Gracie was diagnosed with leukemia on December 2, 2022, when she was 11 years old. Gracie was a Club soccer player. She started having a lot of pain in her legs and back. First, we thought it was growing pains. But after several trips to the ER when she was in excruciating pain, they started diving more into what could be going on. An MRI of her hips and legs showed she had lesions all over her bones. We were immediately checked into rabies and there for a few days while they ran several tests and within a few days determined that Gracie had leukemia.
Gracie has had the normal types of procedures and treatments that come with a diagnosis of leukemia. She has a port to receive chemotherapy. She’s had bone biopsies as well as multiple MRIs. She’s had 12 or more lumbar punctures/spinal taps. Countless blood transfusions of different varieties. Multiple long-term hospital stays. She developed a vascular narcosis from the steroids she had to take. Thankfully they found an alternative so that is no longer a concern. She’s required physical therapy for neuropathy. It’s been a long road and we still have just over a year ahead of us, but she is in a better place today than she was even just a few months ago.
There are just so many layers of your life that become affected by a diagnosis like this. Gracie has an older brother and a younger sister. They kind of feel like we lived through COVID again in the sense that we had to keep Gracie isolated for so long. my husband and I took turns taking leave from work, which caused some financial struggles. The kids no longer had friends inside of the house, so their social lives were impacted. Our son was able to continue playing baseball and attend middle school regularly for the most part. Aubrey, Gracie’s younger sister, needed to be pulled out of school and some of the indoor activities she was part of such as gymnastics, In order to keep Gracie safe. Aubrey was homeschooled for a year and a half with her sister and even shaved her head with her sister.
Family is always been important to us, but living through something like this makes you appreciate every moment you have, we always look for the silver lining even on the hardest days. This School year both my husband and I as well as Aubrey have returned to full-time work/school. Gracie is still in a homeschool program and supported by family members.
Gracie is an incredibly strong kiddo who has handled treatment with an amazingly positive strong mindset.
Hope session by Michele Zousmer Photography | Facebook | Instagram