David Lawrence Alexander III

On October 2nd, 2020, our family's life was changed forever.
I won't go into all the little details, but will touch on the big ones.
Over the last year David has off and on complained about slight hip pains now and then. He (being the tough, strong willed young man that he is) would choose to stretch it out or walk it off. It was never severe enough for him to say hey I need to go to the doctors. 

Over this past summer after the spring season of his High School lacrosse team was canceled he was really looking forward to the upcoming summer season with his travel team, a national team he had made and a few showcases. This being the summer before his junior year of High School it was all going to ramp up and lead into the prospect days for a few colleges that had reached out to him and a few others he wished to participate in.

The July schedule was hectic, due to the COVID-19 pandemic a lot of venues had changed or even postponed the tournaments. He was lucky enough that his travel team had secured spots and the national team had secured spots at some pretty decent events.  We spent July 9th thru the 16th in Delaware watching him play his heart out, and the pain started to finally worsen. On the final day of the tournament he was hurting like he has never complained before ( mind you he has played football with a broken foot, broke his ankle on the lacrosse field, broke his leg on the football field and broke his elbow on the wrestling mat). He was invited to guest play for another team that weekend and actually chose not to play, he was thinking he had just pushed to hard and his body needed a break. we agreed, he knows his bodies limitations.  He wanted to save up and build up for the upcoming Under Armor try-outs and his club was hosting a prospect day and tournament at the end of the month.

As the try-out grew close he realized he was hurting and could not go all out, we agreed and we made an initial doctors appointment. At this point he was limping and a welt had started to appear on the small of his back. He then withdrew from the prospect day and the tournament because he was still feeling no relief and was starting to be in constant pain.

From this point we made several appointments to see everyone from chiropractors, pediatricians and even an E.R. visit. We jumped back and took him to our other family doctor and he said we will keep an eye on this, the symptoms seem to be sports related so physical therapy and dry needling may do the trick. However after 2 months if this does not start to get better or worsens we will take the next step.

The first few weeks went great, David was gaining mobility and the pain was there but bearable. Then the pain spiked and the loss of sleep and appetite began. 
So they took the next step with dry needling. And once again after a few sessions he would seem to be getting better, not great but better. But looking back noticing all the little things the lack off sleep started to catch up and then the loss of appetite got worse.

Then the last 2 weeks of September it was just a decline, the pain got worse, the sleep got less and there was barely any eating. He started to complain about numbness. 

We took him to the doctors on Monday September 28, the doc ordered X-rays, Blood work and an MRI.  Blood work and X-rays was done that day. We had to get it done early because he had to go to court to get his official drivers license. 
The results came back Tuesday afternoon or early evening (kinda a blur) but nothing to be told from them. He had his MRI appointment Thursday evening. 

Friday around 10:00 am I get a call from his mother that we need to take him to UVA medical center for a biopsy. I made it home and we loaded up the truck and got on the road.

We got to UVA and they took him right in, they went over the MRI's from the previous doctors appointment. Because David had been in so much pain and could not sit still they had to order a CT scan to get clearer images.

They could not schedule a biopsy until Monday morning but could help alleviate his pain and maybe he could rest. 

The next 10 days have been a roller coaster of emotions--
Before we even got a biopsy the CT scans showed he had a mass on his hip going across the pelvis, a blood clot in his right leg in the vein leading back to his lungs and multiple spots in his lungs. So you may ask what it is.....
Well it is cancer.
So we get to hear he has cancer, but the biopsy will tell us what type of cancer it is.
Not so fast, the tissue that was able to be taken from his hip showed multiple things. No one definitive answer could be gained. So we waited on pins and needles from Monday until Wednesday to hear we have to wait some more.
So the doctors scheduled another biopsy and since it was going to be a surgical procedure went on and schedule him to have a port placed in his chest for the chemo. 

Today is now Monday October 13, 2020
We finally have one answer to many questions. He has 
Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma.
It is a fairly rare cartilage cancer.
And that's where we are, His treatments will be rough and hard.
There will be many months of chemo therapy and multiple surgeries, lasting for possibly 2 years or longer. We will be there supporting him the best we can, but as far as we can tell this will be an extremely long and hard road.

David always wanted to get into UVA, I don't think that this was how he planned it though. David has been keeping his spirits up and staying strong (as usual). We have been joking around and laughing a lot in the hospital. I don't think all of the nurses get our humor especially when it goes a little to the dark side, but there are a few that go will the flow. Hell one of the nurses came by and gave David an  official cancer card, and he has been pulling the cancer card non-stop.

So people have been asking how to help, it's hard to answer that question.
We have never had to experience anything of this magnitude before. We always joked with the kids about starting a "gofundme" to support their lacrosse habits.
It is very hard to ask for help, it always has. We have always been up to the challenges and faced them head on. Each time making us stronger. However this is one of those times where the challenge is far to great to be dealt with on our own. 

I have reached the point where I have run out of words that make sense anymore.
In the long run any help, thoughts or prayers will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!