Aiden is a happy kid, lots of things can make him laugh; tickling, running, high fives, and singing. He loves baby shark and wheels on the bus songs.
Aiden was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma in 2021 when he was just 10 months old. We found out by accident and he never showed symptoms. Thinking back, his appetite was lower that week and his stomach was kind of big, but he used to eat a lot so we never thought that he had a tumor in his stomach.
Aiden has had 6 rounds of chemotherapy in total and was in treatment for about 8 months. He got a fever after every round and always ended up being admitted to the hospital. He had a liver resection after 4 rounds of chemo, we were in the hospital for 9 days after the surgery. However, he had a couple of wound infections that caused fevers which also resulted in hospital admissions. We feel like there were endless hospital days and got stressed every time he had a fever. Every time Aiden was admitted to the hospital, we struggled with time management at work and with our family as we have a 7-year-old to take care of as well.
Aiden has a few limitations, mostly due to the chemo. He lost his appetite and didn’t want to take anything by mouth. We ended up needing to put in an NG tube to administer formula, however, the NG tube dressing caused a skin reaction all over his face.
My husband works night shifts so I am very stressed during the day. I need to work and am always worried about Aiden and what we would need to do if there is another emergency. As Aiden got admitted to the hospital all the time. We are struggling with stress from cancer and how to best take care of the kids at this challenging time.
Hope Session by Shalimar B Photography | Instagram | Facebook