My daughter Charlotte was born February 11th of this year. Weighing in at 7lbs 8 oz, almost two pounds lighter than her big sister. We were all overjoyed. Everything about her was perfect- she was always healthy, never had so much as a cold!
On June 21st, we noticed that she stopped moving her legs. All of my friends (including some that are mothers) told me it was probably just a phase, and every google search I did turned up blank. It just didn't feel "right" to me- and thank God I went with my gut instinct, as you are about to find out.
On June 22nd, we took Charlie in to our primary doctor who looked her over and referred us to Dr. Staffstrom, Chief of Pediatric Neurology at the American Family Children's Hospital in Madison, WI. We got there at ten, and were immediately admitted for an MRI. We were in our room, and Charlie was sedated and taken in for her MRI at noon. Before we even got her out of recovery, the whole oncology team walked through the door.
Dr. Staffstrom sat down in front of us and gave us the most devastating news I have ever received in my life.
"She has a tumor in her chest. We are almost positive it is a neuroblastoma."
I went catatonic.
Then I heard cancer.
"Oh, my God..." I lost it. I have never cried so hard in my life.
Why do babies get cancer?
He talked more about her diagnosis, but I stayed fixated on the word cancer. I walked around like a zombie on autopilot for three days. It felt like my world had come to an end.
And then, just as abruptly as it began, I snapped out of it. I said, "What do we have to do to make her better?"
She started chemo 2 AM on the 25th of June. Her pretty peach fuzz fell out, and now I am proudly in love with a shiny, bald headed Buddha baby.
She had her second round this past Tuesday. There will be at least two more. She gets her second progression scan on the 7th of August.
I have people who have been so amazing to me, that thanks will never be enough to tell them.
I am hoping to meet up with another mom who might be going through Neuroblastoma, but when it comes down to it, cancer is cancer, and I have a lot of faith and respect for other families who are going through what we are going through.
Keep your chin up! There WILL be rough days, but at the end of it, your baby's smile will carry you on.
God bless.
Kristi Rufener
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- kristichristen
on Jul. 23, 2009 at 9:05 AM