Bella was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma on February 13, 2015. I read and article about retinoblastoma and the next morning realized my baby was completely blind in her right eye. If you take a picture with a flash and notice a child’s eye being “white” instead of the typical “red eye”, please have their eyes checked. It’s a MIRACLE that Bella’s rumors didn’t spread to her brain or to her other eye because her pediatrician blew us off every time we mentioned those photos.
She has had so many procedures. Countless times under anesthesia, MRIs, EUAs, spinal fluid checks, the needles, and her eye removal surgery. The only struggle we face now is our new “normal” with Bella having one eye. She makes us proud every day. But there’s still some struggles. Like at school dealing with kids constantly asking her about it.
Once you are told that your baby has cancer, things never really go back to how they once were. We travel to St. Jude every 6 months now! Which is great now that her appointments are spaced out now. But knowing that the rare thing CAN happen to you, changes things. That slight fear is always in the back of your mind when your child has a fever, or other symptom that shouldn’t feel like a big deal.
Bella is so brave! She looks forward to her St. Jude visits, even though that means needles and pokes. She loves her doctors and nurses. She is proud of her princess eye. She knows that God’s plans for her are good and that he loves her so much. I know she’s my kid, but she’s my hero. I am just so proud of all she has been through and how she just keeps fighting.
Flowers by Designs by LRH | Cakes by Kipp
Hope session by Nichole Park Photography | Facebook | Instagram