What a Shocker!

I've been so inspired by a few of my college friends, whose parent is battling cancer or whose children has a severe medical condition. They have always amazed me with how courageous they are. But no, I never thought that our family would be going through a similar experience. Or No, while walking for two groups in the Relay for Life against Cancer did I think just a short week later, we would start our own fight against cancer. On April 21, 2011 we found out that our sweet Avery has leukemia. What a shocker! I couldn't even say the word cancer without bawling that first day..... well I still bawl if I say it. Our whole day changed! Our hearts were crushed and we were scared for what she would have to endure, along with all the other worries. Avery has been having back, abdominal and leg pain and on Feb. 27th I took her to the ER to figure out what was going on with her. For those that know me well, we don't visit doctors much especially not the ER. We have never been to the ER before. After lots of x-ray, cat-scan, IV, blood work, etc.. they found some major bowel blockage. She was also slightly anemic and her C reactive Protein (CRP)was high at 37, which means she had inflammation. We kept struggling with the bowels and I kept calling her Dr. to try to figure out why she was still having such pain. We did more blood work on April 8th and tested the CRP again and also tested something called ESR (Sedimentation Rate). After a few days and no response from her DR. I called and got the results from the hospital myself and looked up what the results meant. The CRP had went down, but was still high and ESR level should have been between 0-10, but was 110. I know something else had to be going on besides her bowels having issues. I had looked into it enough to know what some of the results could mean, but tried not to think of the worst. Her Dr. decided to send us up to Primary Children's Hospital to see a Rheumatologist Doctor for additional blood work to try & figure out what was going on with her. Her color had been so pale and I was concerned about lots of bruising that started showing up on her legs. When the doctor introduce the social worker to us I became more concerned. The Dr. had her labs back and said that her white blood cells were low and they had found abnormal cells in her blood. "As she got tears in her eyes, she said I'm sorry to say, but your daughter has cancer". I was in shock and my heart was crushed". No way, were they sure? Yes, they found something called Blast in her blood and knew it was Leukemia, but wasn't sure what kind. We were devastated and my heart ache for what Avery would have to go through! The rest is somewhat of a blurr...the arthritis doctor went with us to admit us to the hospital, then up to the cancer clinic on the 4th floor to talk to a cancer doctor (Oncologist...I didn't even know what a cancer doctor was called until now) and discussed what was next for us, social workers showed up for us and Avery. Then IV team showed up to give Avery another IV which was traumatic (she already had one at the ER), and then we were off to ICU )(Immune Compromised Unit to get our room. Room number #4113. They would have a team of Doctors that would decide her treatment plan. We tried to keep somewhat of our composure around Avery, but she just wanted to go home. After a few hours, we finally had the chance to call and tell our family the news.