SpurrierisisGod
Footballguy
Not real sure where to start here without getting too long winded but warning...long post. Also, to be clear, we won't be sure until the bone marrow test tomorrow but cancer has hit our family most likely and to an innocent child that doesn't deserve any of this.
Short version of the beginning: Close to 4 years ago we got a call that my nephews (twins) either needed to come stay with us or they were going into foster care with a 99% chance they would be split up. We were on our way home from my sister's birthday dinner (worst I've ever had at Red Lobster btw). Obviously, we turned the car around, met the social care worker in the Walmart parking lot next to the van they had been living in and took them home with us.
Twins were just shy of 3, our biological kids were 15 and 13, we live in a 2000 sf 3 bedroom house. No idea how it was going to work but we were determined to help mom figure out the world and get her kids back. This was just temporary. Or so we thought.
Biological dad wasn't going to be any help. We knew that. Mom had a shot. Until she didn't. Too lazy maybe. Too incompetent maybe. Just never took the initiative to do even the simplest of tasks put in front of her by the social worker. Then covid hit. Hearings pushed back. Mom couldn't keep a job or steady place to live.
Here we are 4 years later. Havent heard from mom in over 2.5 years. Just finally just gave us custody 1.5 years ago. It's to the point they have started calling us mom and dad. In fact, at soccer practice last Wednesday (I'm the coach), we had a new kid come to check out practice. During a water break I overheard Twin B telling the new kid "the coach is my dad". I melted a little.
Fast forward to June of this year...
Boys have had their share of strep, sniffles, whatever but for the most part all boy and definitely twins. They feed off of each other and are identical in looks but definitely not personality. They play soccer. Love doing push-ups and riding scooters. Then Twin A got what we thought was strep yet again. Took him to the doc but he tested negative for strep/flu/covid. We got the "it's a virus...fluids...Tylenol...Yada yada. If he's not better in 2 weeks come back."
2 weeks later, not better so we head back. They did a blood test. Ugh, Mono. Could be 4-8 weeks. Limit activity. Rest andhatever else the PA said. A month later and no real change my wife takes him back and requests the doctor and not PA. "I assure you it's all just part of Mono".
About 2-3 weeks ago, he got real lethargic. Swollen belly. Kinda pale looking. School called and said he had a fever. We called the doc office twice and left a message. They never called back. This weekend we ran into a nurse friend who suggested to just keep calling and demand an appointment. That was today.
I was at work, my wife took Twin A to his appointment (with PA and not the doc no less) who ordered blood work and an ultrasound. While waiting for the ultrasound, the PA got the blood results and said to take him to a different hospital to have them run and confirm some tests due to abnormal blood counts.
This whole time I'm at work trying to pry info from my wife - "what's low? Is it red blood cell? White blood cell?" I can't get a good answer so I tell my boss I have to go and meet them. As I'm pulling into the parking lot, I get the "I NEED YOU HERE NOW!!!" text.
I walk in and can see my wife in tears standing next to a doctor yet I can't get in due to sign in/metal detector/wrist band protocols and I'm yelling "THEY ARE RIGHT THERE!"
Finally I get through and it's the dreaded "come into this room" feel. Sure enough, the doctor is almost certain with all 3 blood counts (red, hemo and white) being low that it is a form of Leukemia. He said he had a look under the microscope and feels like it's the "better" of the 2 forms which has a high cure rate at this age but little dude has to get blood infusion and then a bone marrow test tomorrow to confirm.
If confirmed tomorrow, a spinal tap and port insertion is scheduled for Friday with chemo to start immediately.
This post turned out way longer than I intended but it felt good to type out. My wife is a basket case. I was stoic (as much as I could be) but she couldn't even speak when doctors and nurses came in to ask questions. I was stoic that is, until we face timed his twin. The bond those 2 have is incredible. As my wife took the phone to continue the conversation with the other kids, I could see in Twin A's eyes that he just wanted to be home with his brother. He's been so brave so far. Got blood taken twice with out even flinching. Understands he's sick and it may be a long recovery. He just gave me a thumbs up after I hugged him and told him I'd be back in the morning.
Not really sure where I'm going woth this. Not sure if I intend to use it as a log during his recovery or if I just need to vent with out publicly plastering on Facebook. Cancer sucks. For everolyone involved. After watching my mom whittle away from breast cancer I already know. Little guy didn't deserve this. If anyone did it was/is me. But we'll get him through this. Some how, some way we will kick cancers a$$. Maybe, just maybe, I can post tomorrow and say its just a tummy ache.
