Yesterday, Jack had a 9:00 AM appointment at the Valerie Center where Jack, in addition to getting Chemotherapy, also got to meet his little friend David. David has a different type of cancer – Wilms Tumor.
Two very cute little boys in New Jersey are fighting cancer. Cancer that we are curing by pumping these little children (12,500 children and adolescents on average are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States) with lots of TOXIC CHEMICALS that we end up compromising their immune system in the process.
The good news is that after you kill their immune system it bounces back again.
Jack’s ANC counts were really good yesterday – 4104. Whereas David’s ANC counts were low so they could not really be near each other (but they still managed to have fun and rub each others heads) and Damond was able to take their picture together.
The hardest parts of chemotherapy are the side effects that Jack is experiencing: Loosing his hair more and more, in addition to some weight loss, nausea and vomiting, taste changes (not liking certain foods from one day to another), peripheral neuropathy - (numbness and tingling of the hands and feet), and sensory loss - numbness and tingling, and difficulty in walking which may last for at least as long as the chemotherapy is continued. He fell yesterday when pushing his doll stroller – Our poor little guy.
In spite of all this Jack still remains positive and cheerful but it is hard on Damond and me. When you are a parent you NEVER want your child to have to experience any unnecessary pains. But we have no choice in order to help Jack through his journey fighting cancer, and continue to love him more than ever.
--Anneli
Beautifully put, Anneli. Thanks for sharing. When I see Jack and Lincoln playing together I can't help but think of how different your parenting experience has suddenly become.
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