We went on vacation to Ohio the first week of August 2005. The day we returned (Friday) Marielle threw up that night. Then she seemed fine the next day. Saturday evening, she threw up once again. Then fine for the rest of the weekend. On Tuesday, she woke up with a rash head to toe. I took her in to the pediatrician (not our regular one, the one on call) who said it's normal with a viral infection, don't worry.
A week later, she spiked a fever of 103.5. The next day (Saturday) I took her into the pediatrician's office. Again, it was a Saturday so we didn't see our regular pediatrician, just an on call doc. Everything on exam seemed normal. Marielle was complaining about a sore throat so she said maybe a sinus infection was draining down and causing the throat to be sore. She gave us Amoxicillin.
Exactly one week later, Marielle again spike a fever of 103 (again on a Friday night). I took her in again and they switched the antibiotic to Keflex, hoping that a broader spectrum antibiotic would do the trick. She was fever free for a week but fairly low energy.
On the following Saturday (Labor Day weekend) she complained of being very cold, even though it was 78 degrees outside and we were in the sun. She wanted a jacket. On Sunday, she got up around 8 am, got dressed played for a bit and then wanted to go back to bed and slept for 3 hours. I knew then something was really wrong. No 3 year old wants to sleep for 3 hours after being up only 2 hours.
I made an appointment on Tuesday to see our regular pediatrician. I voiced my concerns, my feelings that it was really something bad. She said most likely it was just a virus hanging on, but they'd do a CBC and chest x-ray just to be sure.
We got a call at 3 am Wednesday morning from the pediatrician. She said she was so sorry, but the oncologist wanted us to come in right away, not to wait until morning, so they could process her in and begin treatment right away - it was leukemia. She told us she had verified the blood test results 4 times with the lab because she couldn't believe it.
So my poor little girl was awakened, dressed and whisked away to Children's Hospital in the middle of the night. The funny thing is that the idea of leukemia had flashed through my mind and I had checked Marielle head to toe for bruises and thought then it couldn't be leukemia because she had no bruising.
Little did I know that it could be leukemia without bruising.
Marie, mom to Marielle, 3, ALL pre-B, dx 9/7/05, AALL0331 and Rico, 2 http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/marielle