15:19
Awara
ByJanice S Palmer
At the age of 13, Tristin, a carefree, healthy-appearing, soccer-playing, and viola-loving teenager's world changed when he was diagnosed with cancer in the form of stage four neuroblastoma. Even the doctors were hesitant to make the dreaded diagnosis until all the test results were received since this particular form of cancer usually attacks young children and is extremely rare in teenagers.
Six months prior to his diagnosis, Tristin went to the ER with lower abdominal pain and was told he had appendicitis, a reasonable assumption, given his symptoms and age, so a CT scan was not ordered to determine if there could have been another cause for the pain. His appendix was promptly removed, but he continued to have problems. Finally, the tumor in the back of his abdomen became large enough to be felt on a physical exam, and he was diagnosed with a mass. He was sent for scans at that time to validate the mass for size, structure, placement, and malignancy. The news was shocking and devastating to both family and friends.
Neuroblastoma forms from the neurons running down the spinal column where a cell goes crazy, reproducing and growing into a large tumor. The tumor in Tristin was not encased but had threaded itself through small openings, spreading on the other side and wrapping around organs, including the aorta of his heart. A long term intravenous catheter device called a portacath was surgically implanted under the skin on his chest for the frequent lab draws required and the caustic chemotherapy treatments. The first round of chemo required a week long hospital stay.
During hospital stays, Tristin's family discovered ways to make things a little easier on themselves. Some tips they suggest are:
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