd had a bucket to catch my teeaers that it would have filled it up. I was in fifth grade then I just didn't believe that my mom could have cancer. I thought that cancer was only for old people. I didn't think my mom would live, she hurt so much. Finally she had surgery and her ovary was taken out. Everyone thought that it was all over, but two weeks ago on Dec.9,2006 I found out that my mom's cancer had returned. I know that with the prayers, hope, and support from all of my family that my mom will get through it. It might be a difficult road but I know in my heart that she will. I'm never going to give up hope and you shouldn't either, no matter what!!!!
Tiffanie G., GA
sniffy_1993@yahoo.com
mom has ovarian cancer
October 20, 2006
Jennie, age 16 New Zealand
jenbabe231@free.net.nz
Mother has Breast Cancer
This is my story
In 2004 my mum got diagnosed with breast cancer. I had just come back from a big holiday away from my family when I came back all was fine, then my mum started having tests done and she wouldn‚t tell me what the tests for I was 14 at the time and after she kept going back for more test I got more worried, when her results came back she told us, (me, my 2 little brothers and my little sister) that she had breast cancer. I didn‚t know what to do so I cried and cried for 3 days, in this time I couldn‚t sleep, when I couldn‚t cry anymore because my eyes hurt to much and I was extremely dehydrated, I began to go over in my head what was going to happen and to me it didn‚t look good. Mum told me she was going to have chemo and radiation therapy. I didn‚t know what this was but I went to school the next day and looked in the library. I have read lots of books but none seem to give me a clear picture in my head what was going to happen, my parents wouldn‚t explain it to me so I was pretty much stuck, everything was left down to my imagination, which was not a good thing your imagination makes everything seem worse than it really is. I was having a hard time copping at school I would start crying at random times, I had arguments with my teachers, I even walked out of my science class because my teacher was frustrating me he didn‚t understand but to me it seemed he didn‚t care, he is now one of my favourite teachers. I started going to the school counsellor once a week, so that I had some one I could talk to and trust, she didn‚t understand what I was going through but she listened and helped me understand what I was feeling, we went through lots of different emotions but a lot of the time I didn‚t feel anything, it was like there was a big hole where my emotions normally are. When I felt anything I felt frustration, I learnt through going to the counsellor that frustration is a mix of feelings so strong that it is like they are having a war inside me trying to over power each other. My came through the other end after the chemo and radiation fine her hair grew back down to her shoulders, life was almost back to normal. One year later she noticed a lump right where the other one was, the doctors said they couldn‚t do anything except slow it down using more hormone treatment; she has been doing this since then but it didn‚t seem to be doing much mum kept finding lumps all over the place but just around the area where it was at first. This year 2006 the cancer started growing really fast so they decided to give her chemo again to reduce the cancer again as the cant remove it completely. We don‚t know when mum is going to stop chemo but we think we are about half way through. Fingers crossed...That is my story so far!!!
October 03, 2006
I am a survivor of hepatoblastoma. I am nearly 7 years old and was sick when I was 18 months old. My mummy and daddy put my story on the internet for everyone to read and to take strength from.
www.users.bigpond.com/leatch
I live in Sydney, Australia and my mummy has made a few very good friends with other mums whose children have had hepatoblastoma and are doing well today. I hope you can share this to show that there is hope for us.
Regan, age 6 Australia
hepatoblastoma
leatch@bigpond.com
September 19, 2006
I was diagnosed in October 2001 with Neuroblastoma IV. I was in remission May 2005 until August this year. Now, the doctors say I have secondary AML because of treatments I received from the previous cancer. Now I am in chemotherapy and awaiting results from my parents and my younger brothers' blood test to see if they match me for bone marrow transplant soon. Keep me in your prayers and all children living with cancer.
mace age 16, SC
secondary AML
tryclemson@aol.com
It all started just before I finished the 2nd grade I had headaches, backaches and flu symptoms so my parents and doctors kept checking for different things and giving me pain pills. I would feel a little better one day than bad the next. Finally I had a high temperture so they ran blood tests and then finally told my parents it was leukemia, I had never heard of it before but I learned pretty fast because I had to start chemo the next day. So far I haven't had to spend any more time in the hospital since they put my broviac line in my chest. I hope that I will continue to get better with every chemo treatment. You can check out my website if you want to find out more about how I'm doing at:
www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinjones1
Austin, age 9 UT
Acute lymphocytic leukemia
timdjones32@yahoo.com
September 10, 2006
This is about my daughter. She was born in Oct 1982 with Acute Mylogenic Leukemia. By the time we found out what it was it had spread into her central nervous system. She was over 80% full. She is still here with us today. She has problems but no leukemia any more. Went into remission in Feb of 83 and has been there since. Keep your hopes up and your prayers going. Keep up the fight!
Kay, now 23, WI
AML
kkalscheuer2003@yahoo.com
September 02, 2006
When I was 10 I started to get sick easier and take longer to get better. I went to my pediatrician and they sent me to a new doctor who then ran hours of tests for many months. They finally had a dianosis of chronic myelomoniscic leukemia-(manly in senior cititzen men). I had a bone marrow transplant from my brother 4 years ago. I am doing very well.
Tiffany S., age 15 MI
CMML
buterfliesarefree317@msn.com
July 19, 2006
Hello. My name is Selena. I had hodgkins lymphoma. I was diagnosed December 2, 2005. I didnt think that it was possible for me, one of five kids, just so happening to be the youngest, to get cancer. But the Lord helped me through. I finished after only six months. That in itself was a miracle. I was so happy. My head had to be shaved so as to keep the drain from clogging every time I took a shower. But now all of my hair is growing in. I have about half of an inch of hair on top. The back was still bald from the radiation, but now I have some baby fuzz back there too. Just ask the Lord to help you and He will. God loves us all. All you have to do is tell Him you love Him back. That is the only reason I am still here.
~Selena~
Selena, age 14 VA
Hodgkins Lymphoma
SelenasOwnName@aol.com
May 21, 2006
Hi,my name is Suraj and I was recently was diagnosis with medulloblastoma.I had a brain tumor and it was growing.I also have a shunt and port in my body.Right now I am going for my treatment which is Radiation&Chemotherapy.And a I hope that the tumor do not come back.
Suraj , age 7 NY
medulloblastoma
narosandy@aol.com
My granddaughter, Faith just had a medullablastom tumor removed from her brain last week. Yesterday she had bilateral hip bone marrow testing, spinal tap, and a porta cath for her chemo and proton radiation. She had a dream she told her mother about the night before her surgery. She said angels were standing at the foot of her bed. One of them touched her chest and told her not to be scared. Everything would be fine. The Dr's were amazed at how well she has bounced back. He is with us at all times. We must keep the faith and all our prayers are for the other families that are going through the same thing.
Bonnie
mapletree9f90@yahoo.com
May 12, 2006
My name is Makade T. I turned 2 on November 7th, 2005. Just 9 short days later I was diagnosed as having Hepatoblastoma, a rare cancer of the liver. On Friday, November 18th I went into surgery. After an extensive period of time, the surgical team was able to remove the tumor (the size of a loaf of bread), the left lobe of my liver, 2 lymph nodes and my gallbladder. I began my first of many chemotherapy treatments on December 1st, 2005. I had my last chemotherapy treatment on February 24th, 2006. I now visit the Children's Hospital on a monthly basis for numerous scans and tests to monitor everything. As of today, I am still in remission and the cancer has not returned!
Makade, age 2 WI
Hepatoblastoma
madi_kade@yahoo.com
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