Rhys was just like any other child. When he would run, he sounded like he was struggling with his breath which made me think he had asthma. I contacted his doctor on a Monday about it and she prescribed antihistamines to see if this was the case. Within a day or two, we noticed vein-like bruising on his chest that turned into a two-cent size lump. We took him to the doctor and they said it was probably due to coughing and to keep eye on him. Two more days passed, and watching our 1 1/2-year-old with no energy, laid out on the sofa, and with no interest in playing made us so concerned.
That Saturday, we contacted or local south doctor but when we mentioned the word “cough”, they didn’t want to see him due to covid and prescribed an antibiotic. By Monday, he had weakened even more and was starting to walk funny with one leg twisted in and with a limp. We took him to the doctor again and was sent straight to A&E. Where he was isolated due to covid and kept overnight. I wasn’t able to stay due to covid restrictions and the one parent rule. and I was also considered high risk since I was 7 months pregnant.
On that Tuesday morning, he was rushed to ICU Crumlin Children’s Hospital where everything was done so fast. While there, Rhys weakened more and started to develop a rash on his back, face, and chest. He also lost all movement in his body from the neck down and was extremely swollen from fluids. This was when we were told that it was a form of cancer and more tests were done to figure out what kind. By that evening we were sat down and shown Rhys’ scans while the oncologist explained that our little man had 4 tumors, 3 on his spin, and one large mass constricting his windpipe. He started chemo started straight away.
Rhys’ diagnosis has changed our family life. I was always the person that said it’s just a cough and he’ll be fine it’s just a runny nose but now I second guess everything. I think as a person it’s changed me most to stop thinking “it will never happen to me.”
Rhys is the bravest little man I’ve ever known!
