Another angel, another mother cries

Within the first few weeks that I learned Luis had Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL), I remember scouring the internet looking for information and personal stories of those who went through treatment for this childhood cancer. I was looking for a glimmer of hope that someone else knew what was I going through and their baby came out ok. I remember stumbling on one blog about a family in the US and I was happy to hear the girl had completed her treatment. Several months after Luis was diagnosed, I met a local mother whose daughter, the same age as Luis, had already been on treatment for almost 2 years and had the exact same cancer as Luis. I'm happy to report that she has been off treatment and doing great. When her daughter was diagnosed (I'm guessing that was 2010), the doctors made a comment to her that they don't see that cancer too often. Since her daughter was diagnosed with NHL, Luis was diagnosed, then another little boy (I've heard, but haven't met), and most recently a 14 year old boy. From what I've gathered, the boy must live in my part of the city because he was going to go to the local high school. That's at least four new cases of this rare childhood disease in three years in Windsor. Pardon me, but what the hell is going on here.

The headline in the newspaper today was very sad. The 14 year old lost his fight to NHL. Again, the same disease that my poor baby is fighting. It is heartbreaking thinking about what this family is going through. Lots of prayers for this family.

I've heard that the older a child is when they're diagnosed with any cancer, the more complications can occur. For Luis, I know that his odds of beating this disease were positive from the beginning, and his progress has been amazing since then. But sometimes the fact that his illness really is a matter of life or death escapes me. It really does. Not that I don't love him to pieces and take lots of precautions like constant hand washing and screening guests for illnesses. It's just that he seems so normal, happy and healthy all the time. It's hard to believe that he's on chemotherapy, even though I dose it out to him every night, nitrile gloves and all.  And it's easy to forget that he was the poster child for childhood cancer only one year ago. It's amazing how time and medicine can change a person.

One year ago

Status update

January was actually decent for Luis. He wasn't really sick and didn't require any unplanned hospital visits. Julien was the one who had a couple fevers and a really bad cold. The boys have been enjoying each other more and more as they grow. They have such a cute little relationship. I can't wait to see how it evolves as they get even older.

 

Sometimes, Luis just blows me away with what a thoughtful boy he is. The way he wants to help me or Julien around the house. He even takes care of our little kitty by filling her food bowl without  being asked. And now Julien helps too! These little boys just melt my heart and makes me a proud mama :)

--Mommy