I hadn't expected to cry while cooking up lunch yesterday. I guess if I am honest the feeling, the hot tears, are always only a couple of thoughts away. Like the other day at Ozo when I heard the gentleman tell the mom of two young kids, “I know it’s cliche, but it really does… Continue reading The dentist and the ram.
Category: Diagnosis
A Mother’s Day for the Cancer Mom- Guest post by Jen Hershberger.
We hear “you are so brave,” “you are so strong,” but sometimes we are not. We cry. We breakdown. We are racked with fear, anxiety, doubt and terrible thoughts. It’s hard to listen to accolades of our strengths that we did not choose to demonstrate. They came about from the necessity of our child’s pain… Continue reading A Mother’s Day for the Cancer Mom- Guest post by Jen Hershberger.
“Sorry,” is the first step, then “How can I help?”
Unfortunately, in the last couple months two acquaintances have reached out with the same question, "Someone close to me has just found out their child has cancer. What do I do? What do I say? How can I support them?" This is what you can do. Establish Rank & File Understand who the front line… Continue reading “Sorry,” is the first step, then “How can I help?”
God willing. This is the end.
In January we celebrated Selah's birthday at her Waldorf preschool. I was invited to watch the ceremony and as soon as I walked in and saw her, I was choked up. She was adorned with a crown and cape and invited to circle round a centerpiece of candles as we all sang (to the tune… Continue reading God willing. This is the end.
Integrative Choices: Nutrition
Asparagus foraging, a Larrabee family favorite. There are a million and one different ways to help support your child's body while experiencing Leukemia. Ranging from fleeing to Mexico and finding a holistic cancer clinic to indulging on hospital cafeteria milkshakes at every appointment, the choices are vast. You can also spend hours, upon hours, (upon… Continue reading Integrative Choices: Nutrition
Meeting Deb.
(Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth) The first time Deb drew Beau's labs, she sat with him for a full 20 minutes before she even brought out a needle. She let him ask 158 questions and moved slow around the room while he wept. She told him a classic Grandma story that started the same… Continue reading Meeting Deb.
For the fear of needles.
During December of 2018 and into early January, prior to diagnosis, before we knew what the hell this was, Beaudin had to give a lot of blood samples. Daily cultures, daily labs, tests to send to Clevland, to Mayo. Was it Epstien-Barr, AIDS, "just the flu"? He had over 30 blood draws and/or IV placements.… Continue reading For the fear of needles.
To the mom who is about to hear, "It's cancer."
There is so much I want to tell you. And really, I don't know exactly where to begin. So, like I'll encourage you from here on out, I am going to just take the next step. Things are about to get hard. Real hard. Like can’t breath, might throw-up, haven’t eaten nor slept in a… Continue reading To the mom who is about to hear, "It's cancer."
What Leukemia looks like now: Day 287 Part One
Today Beaudin is 287 days post-diagnosis. He has 508 days until the end of his treatment and 1,204 days before the medical model will consider him "cured", 5 years post diagnosis. He is on day 43 of his first cycle of Maintenance. He will have 7 cycles culminating in March of 2021. Appointments: Beaudin has… Continue reading What Leukemia looks like now: Day 287 Part One
Explanation of ALL and COG9032
**since Beau's diagnosis in January of 2019, the COG9032 protocol has changed and been updated. Current treatment for standard-risk ALL has similar bones, but is not the same. Obviously, duh, rely on what your team says, not me.** Many children around the world are treated for Leukemia following the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) guidelines from… Continue reading Explanation of ALL and COG9032
The Heavy Wait 