Today we received the most wonderful phone call of our lives. Dr. S! (picture us with our Superman poses) called to tell us that Maya WILL NOT need chemotherapy. Woohoo!!! Robbie and I went from feeling exhausted and heavy to feeling light and bouncing off the walls. It’s the perfect Christmas gift.
She explained that they spoke to experts all around the world and all but one recommended that Maya have chemotherapy. The experts from Argentina were the only ones who did not recommend chemo and they were the only ones with data to back-up their recommendation. Dr. S! explained to us that Maya’s tumour had been touching parts of the eye that could cause it to spread easily but had not invaded those areas in any way, shape or form. The experts from Argentina have had a lot of experience with this type of tumour and have seen that there is very little chance of it spreading anywhere else.
Because there are many risks involved with chemotherapy, especially for secondary cancers, Dr. S! explained that she and the other two doctors who are part of the retinoblastoma team (including an oncologist) feel that the risks of chemotherapy do not outweigh the risks of Maya developping cancer from the retinoblastoma cells. She will be monitored closely and will have regular M.R.I.s. Although it didn’t look like it at first, removing her eye was her cure.
Okay, so as I was writing this, the phone rang, Robbie came running down the stairs and handed it to me. It was Dr. S! again with another fabulous Christmas present : the genetics came back 3 months early and they are negative! She was in shock as the genetic results rarely come back so quickly. What does this mean? Maya’s retinoblastoma was an accident of nature and Ella is not at risk for anything. Wow…so much to digest in such a short time. I have never in my life been on such a roller-coaster ride.
Over the past several weeks, our story created this ball of energy filled with love and light. Your thoughts and prayers have supported us and I now believe have helped to create this miracle for our family. It will be a very Merry Christmas for our family this year. Thank you to all of you for giving so much to us and please keep spreading the love and light to all of those surrounding you.
Sending you much love and light.
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