Clementine is the most positive little rule follower with a slight side of sass! She likes order, routine, and being prepared. Her moves are methodical. She loves all the colors of the rainbow but mostly red and GLITTER! She’s smart and kind and naturally “leads”. She enjoys science experiments, arts and crafts, tiny dolls, and toys. She can’t wait to get married and be a mommy one day.
Clementine was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma one week after her 3rd birthday on Feb 20, 2018. She had a normal check-up with her pediatrician and she was growing and learning perfectly! One afternoon she got a fever and a belly ache. We gave her Tylenol and the fever didn’t go down. We took her to Phoenix Children’s Hospital where they told us that night our baby had cancer.
Clementine started treatment in AZ. When we learned of better treatment options we traveled back and forth to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NY. We then moved to Michigan where she is currently finishing up a trial medication that she’s been on for the last 2 years. She has had surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy and has been in trials and studies since the very beginning. We were lucky enough to have supportive family and friends to help but this has and still does take a toll on the entire family.
Clementine is a happy, energetic 7-year-old but cancer treatment hasn’t been without its challenges. She wears hearing aids due to the chemotherapy she received and she has permanent lung tissue damage and scarring. She has a port on top of her head where they administered medication directly into her brain, she has scars and tattoos on her body from radiation and procedures and lasting endocrine and hormonal changes that we are still learning about.
Cancer has definitely changed our lives. We had to put a wall up in our living room to separate our immunocompromised baby from our growing, curious, healthy baby. We didn’t visit playgrounds or have playdates for months. We would have to rely on the kindness of strangers to watch our healthy babies when Clementine had to suddenly go to the hospital. My husband who is an airplane and powerplant mechanic lost his job and had to learn on the fly how to be a nurse and stay-at-home caregiver.
There were times I wasn’t sure when this day would come. When would we finally see the other side of all this? I can look at pictures and distinctly remember, “Before Cancer” yet it also feels like a lifetime ago, a different life. I would like to commemorate this time in our lives and close the chapter on this part of Clementine’s story. She fought so hard and so did our entire family and we’re finally HERE!
Hope Session by Nicole Martin Photography | Facebook