I would like to apologize for the few month pause on this website. There have been a few things happening recently that I would like to explain. First things first, I'm in college now. Second, I got a job. And third, but probably most important, Misha had to be pulled from school for medical reasons.
In March, when my posts stopped, my sister had developed a mass on her neck and complained about it to my parents. We were hoping it was just an infection, but the lump kept getting bigger and bigger.
In March, when my posts stopped, my sister had developed a mass on her neck and complained about it to my parents. We were hoping it was just an infection, but the lump kept getting bigger and bigger.
The results came back and we found out that it was not an infection, but it was cancerous. We speculated that it was a cancer in the lymph nodes (see picture below), meaning it could effect other parts of her body as well.
A few MRIs, CT, and PT scans we discovered that it is a rhabdomyosarcoma. And boy, when you talk about rare cancers, this one hits the jackpot. Hundreds of children are diagnosed with it every year, but to date only four known cases have been found in adults. My sister makes the fifth.
A rhabdomyosarcoma is a cancer that attaches itself to the muscles in all parts of the body. My sister had several in her head, sinus cavity, neck, chest, abdomen, and one on her leg. Since the tumors were small and all over her body in hard to reach places, we had to opt for chemotherapy and radiation instead of surgery.
The treatment schedule that Misha is on right now is still in the trial phase, only because there have not been many people who have had this cancer so the treatment for it is still uncertain. Misha has been taking chemo for almost five months and is almost ready to start radiation. We have had to put off some weeks of chemo because her counts dropped to almost nothing, and you cannot do chemotherapy in that state.
Misha has to have a full year of chemotherapy, and only five months in the chemo has destroyed most of the tumors, to my knowledge. I will keep you updated on her progress. She's been a tough cookie so far, I'm so proud of her.
A rhabdomyosarcoma is a cancer that attaches itself to the muscles in all parts of the body. My sister had several in her head, sinus cavity, neck, chest, abdomen, and one on her leg. Since the tumors were small and all over her body in hard to reach places, we had to opt for chemotherapy and radiation instead of surgery.
The treatment schedule that Misha is on right now is still in the trial phase, only because there have not been many people who have had this cancer so the treatment for it is still uncertain. Misha has been taking chemo for almost five months and is almost ready to start radiation. We have had to put off some weeks of chemo because her counts dropped to almost nothing, and you cannot do chemotherapy in that state.
Misha has to have a full year of chemotherapy, and only five months in the chemo has destroyed most of the tumors, to my knowledge. I will keep you updated on her progress. She's been a tough cookie so far, I'm so proud of her.
I wanted to respect my sister's privacy when she was diagnosed in March. It was a surprise to my family and we needed to get everything in motion and settled with it before we went around telling everyone. I was mostly worried about my sister, and how she would deal with it.
We think that the cancer was treatment induced from when she was a baby, though we are not quite sure. That is something to always watch out for in the future, no matter what type of cancer you have.
I plan to add more types of cancer on Get Through it Together. Where it started as a support group for brain tumor patients, now any cancer patient is welcome (not that you weren't before). We're here to help each other, so we can all get through this together.
We think that the cancer was treatment induced from when she was a baby, though we are not quite sure. That is something to always watch out for in the future, no matter what type of cancer you have.
I plan to add more types of cancer on Get Through it Together. Where it started as a support group for brain tumor patients, now any cancer patient is welcome (not that you weren't before). We're here to help each other, so we can all get through this together.