The Diagnosis
November 2005
Our daughter Allexandra was living in Spokane with her grandmother to complete her senior year of HS. On Tuesday (11-22-05) Allex saw her doctor for breathing problems. The doctor mandated an ER visit. After the initial chest/lung MRI, Allex was admitted to Deaconess Medical Center for numerous white spots in both lungs that the oncologist believed were cancer. On Wednesday a lymph node was biopsied from left side of Allex’s neck. Additional tests and scans were conducted on Wednesday and Friday. Results confirmed tumor growths in the lungs, multiple bone locations (5), the spine, and the brain (3). None of the locations were believed to be the primary source but were metasisized tumors. The source was unknown and doctors were unsure of treatment.
After lengthy conversations with doctors and family, Sharon and I determined Allex would receive the best treatment at Children’s Hospital in Seattle. Children’s sent Allex home with strong pain medication. They believe patients heal best at home and will not admit unless needed. Last week Children’s started to rerun many tests Spokane performed because they were “incomplete”. UW Cancer Center also discovered the brain tumors were located on areas controlling sight, balance, and automated functions (heart and lungs). Immediate radiation treatment is scheduled at UW.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) Allex will be tattooed for radiation and go through a radiation dry-run. New MRI results will be combined with old results for interpretation and provided to us. On Thursday we are scheduled to meet with our team of doctors at Children’s. The types of cancer and locations will be reviewed. A treatment plan will be created. After three long weeks we should finally have conclusive information.
Throughout the process each test has provided more bad information and the primary source of cancer has not been found. The current diagnosis is adenocarcinoma stage 4. This means the endocrine system is being used to transport cancer to various locations. With the types and locations of the cancer, the case is extremely rare and we have been told that this is just not something a healthy 17 year old ever has. The odds of winning a Billion dollar lotto are much better. On Thursday we will have additional information. Until 11-22-05 there were no symptoms to suspect cancer.
The support from our family has been overwhelming! We appreciate your concerns and offers of support. At this time we continue to wait for more information. We have watched Allex physically deteriorate over the past 3 weeks. It is a painful process that is taking its emotional toll on the family. But we will soon begin treatment. On Thursday we hope to receive our first piece of positive information. Unfortunately all reports and speculation have been negative. Due to the types and extent of cancer, doctors say to worry about the short-term. Based on the type of cancer we know it is not curable. Remission, if possible, will probably be temporary.
Allex is doing her best to find the positives and keeps talking about her plans for 10 years from now. Yesterday she put her beautiful long red hair into a ponytail for the last time and let a stylist at Gene Juarez salon cut it very short. She looks quite cute with the cut but it was very sad too.
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