From the Beginning

Curtis was diagnosed with Leukemia on January 12, 2012.  A lot of people are curious as to what led us to find out that he had leukemia.  He had been very sick for a couple of weeks and just not getting better.  We took him to the doctor because his legs were hurting him to even walk.  I thought that he had become dehydrated and was having some charlie horses, because he had been sick, the flu had been going around and it was a flu that had been lasting a while.  When we took him to the doctor he had an ear infection so we started him on some antibiotics...but our amazing Doctor (DR. MOFFAT) had called another doctor and told him the situation, he called us and asked us to please come back in because he just wasn't comfortable and he was headed out of town and would like to see him before he left.  We were actually a little hesitant to take him because we did not feel like we had given it enough time and we figure he would be better in a couple of days, but we took him in and Dr. Moffat asked me to please take him to the hospital and have a blood test done, just to rule out anything.  He said the specialist he had spoke to said sometimes cancer will settle in their bones.  SO we went, I was headed home so in less than probably 20 mins, I got a call from John.  Dr. Moffat said that he needed to go to Phoenix Children's Hospital and go now.  DO NOT let him get cut or hurt cause his platelets were so low he could not start bleeding, he told us that preliminary results look like he had leukemia.

We came home, talked to the kids, gave Curtis a blessing, and headed down to the Valley.  They did more blood work to confirm his diagnosis.  He had A.L.L.  (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia).  Which was a good diagnosis all things considered...IF he had to have leukemia this was the best scenario.  They started treatments immediately...which meant lots of poking and prodding for Curtis.  He was such a trooper and he was proud of himself and how tough he was.  HE loved that he had his own room he could watch whatever he wanted on t.v. and eat whenever and whatever he wanted, so for him his first hospital stay wasn't too bad.  He got his port placed in his chest, which allows them to take blood and give medicines to him without giving iv's to him.  He had lots of visitors that came to see him which he loved.  He stayed in pretty good spirits most of the time.  When he got a little shy or tired of people he would growl at them.  Which he stills does to this day, but now he does it when he likes you.  He was released from the hospital on January 27, 2012 but had to stay in the Valley for a while.  John stayed with him and they were able to stay at Mary's house where there was a low chance of exposure to germs.  I do not remember the exact day that he came back to our house in Vernon, but it was an extremely happy exciting day.  He still had to go to the Valley every week for clinic appointments, but the feeling of having our family together again was indescribable.  It made me think this is what eternity is all about.

February 13, 2012 John had to go back to the Valley for his appointment and that evening when John and Curtis got to the Valley, Curtis had blood in his Urine.  They took him to the hospital that night and my poor sweet little boy had developed Kidney STONES.  This was such a horrible time for him.  He was in so much pain.  Had to have a stint placed in both of his Kidneys because he had stones in both of them.  He had to wear around a bag.  I wished so much that I could be down there with him, but I needed to be here with the rest of my kids and for my health.  John is such an amazing dad....He spent a few nights with no sleep by Curtis' side.  This was such a hard time because this was a side effect that was not associated with any of the medications he was on at that time.  We were not sure why or when he had developed the stones, but because the amount of doctors and staff that were focusing on Curtis, we knew it was serious.  He came home from the hospital wearing a bag, but that did not bother him or slow him down.  He is always in a better mood when he is at home.  He first hospital stay was ok, but after that he really does not like being admitted because he does not like being hooked up to tubes and stuff.  He is such a little trooper,  He went back to the Valley on the 1st of March to see if the stones had shrunk, the only thing they had given was orders to drink a lot of lemonade.  The lemonade helps to dissolve the stones.  When he went in for surgery to they found that all of the stones were gone except for one, which they were able to blast and get rid of.  They took out the stints and everything went back to functioning normal.  PRAYERS in Curtis' behalf were offered and answered.  We are so thankful for that.
Since his kidney stones Curtis has not had to be admitted to the hospital.  He goes to the valley weekly still for his treatments, but has done so well!  We feel so blessed.

He hadn't lost any of his hair up until JUNE 25, 2012 when he started to lose it.  He does not seem bothered at all by that.  It helps that so many people who he feels close too also shaved their heads for him.  He had a really hard week the first week in July.  His legs hurt him really bad, which is a side effect of the intense treatments he was going through.

This month will be his last intense treatment phase, we are thankful that he is doing so well.  We are thankful for the love and support so many people have shown to us.  We feel so blessed in so many ways.