I've told this story to so many people and often, it still seems like more of a bad dream than anything. Anyway, our story started in mid-August 2003.
Ben was 19 months old. He had already had a viral infection and ear infection at the beginning of August, then developed another ear infection so after stopping antibiotics. We went to his pediatrician on a Wednesday (the 13th) for treatment and he was given an injection of antibiotics (Rocephin) and placed on a higher dose of Amoxicillin. We returned home and
I noticed that Ben was walking a little "stiff-legged" but he seemed to feel ok otherwise. By the next afternoon/early evening, he was refusing to walk, wailing every time he was upright. We knew something was wrong, but who thinks cancer? We saw the pediatrician on that Friday- he examined Ben and decided to send us to our local Children's Hospital for further bloodwork and x-ray of Ben's legs, thinking that Ben maybe had a bacterial infection that got into his bones. Well, I had not been home an hour after tests were complete when I got a call from the pediatrician. I remember when he said that Ben had 70% blasts in his peripheral blood, I thought "he didn't just say blasts-that would mean Ben had cancer-that can't be right". It hit home when he said that Ben would need to be admitted immediately to the hospital so that they could start treatment. I honestly don't remember driving with him to the hospital or much else that day. I just knew my heart was breaking over the thought of what my son was about to go through. I had already been through that with my mom (who fought cancer for 6 years before dying in '96). I do remember that I looked at him and told myself that he would beat this and we'd do whatever it took to accomplish that. I know that I am eternally grateful to our pediatrician who didn't ignore our concerns and went that extra step to find our what was wrong. That's Ben's story and hopefully he won't remember most of it as he gets older. I know I'll never forget it as long as I live.
Lorie, mom to Ben (4, pre-b cell standard risk ALL, dx. 8/03) and Lily (2) www.caringbridge.org/tn/benparents.