It's Not Cancer, So Why Chemo?

"Does Bailey have Cancer?"

The simple answer to that question is No.  But if you want to pull up a chair, I can explain to you what Neurofibromatosis is, and how it has affected my 15 (gasp!!...ALMOST 16 yr old daughter)

When I heard the word "chemotherapy", my heart sank.  I never thought it would happen to us!  Not MY daughter!  But there it was.  

Surgery was too risky.  Radiation not an option.

If we chose NOT to do chemotherapy, the tumor, that lays growing, deep in my child's

 brain could take her life.

Time stood still, the day we were told about the year long treatment plan of chemotherapy.  

Anyone who has been in this situation knows exactly what I'm talking about.

I was confused and filled with questions.  Why chemo if this isn't cancer?  The answer to that was that chemo would hopefully stop the abnormal cells from growing...those abnormal cells being the NF related tumor.

It didn't feel real.

We are now 9 months into treatment...With no real news to report except that we are stable. (for now)

Our 3rd month into chemo, we got news that Bailey's tumor had grown...Devastating news, and what was worse was hearing that we needed to switch to a stronger type of chemo....Stronger chemo meant more side affects (Nausea, Hair loss, Bone pain, Low blood counts)

Chemo treatment is a bit like finding the right pair of shoes...Sometimes, it takes "shopping around", to find the right fit.

  

But I find myself holding my breath until the next MRI...What will the next results show?  Where will we go? What will we do?

Things with Neurofibromatosis can change in a heartbeat.  One moment everything is stable...The next, we are rushing to find a different treatment plan.

It's a roller coaster ride, of endless ups and downs.

For now...The chemotherapy has saved my daughters life.  

 While she doesn't have cancer...

She has a tumor that went from "nothing"...to "something" in just a few months.

And I while may hold my breath until the next MRI...I know that I am not the one in control of any of this.  My faith and attitude are the only things that I CAN control.  All I can do is trust and believe that whatever the results are...We can get through and deal with them.

Merry CHRISTMAS

THRIVE ON!