Today is an exciting day for Serenity and our family. It’s been 2 years since her diagnosis! (it was actually yesterday, the 24th of May but most of the family was either sick or gone.) Why Carpe Diem Day? It’s to remind Cancer Survivors and their families that every day is a gift and to live it to the fullest.
As parents, we are extremely protective of our children, we’re willing to fight to the death for them. There is nothing in the world like the completely impotent feeling you feel when a doctor mumbles that your child has cancer. It’s a heart sinking, world crashing, totally hopeless feeling. It immediately invokes tears – why? Because there is absolutely nothing you as a parent can do about it. There is no fighting the beast, there is no selflessly jumping in front of the bullet. Once the word Cancer is out, you are just a bystander, collateral damage, a helpless, useless attache to the person who just got diagnosed. Once the Cancer genie out of the bottle, there is not going back. Life as you knew it is over – you are now a Cancer Family and everything is different.
Two years ago when Serenity was diagnosed with Leukemia, they weren’t yet sure what type it was. There were two types they thought it could be, AML with a low survival rate or ALL with an 80% survival rate. It would take 24 hours for us to find out which one she had. During that time we as parents had to come to terms with the very real possibility that she could be dead within a couple days to a few months.
Mentally and emotionally we had to consider her dead to be able to deal with what was coming. Getting to that point was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, but it was worth it. The following day when we found out she had ALL it was like she was given back to us for a time. Since then, every day is a gift, a blessing, to be able to have her with us. At some point, it is very highly likely that cancer will take her. But, for the last two years she has been able to be with us. I can’t express how grateful we are for that!
Going through that experience really taught us to be grateful for every day that we have her with us. Whether it’s a tough day, stressful, roid rage or just happy and snugly – we are so very grateful to have it.
So, today we celebrate the gift of another two years with her, and pray for many many more!
I want to pictorially recapture the last two years, much of it is available here on the blog but for most of us it’s been a while since we read through those early posts. Here’s the last two years in snapshots.
The last picture of her previous life – Pre-Cancer.
In the ambulance, being medi-vac’d to Primary Childrens Hospital.
In the PCMC ER, waiting to be admintted
A bad reaction to a blood transfusion
Unhappy about her port, right after her operation to have it installed.
A month later her hair fell out.
At Give Kids the World on her Wish Trip from Make A Wish Foundation to DisneyWorld to meet Snow White!
About a year after diagnosis.
Being treated last week for a viral bronchial infection.
At her last clinic visit – our happy, mostly healthy almost 4 year old Cancer Survivor!
Tonight we’ll be celebrating her Carpe Diem day with a small family party. She goes off treatment in July. She’s well aware that she only has 2 more clinic visits and she is EXCITED!!! She’ll be throwing a big off-treatment bash in July, you’re all invited!
Off treatment bash in July! awesome!
It’s so heartbreaking to look back, but so exciting that she’s made it this far!!
Woohoo!!!! I’m so happy that Serenity is doing so well and will soon be off treatment.
Way to go Serenity! She looks so young in those old pictures, wow. Can’t believe it’s been 2 years…looking forward to July!
Phil and Adria –
De-lurking to say, I don’t even remember how I found your website, or which blog directed me to it. But I’ve been reading your journey almost from the beginning, and am so thankful that the Good Lord has seen you and your family through these difficult two years. I have children myself, and though obviously I can’t understand exactly how you have both felt during all of this, I can IMAGINE what it must be like… I’m thankful you’ve both been so strong, supporting each other and staying together. This illness would be difficult enough with one child, but to have such a large family… you must have a tremendous support network around you. So glad to know Serenity is on the mend and thriving. I always look forward to your updates! Best wishes to you all…
I’m so happy for you and your whole family. I’ve been following Serenity’s journey through cancer almost from the moment you first wrote about it, and can’t believe it has been two years already. Your journey has taught me a lot about strength and love, and gave me renewed appreciation for the health of my own two daughters (the oldest of whom is just a bit older than Serenity – she turned 4 in February).
Here’s hoping for a full recovery and a long life for Serenity.
Happy Carpe Diem, Serenity! What a long road for a little girl to take, but you have done it admirably. I am so thankful to have been learning about you and praying for you because you remind me how big our God is. Have the best time in July at your bash!
@goozbach – we’ll see you there!
@katie, @becky – thanks!
@kristin – excited to have you there with us!
@erica – thank you for your support and your kind words!
@diego – we’re glad you’ve been with us through it all, best wishes for you and your girls!
@vicki – thanks for all your support and kind words over the last couple years!