Meet Nash - an almost 2-year-old (his birthday is in July). Nash is about action - priding himself as a force to be reckoned with. Nash is an avid gardener (eating directly from and uprooting our backyard vegetable planter on the regular), fellow Ninja Warrior (think American Ninja Warrior for kids), and partner-in-crime to his older brother, Knox Ryder. He's a love bug and has been known to have a great sense of character - showing affection through an embrace that pulses through your entire being.
Friday - 4.15.22
Nash wakes up at 4am and heads into our room - super uncharacteristic for him given he always sleeps until at least 6:30am and isn't one to get out of his crib.
An early wake-up means an early diaper change. As funny as it may sound, we were hoping for poop since he hadn't gone in the last five days - no dice.
Most parents know a 4am diaper change rarely happens in the light but rather in blackout darkness. Once you have a kid or two you learn to change diapers in the dark, on the side of the road, or maybe in the middle of a restaurant (not advised but we've all seen it and it's definitely a two-person job). Although, something was blatantly different this time around. There was a huge knot in Nash's side. And to think we realized it in complete darkness but hadn't seen it the day before should alarm you too. We both knew this was odd and Kendyll's Mom-senses tingled...HARD.
A quick trip to the pediatrician was followed by a quick recommendation to take immediate action - get an x-ray or ultrasound, ASAP. The fastest place to do it? The ER. We head straight there - Kendyll with Nash. Myself with Knox (our oldest, Nash's 3yo brother). "Fast" is an interesting word when you wait 6.5 hours in an emergency waiting room.
Once we made it passed the waiting room, tests and information came quick BUT bad news compiled even quicker. Two enemas. X-Ray. Ultrasound. IV (not easy for a kid not even two years old yet). Blood Test. CT Scan.
Then it's wait, wait, wait, wait, for results. Oh, and Nash hasn't eaten or drank since the pediatrician appointment (roughly 12 hours at this point). It's seemingly impossible to sneak snacks when your kids' ears perk up at the sound of a wrapper or twist/snap of an opening water bottle.
Needless to say, Kendyll and I are worried past the point of hunger or thirst, and are just trying to contain an ever-running mind. We get word that Kendyll's father's (currently on hospice) health is declining rapidly.
Saturday - 4.16.22
The waiting continued for CT results and blood tests into Saturday morning. Honestly unsure how long we waited - time meshed together by that point. One thing I'd personally guarantee though, hospital benches are not comfortable/suitable areas for sleep. I'd highly recommend against it. The results are in.
His CT scan shows three large tumors (we find out later there are actually four via MRI). Blood results predict Hepatoblastoma (cancer within the liver).
Not anything any human being would ever want or expect to hear. How could 75% of our 21-month-old son's liver be covered in cancerous tumors?!
Our hearts hit the floor, tears fall uncontrollably. We're admitted to the hospital - still with no real understanding of what any of this information means. As you can imagine, it takes quite a while to digest such information.
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