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It was a lump just under her collar bone. She wasn’t even sure what she was feeling, but it was something that caused her to wonder. However, life had been filled with so many changes lately, it was just one more thing on THE LIST! Her grandparents had just adopted her in May, and now there was a new home, a new school and even getting enrolled with new health insurance. Once the new health insurance was in place, it was time for an annual check up with her new doctor. As Dr. Bartilucci performed the routine check up, Alexis mentioned the lump under her collar bone. Once Dr. Bartilucci palpitated the lump, she quickly recognized that further testing was indicated and sent Alexis to Wolfson Children’s Hospital immediately for a CT scan.
Following the CT scan, Alexis and her grandmother were told to have a seat and meet with the doctor. To her surprise, there wasn’t one doctor - there were two! Dr. Joyce, a pediatric oncologist, was accompanied by Dr. Dokler, a pediatric surgeon. Together they candidly told Alexis, “You have cancer - Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We are going to immediately schedule you for treatment and Dr. Dokler will surgically implant a portacath beneath your skin. It is through the portacath that you will receive chemotherapy.” The doctors were reassuring, but Alexis was scared. She wanted to know, “Am I going to lose my hair? Am I going to die?” Dr. Joyce answered, “Yes, you are going to lose your hair, but you are not going to die.”
Looking back on that discussion, Alexis recalled how much she appreciated their candor and the sense of trust it created.
"I learned to expect them to always tell me the truth, even when the news was bad. I did lose my hair and I missed one year of school while undergoing chemo and radiation. The best news, however, is that my prognosis is good… my most recent pet scan came out clear. It has been said that cancer is a gift wrapped in barbed wire. After two years of treatment, I would have to agree. Underneath that barbed wire, I have discovered gifts that have carried me through this very rough journey. My list of gifts includes a wonderful Dreams Come True shopping spree; two great weeks at Camp Boggy Creek and being chosen as a model for Wolfson Children’s Fashion Show. But the best gifts, along with my family, have been Wolfson’s great doctors, nurses, my social worker…and, most especially, my radiology team who has been made this journey bearable and sometimes even fun." |
