ONCOLOGIST

I never wanted to have a meeting with an oncologist. No offense to the doctor we met today. I'm sure most of us would be a-ok without ever having to set foot in a cancer center. But here we are and here I sit with my post-visit notes and my head swimming with new information, new medical terms, new protocols. It's all so new new new. 

I knew today would make everything more real. It hit me last night the weight of everything that Eli is going to face and that we are going to face along side him. I wish that I could go through it for him. I would trade places with him in a heartbeat. 

Today was an early morning out the door to meet with the oncologist and go over where we are at and where we are going. We are currently looking at a total of 29 weeks (7 months-ish) of treatment beginning with 10 weeks of chemo (two cycles) with three different drugs. Then the surgery at the beginning of the year to remove tumor and reconstruct the bone with a couple of weeks off to recover and then finishing with 19 weeks of treatment for a total of 6 cycles. That should put us at the end of May/early June depending on whether we have any delays. 

We got to ask a lot of questions and Eli was right in the room with us to go over everything. I've had to limit my internet searches because although I like to KNOW everything, I kinda don't want to know EVERYTHING. I'm mostly curious about the disease process and what osteosarcoma exactly is and how it starts, so we asked some questions and got some clarification today. Osteosarcoma isn't a fleshy, squishy tumor or lump, it's a tumor of unhealthy bone that forms in the end of long bones during periods of rapid growth, like puberty. The immature bone cells start growing unhealthy bone that is weaker and not normal bone, but it overtakes the healthy bone. There are only about 1000 cases of osteosarcoma annually and 500 in teens. Eli is 1 out of 500. I knew he was special, but this is SO extra, sunshine. There aren't really any genetic factors, but there are certain genetic conditions that can lead to risk factors. Certain factors like previous chemo, radiation can increase your risk factors, but none of those apply to Eli. Eventually we will do some genetic sequencing/testing to see if there is anything else going on, but most likely this is some random event that got underway and there is nothing that we nor Eli could have done, foreseen, predicted, prevented. 

We also got to meet with a social worker who discussed some financial programs that we can apply for to help offset treatment costs. Eli can also take advantage of some counseling sessions.

This week we have a hearing test and ECHO + EKG and then the PET scan on Thursday, which will further localize exactly where the tumor is in the leg. 

He has surgery scheduled Friday for the port implant and then will be admitted for the beginning of his first treatment cycle over the weekend. This one will just be two days. 

Upwards of 70% of patients become survivors of osteosarcoma depending on how they do with treatment. I'm mostly concerned with him feeling poorly and all of the other chemo side effects so we will just support his immune system and body in the best way that we can. 

Eli has a sister named Bella. She is a senior and is 17 months and 1 week older than him. Her brother was her first friend and her best friend. She told me that she's always remembered how to spell the word believe because it has ELI in the middle of it. The sunflower, my favorite flavor, is the flower of osteosarcoma and butterflies are the symbol of bone cancer. I bELIeve that Eli will have an amazing story of strength, bravery and fight after all of this is behind us and as Bella says, he will have one amazing college essay of overcoming adversity.