Year from Hell - Leukemia

Not sure where to even begin...so I guess at the very beginning.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018 forever engrained on my heart as a night of shear terror.

Four year old grandson, Gatlin was diagnosed with leukemia, specifically Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  It is a blood cancer.  I now know more about leukemia than I ever wanted to know. 

The next few days were a complete whirlwind of test, blood transfusion, lumbar puncture, chemo, labs etc...and a feeling of total helplessness.

His day started like any other day, up early at 5:30p, went to day care.  Teacher calls mama tells her Gatlin is running a low grade fever, but not to come get him yet.  She said she'll check him after nap time.  He woke up from his nap with a 104 temperature, day care called mama, she called doctor and took him right in.  I talked to her all the way to the doctor's office, she told me how awful he looked and how horrible he felt.  He was prone to strep throat, so we're assuming that's the culprit.  Doctor looks at his swollen lymph nodes and says "those are impressive, I want you to take him straight to Texas Children's Hospital emergency room. They will be expecting you".

I get the call they are on their way to TCH, 15 minutes later we're on the road headed to Houston.  Three hours later while driving through College Station Jessica calls with the news...it's leukemia.  I cannot even begin to tell you the emotions I felt...it was like the breath had been knocked out of me.  I simply could not believe what I was hearing.  Please God let it be a mistake.  It was no mistake.

I walked into the ER room and saw Jessica holding her very sick son with his daddy near by with tears in his eyes.  Her first words to me were "I'm so angry!!"  They spent the night in ICU monitoring him very closely.  We were told they'd have to move him to the downtown Houston TCH. Late Thursday night Gatlin and Jessica rode in an ambulance with Cam and me following.  Friday afternoon he had his first of many lumbar punctures and later that night his first of many chemo treatments.  After a week in the hospital, they are sent home to endure the worst 28 days of their lives.  Mega steroids changed our sweet carefree boy into an angry, frustrated and very irritable child.  During this 28 days, he gain 10% of his body weight which caused others issues, he could not climb up into his chair to eat, he was too heavy, he had trouble walking and would fall frequently.  Too much weight gain in too short of time his little body didn't know how to control the extra weight.  All he wanted was to eat "white noodles" aka fettuccini alfredo.  His parents took turns sleeping with him and would get up in the middle of the night to eat "white noodles".  Finally, the 28 days were over and the steroids started to leave his body and we got our precious boy back. His walking improved as the weight begin to drop off.

October 12, 2018 was a big day.  He had another lumbar puncture to check for cancer cells.  It was the first of many milestones he/we would cross. 

There is so much more, but I'll move on to another topic.  We knew he would not be able to return to day care for at least nine months making it August 2019.  I decided to retire early (that's a whole other story I'll elaborate on later) and move to Magnolia to keep Gatlin and Savannah and also be available to go with Jessica for chemo and LPs.  So January 7, 2019 I started my baby sitting gig and Jessica returned to work.  Every Thursday for months we traveled to downtown Houston TCH for chemo, the hospital is an hour and 20 minutes from Magnolia.  So needless to say, every Thursday was an adventure, Houston traffic can be a total fickle bitch!!!  But, we fell into a routine, drop Savannah off at day care, start our way downtown, stop at Whataburger for breakfast and chocolate milk per Gatlin's request.  Make it to the 14th floor designated as the oncology clinic and procedure floor.  It is a lovely child friendly floor, but also heartbreaking.  As you sit waiting for your appointment you see so many children in various stages of treatment...it can really get to you!!

So much more to write, but going to fast forward...today our Super Hero is doing well, he's had several issues his oncologist has had monitor closely.  He is not done yet...treatment should be complete Fall of 2021.

More later...so much more!!  Keeping it real

#teamgatlin
#leukemiasucks