It was a very, very long day.
Today, Braden & Ruby both had doctor's appointments - Braden needed a recheck on his iron level, since it was low this summer. Ruby went in for her 18 month checkup (can you believe that!? She's almost 18 months old!)
Anyway, while Dr. B was examining Ruby, she noticed Rube's legs are covered with petechiae.
Now, we know what that is, but we'd never seen it. We had to watch for it on Karly when her platelets were low.
We also know that because Ruby has Down syndrome, she's at a higher risk for leukemia (about 1 in 300, compared to the 1 in 10,000 for the general childhood population).
So.
Needless to say, we were appropriately freaked out.
We spent the afternoon debating hospitals - would we take Ruby to Green Bay or Milwaukee for treatment? Would we have to cancel Karly's Make-a-Wish trip to Florida this month?
The nurse called around 4:00 with results - and I thought, is it a good sign that the nurse is calling & not Dr. B herself? Or, is the nurse just going to ask us to come in?
And then she gave me Braden's results first. (Totally great - taking his vitamins is working superbly!)
And, thankfully - Ruby's counts are fine. She does not have leukemia. I can't even begin to say what a relief it is.
It's still pretty awful, though - because we don't know WHY she has petechiae. I mean, we may never know. I want to feel like maybe we actually caught a lucky break for once, but part of me worries that it's just a warning of things to come.
It was such a long, awful day - and it felt all too familiar. I hope we never, ever have to go through that again. Because while we may be prepared and know what to expect and how to handle life with a child who has cancer - we really, really don't want to relive it.
19 comments:
What an emotional day. I pray you have caught a lucky break ... no one should have to endure their kids living with cancer ... especially not twice. Give you kids an extra hug tonight and then have a little hot chocolate!
oh, I'm so sorry that you even had to wonder about it again. Sending up a prayer for you that everything is going to be okay, and you'll never have to deal with cancer again. Squeeze Ruby for me.
Amber
Whoa. I hope you don't either. What a scary day. ((HUGS)).
---Jen
So scary. So glad Ruby's okay.
Evan had petechiae all over his legs and trunk once,right after his first birthday. His counts were fine, fortunately, and doc says it was most likely due to a virus he had had a few weeks before. Still, freaked me right out, and I search him constantly for those things. He hasn't had them since.
Oh, yikes. What a terrible scare. I'm so glad it was just a scare.
Oh, how scary! I can't image what must have been going through your mind.
Oh my goodness, my heart skipped a beat when I first started reading! I'm glad the labs were OK and pray that you never have to live through cancer again!
Just so ya know ... when I read the beginning of this, I started to hyperventilate. And it didn't stop until the nurse called.
I can only imagine what you must be feeling.
We live in fear of the Big L, even as we go about our lives as if there was no danger. My daughter is 10, so her risk is much lower now, but my breath still stops every time I see a bruise I cannot explain.
Thus is our life. And thus we pay for the privilege of being loved by these wonderful persons.
I can't even imagine what you were going through waiting for those results; I'm glad they both came back with good news!
oh my gosh, are you trying to make me cry?!!! what in the world, i can't even imagine. i think you deserve a drink, ... well, if you drink. hee hee.
on another note, chelsea is a petechiae girl. she got it as a baby, i remember asking the dr what it was and they brushed it off, and she got it once on her chest from an awful choking incident. she had it a month or two ago i think b/c her brother twisted her arm really hard, and it happened to be a clinic day, so we learned her platelets were 300+, whew. so, petechiae for no apparent reason.
hope that makes you feel a little better. i know you're going to still be nervous. thank GOD she was fine.
I felt sick just reading the account of the day, can't imagine living it. I am so very glad that test results turned out well, but the anxiety while waiting for them I'm sure was almost not bearable. Hugs to the whole family.
Oh my God, Michelle. What an awful thing for you guys to even have to think about. I'm glad to hear things came back good, and hope you get an answer to why it's there in the first place.
I'm so glad she's okay. Give her a squeeze for us...and you too.
Definitely no need for a family to encounter cancer in a child more than once.
I am glad it was not a sign of leukemia.
holy crap. this was the scariest blog you ever wrote.
I have a little present for the Ruby herself...straight from my sister in california!
I hope to come and see you guys soon!
XOXOXOXO
Okay, my stomach was just doing somersaults reading this. I'm glad it was just a scare. Eek!!
Whoa! Molly get's petechiae often and I bring her right in each time and each time, her counts are fine! They, too, say it is caused by the "virus". There is just something about the threat of leukenia that weighs heavy in the back of my mind. I wonder if it will ever leave...Glad to hear all is well once again with Miss Rub!
How very scary. So glad to hear good news.
Thank Goodness her results came back fine. After all you have been through, you deserve to have more than just a lucky break.
Again late, but wow! I am SO glad Ruby is ok. That must have been an AWFUl day until you got the good news!
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