Short version of the beginning: Close to 4 years ago we got a call that my nephews (twins) either needed to come stay with us or they were going into foster care with a 99% chance they would be split up. We were on our way home from my sister's birthday dinner (worst I've ever had at Red Lobster btw). Obviously, we turned the car around, met the social care worker in the Walmart parking lot next to the van they had been living in and took them home with us.
Twins were just shy of 3, our biological kids were 15 and 13, we live in a 2000 sf 3 bedroom house. No idea how it was going to work but we were determined to help mom figure out the world and get her kids back. This was just temporary. Or so we thought.
Biological dad wasn't going to be any help. We knew that. Mom had a shot. Until she didn't. Too lazy maybe. Too incompetent maybe. Just never took the initiative to do even the simplest of tasks put in front of her by the social worker. Then covid hit. Hearings pushed back. Mom couldn't keep a job or steady place to live.
Here we are 4 years later. Havent heard from mom in over 2.5 years. Just finally just gave us custody 1.5 years ago. It's to the point they have started calling us mom and dad. In fact, at soccer practice last Wednesday (I'm the coach), we had a new kid come to check out practice. During a water break I overheard Twin B telling the new kid "the coach is my dad". I melted a little.
Fast forward to June of this year...
Boys have had their share of strep, sniffles, whatever but for the most part all boy and definitely twins. They feed off of each other and are identical in looks but definitely not personality. They play soccer. Love doing push-ups and riding scooters. Then Twin A got what we thought was strep yet again. Took him to the doc but he tested negative for strep/flu/covid. We got the "it's a virus...fluids...Tylenol...Yada yada. If he's not better in 2 weeks come back."
2 weeks later, not better so we head back. They did a blood test. Ugh, Mono. Could be 4-8 weeks. Limit activity. Rest andhatever else the PA said. A month later and no real change my wife takes him back and requests the doctor and not PA. "I assure you it's all just part of Mono".
About 2-3 weeks ago, he got real lethargic. Swollen belly. Kinda pale looking. School called and said he had a fever. We called the doc office twice and left a message. They never called back. This weekend we ran into a nurse friend who suggested to just keep calling and demand an appointment. That was today.
I was at work, my wife took Twin A to his appointment (with PA and not the doc no less) who ordered blood work and an ultrasound. While waiting for the ultrasound, the PA got the blood results and said to take him to a different hospital to have them run and confirm some tests due to abnormal blood counts.
This whole time I'm at work trying to pry info from my wife - "what's low? Is it red blood cell? White blood cell?" I can't get a good answer so I tell my boss I have to go and meet them. As I'm pulling into the parking lot, I get the "I NEED YOU HERE NOW!!!" text.
I walk in and can see my wife in tears standing next to a doctor yet I can't get in due to sign in/metal detector/wrist band protocols and I'm yelling "THEY ARE RIGHT THERE!"
Finally I get through and it's the dreaded "come into this room" feel. Sure enough, the doctor is almost certain with all 3 blood counts (red, hemo and white) being low that it is a form of Leukemia. He said he had a look under the microscope and feels like it's the "better" of the 2 forms which has a high cure rate at this age but little dude has to get blood infusion and then a bone marrow test tomorrow to confirm.
If confirmed tomorrow, a spinal tap and port insertion is scheduled for Friday with chemo to start immediately.
This post turned out way longer than I intended but it felt good to type out. My wife is a basket case. I was stoic (as much as I could be) but she couldn't even speak when doctors and nurses came in to ask questions. I was stoic that is, until we face timed his twin. The bond those 2 have is incredible. As my wife took the phone to continue the conversation with the other kids, I could see in Twin A's eyes that he just wanted to be home with his brother. He's been so brave so far. Got blood taken twice with out even flinching. Understands he's sick and it may be a long recovery. He just gave me a thumbs up after I hugged him and told him I'd be back in the morning.
Not really sure where I'm going woth this. Not sure if I intend to use it as a log during his recovery or if I just need to vent with out publicly plastering on Facebook. Cancer sucks. For everolyone involved. After watching my mom whittle away from breast cancer I already know. Little guy didn't deserve this. If anyone did it was/is me. But we'll get him through this. Some how, some way we will kick cancers a$$. Maybe, just maybe, I can post tomorrow and say its just a tummy ache.
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