It all began in December 2004. Kaitlin had what we thought was a bad cold. The virus was strange, her main complaint was that her cheek hurt. She didn't eat for 5 days because of the pain. She did have a runny nose as well, but her pediatrician could not figure out the "cheek pain". After several days, she didn't improve, so I took her back to her pediatrician. They ran bloodwork and did a mono test, everything looked fine.
The first week of January, she began to limp, but she had fallen off a stool, so we weren't too concerned. Over the next month and a half, she would have a few hours of not feeling well and complain of being tired, and a low-grade fever. The virus took forever to go away. However, I was busy helping my Mom (she was dying of lung cancer) and taking care of her during her last days. She passed away on February 9th (one year ago today) and we were busy with family and taking care of things.
On March 6th (a Sunday), Kaitlin again laid on the chair and complained of being tired in the middle of the day. She again spiked a fever of 101. Again, I noticed the limp. So we decided to take her to her pediatrician the next day. Upon examining her he felt that she looked anemic, and possibly felt a large spleen in her abdomen. Blood work and an ultrasound was ordered. We went to the hospital to give a blood sample. Later in the day, she was scheduled for an ultrasound of her abdomen. When we arrived for the ultrasound and were checking in at the front desk, we were asked to take Kaitlin back over to the lab for another blood sample. I felt bad for Kaitlin, they had already taken 4 vials about 3 hours earlier, and I didn't want to put her through it again, but I did. As they were drawing the blood, there was an extra person standing there. When they finished, she put out her hand and asked for the vials. Even though Kaitlin was still screaming and crying, I asked her if she was from the lab, she said, "yes, I am the pathologist". Right then I knew something was very very very wrong if the doctor was standing there waiting for the blood. Of course, she couldn't tell me anything, other than they wanted to run more tests on the atypical lymphocytes (they never used the word blast).
During her naptime, I called her pediatrician, he told me that there were atypical lymphocytes but they weren't done with all of the tests. Being a veterinarian, I knew that atypical lymphocytes were very bad news. My husband and I both prayed and watched her while she finished her nap. By 4:30 that same day, our pediatrician told us that our little girl had leukemia. That night she was admitted to Emanuel Children’s Hospital for a blood transfusion, they were 90 percent certain that she had preB ALL, even before the BMA. Over the next few days, biopsies, spinal taps, and much blood work was done. They confirmed our worst nightmare. Kaitlin has pre B acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
I must say, it is very therapeutic to tell our story. Especially since we will be coming up on her one-year anniversary of diagnosis next month. Those days were a blur, but I will NEVER forget any moment from any of them.
Carrie http://www.caringbridge.org/or/kaitlin Dx PreB ALL 3/7/05, 4, CCG 1991