Our four-year old daughter Eleanor (new nickname: Elle. Her choice.) has cancer. And it's a rare one called rhabdomyosarcoma, a bunch of gibberish that means our little girl has a year's worth of chemo and possible radiation treatments coming up with surgery to boot. If any cancer can be called good...this isn't one of them.
But it could be worse. There are a hundred other types that leave you no room for hope. We have hope. People do get better from this. And if there is anyone that can beat the odds, it's my little girl.
If you are unlucky enough not to have met Elle yet, she is the one giving cancer the bird to your right. She has the attitude and the sheer will to crush this thing like a paper cup. Example: do you know a lot of people who could battle through a dose of morphine AND oxycodone to stay awake 30 minutes and tell their parents to "Shut up!" so they could watch their favorite television show from a hospital bed? She makes Ah-nuld in the original Terminator look like a wimp. Elle is a genuine force of nature.
That is what is so great about her. She is a spunky fighter and that attitude is so critical in fights like this.
So many of you have asked about her and have sent so many kind words our way. And the truth is that we have been overwhelmed by the love and support all of you have shown for Elle and rest of the family. So rather than send 1,000 emails and make 1,000 calls, we are setting up this website so you can follow Elle (and the rest of us) on her "Kicking Cancer's Ass" 2009 Tour.
We know this road isn't going to be an easy one for Elle or for us. But we also know that it will end with her beating cancer into the ground. Because, quite frankly, she won't have it any other way.
2 comments:
Oh, I'm so not surprised that she chose the nickname. She sure is a force of nature.
Love that girl.
I'm Lisa Averill's sister and she sent me this... Love the picture! 8 years ago my husband & I got the news that his daughter, my step, had osteosarcoma. She was 11 years old. Like all historic moments in life, you never forget the day, the exact moment, what you were doing, the moment you got the news. The good news is that today, Brittany is 19 and PREGNANT!! We didn't know back then if she would ever make it, much less bear children! It's a tough road... we spent a lot of time in Boston at Children's hospital& Dana Farber, then at Maine Med. One year of intense chemo and surgeries. But I can tell you that life is good again! My faith helped and I asked for prayers from everyone that asked what they could do. This will draw you all closer too. Seeing Elle's spirit, I have no doubt that she will overcome this. I keep you in my prayers and look forward to better days for you all.
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