Carson
"Tuff Boy" Hancock was born Friday, February 13, 2009. He spent the
first 5 days of his life in the NICU; with a rare airway condition called
Bronchial Malaysia, causing his airway to be weak and narrow. His Father (Brant
Hancock) wanted to name him “Tuff” because he was a very “Tuff” baby from the
very beginning! “Tuff Boy” stuck as Carson’s nick-name. Carson’s first surgery
was when he was just 6 months old and he has since had 7 surgeries for his
airway
Just 4 weeks
prior to Carson being diagnosed with Acute Lyphoblastic leukemia he was in the ICU at PCMC, He was very sick;
struggling to breath, doctors were puzzled. They called in a Hemco and Oncology
doctor, I remember asking why an Oncologist, knowing it was a cancer doctor?
Dr. Affify came in and explained that they had no reason to think that Carson
had anything more than a few viruses one being human parvo virus causing his bone marrow to be suppressed. She
said they would give him Red blood cells he would feel much better. I asked if
we could leave on our family vacation to Disney Land next week, and she said
Enjoy it; kids are so precious. We left not knowing that our son was fighting a
beast, called cancer and just weeks after we would know the reality of it.
When you hear the words “It’s
cancer” nothing after that even relevant. You try and look at the doctors and
understand what they are saying, but in reality the room is spinning so fast,
Your child’s life is flashing before your eyes. You are trying to hold the
tears back, trying not to scream at the doctors to GET OUT. So you can just
hold your child! You are flooded with emotions. We were given a 2 hour break
right after they told us, in order for family to come; and help them understand
what we were going to face. Within hours he was given blood, red blood was
first. Since he was so weak, and was struggling to keep his oxygen up. Once we
got up to the “4th” floor at PCMC, They had platelets there waiting,
I remember asking the nurse what was that, because it was yellow. Once he got red blood he felt a hundred times
better. Once he got platelets the doctors calmed down, at the time I didn’t
know why platelets were so important, Well I did know, I just couldn’t put the
two together in that moment. I
knew we had to fight! Not only fight, but fight with the best attitude possible
and reach out to as many people as we could to gather support! I would NOT let
cancer get the best of me or Carson, or our family. Carson has had countless
Lumbar punctures to receive chemotherapy directly into his spinal fluid, as
well as 3 surgeries on his airway from his original condition at birth. Carson
has endured countless pokes, surgeries, hospital stays, horrible medications
and many, many sick days - and yet he continues to fight and be happy and act
like any normal 5-year old. He is a Tuff
boy!
From my perspective as a mom, I am
constantly on the lookout. Always worried about bruising. Every bruise stressed
me out. I feel like low platelets can be
the most dangerous component of blood to drop low on, because it causes
bleeding. In (cancer mom school/or CPR), we're taught when assessing our child,
that the first thing to look at is the ABCs: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation.
If any of those are compromised, the life can be in danger. Excess bleeding
compromises circulation. So, when the platelets are low at first, the symptoms
are relatively harmless. The lower the platelets drop, the more likely it is
that something serious can happen. A cut that bleeds longer than it should,
constipation that makes the intestines bleed, a bump in the belly that causes
something inside to bleed. We can't see it, but something inside can eventually
go seriously wrong. Blood pressure drops, the heart works harder to get the
blood moving. Without platelets, we could never stop those types of
occurrences. It may double the time the blood donation takes, but it's worth
every second, considering what it means to the recipient; the family, the
friends, and loved ones! It's every bit as important as the red blood cells you
normally donate. Maybe even more important, and certainly thought of less
often.
We have been “lucky” I guess you could
say, since he got the diagnoses he has not need any other blood products. But
we know the reality is that at any moment that could change, at any moment we
could be facing a mountain of fear once again. Blood products are so important,
especially platelets knowing, that even a bump of the head or arm could cause a
major injury or a serious consequence is heart wrenching.
For those of you giving blood I want to
say thank you, personally, thank you! It means so much when you see your child
lying there lifeless, and worn out and the amazing turn around that blood gives
them, it is truly a miracle. When you know all the “what if’s” that go along
not having enough platelets your mind races, them even moving out of the bed
gives you a heart attack! You struggle to not hold them down, so that they
don’t bump their head; in fear of bleeding. They were not able to do surgery on
our little boy the day he was diagnosed with Cancer, since his platelet level
was too low, the risk of bleeding was way too high.
Carson broke his hand! He of course doesn't let it stop him! PLUS he lets this crazy bird sign it! :) Love our Felix the Falcon!
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