In the Fall of 2019, Atlas began exhibiting a variety of symptoms and his behavior also seemed off. Nothing seemed to make sense or point to anything specific. It did not help that we were entering the onset of COVID-19 when doctors were using telemedicine more and more. He had random fevers. He cried in pain and discomfort but could not localize it. We noticed little pinprick markings on his body. He was generally lethargic. We could never reach a satisfactory explanation with his pediatrician.
We could not deny that his coloring was off and he seemed to bruise easily. He eventually stopped eating and his belly seemed swollen and solid. His pediatrician advised us to observe him for a while longer but we knew as his parents that something was just not right. His loving teachers at daycare agreed and with that, we took him to an urgent care annex of Dell Children’s thinking he was severely constipated. The physician on staff heard me talk through symptoms and noted his pallor and bruising. She ran a blood panel and we immediately knew his blood counts were ‘not right’. From there, we were transported to Dell Children’s Main where we received his leukemia diagnosis.
The initial days of his treatment were shocking and traumatic but the amazing staff at Dell Children’s Hospital and the community around us lifted us up. It made us thankful for the support that surrounds us. You never realize how much love is around you until something like this happens.
It also made us realize how precious life is. We can fill our lives with such unnecessary ‘busyness’ and suddenly we take the important things for granted. In an instant, a cancer diagnosis laser focuses your family on what matters most.
Certainly, our routine is different these days with our regular clinic visits and tending to Atlas’s needs but it’s a challenge we happily accept because, ultimately, it’s his journey back to health. The important thing is that we are living more in the moment while appreciating each other and the wonderful world around us.
He takes on his treatments with bravery and even empathy for those around him. When nurses are administering necessary but oftentimes, uncomfortable procedures, he manages ‘thank-yous’ through his tears. When other children are upset, it distresses him and he won’t rest until he knows they are OK.
Hope session by Parisa Mae Photography | Facebook | Instagram