Help for Owen
Donation protected
This was written by Owen's Mom - ""Owen has received some unfortunate news regarding his health this week. After a trip to our family doctor last week, and a discussion we had on Monday, we brought Owen to BC Children's hospital. Overnight Monday he was admitted to oncology because of a rapidly growing tumor in his abdomen. Owen has spent the week being a total trooper getting a bunch of different tests done to try to determine the exact type of cancer he has so he can begin treatment. With his permission, I (mom) have created a page where we can easily share updates with friends and family about his progress. https://www.facebook.com/owensupdatepage/posts/
This is the a bit of breakdown as to what's gone on thus far.
Just a few weeks ago in September Owen started mentioning that he wasn't feeling well after eating sometimes. It was sporadic and not very concerning. It seemed to be a food intolerance. Then he started looking a bit pale around Thanksgiving. We took him to our family doctor on October 20th. She sent him for some blood work.
On Sunday the 23rd Owen was laying down after eating and I felt his belly, like I had a f...ew times before. This time I felt a strange hard spot. About the size of an egg, on his lower right quadrant. It apparently showed up on Saturday, and certainly wasn't there on Thursday at his appointment.
On Monday the 24th our doctor called and told me that his hemoglobin was low and she wanted him to see a pediatrician the following day. After dinner that night Owen told me the hard spot was bigger. I felt it and now it was about the size of my fist and he said it hurt. I called the doctor and she had us come down to BCCH.
In the ER they did xrays and an ultrasound and confirmed that he had a large mass. An IV was placed and oncology was called in to consult. Owen was admitted to children's hospital Monday night.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday he was given a blood transfusion to help make him feel better and bring his hemoglobin up. Tuesday morning I met with the oncologist and she told me that this mass and other symptoms are indicative of a type of non hodgkins lymphoma called (childhood) Burkitts lymphoma.
Wednesday morning we took Owen to the BC Cancer Agency for a CT and PET scan. This gave his doctors lots of good information about the mass and his overall condition. The team started to plan their next steps while Owen mostly relaxed the rest of the day in between getting some blood work and visiting with his Nana and Papa. In the afternoon the team met with all of us, including Owen, to talk about the plans and his tumor.
Thursday morning Owen went down to the oncology clinic for a bone marrow biopsy and lumbar puncture. He did very well for this procedure, and tolerated the anesthetic just fine. Unfortunately the afternoon brought him a significant amount of pain at the sites of the biopsies (they did both hips at the back) and we struggled to keep his pain at a manageable level.
The final results of the PET scan were given to us Thursday afternoon. There I'd only one large tumor that lights up but he also has 2 other areas that lit up ever so slightly. For this reason they have decided not to remove the tumor at this time. If it is Burkitts, it should shrink very quickly with chemo.""
Colin (DAD) and Amanda's (MOM) co-workers (Yvonne Langevin and Patricia Naunheimer) are fund raising to help the family with expenses - it will be used for things like parking, meals at the hospital, extra tolls, items to make Owens progress more comfortable and relieve stress from the family. The family is going through an emotional toll and are ever so grateful for everyone's support and concern.
This is the a bit of breakdown as to what's gone on thus far.
Just a few weeks ago in September Owen started mentioning that he wasn't feeling well after eating sometimes. It was sporadic and not very concerning. It seemed to be a food intolerance. Then he started looking a bit pale around Thanksgiving. We took him to our family doctor on October 20th. She sent him for some blood work.
On Sunday the 23rd Owen was laying down after eating and I felt his belly, like I had a f...ew times before. This time I felt a strange hard spot. About the size of an egg, on his lower right quadrant. It apparently showed up on Saturday, and certainly wasn't there on Thursday at his appointment.
On Monday the 24th our doctor called and told me that his hemoglobin was low and she wanted him to see a pediatrician the following day. After dinner that night Owen told me the hard spot was bigger. I felt it and now it was about the size of my fist and he said it hurt. I called the doctor and she had us come down to BCCH.
In the ER they did xrays and an ultrasound and confirmed that he had a large mass. An IV was placed and oncology was called in to consult. Owen was admitted to children's hospital Monday night.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday he was given a blood transfusion to help make him feel better and bring his hemoglobin up. Tuesday morning I met with the oncologist and she told me that this mass and other symptoms are indicative of a type of non hodgkins lymphoma called (childhood) Burkitts lymphoma.
Wednesday morning we took Owen to the BC Cancer Agency for a CT and PET scan. This gave his doctors lots of good information about the mass and his overall condition. The team started to plan their next steps while Owen mostly relaxed the rest of the day in between getting some blood work and visiting with his Nana and Papa. In the afternoon the team met with all of us, including Owen, to talk about the plans and his tumor.
Thursday morning Owen went down to the oncology clinic for a bone marrow biopsy and lumbar puncture. He did very well for this procedure, and tolerated the anesthetic just fine. Unfortunately the afternoon brought him a significant amount of pain at the sites of the biopsies (they did both hips at the back) and we struggled to keep his pain at a manageable level.
The final results of the PET scan were given to us Thursday afternoon. There I'd only one large tumor that lights up but he also has 2 other areas that lit up ever so slightly. For this reason they have decided not to remove the tumor at this time. If it is Burkitts, it should shrink very quickly with chemo.""
Colin (DAD) and Amanda's (MOM) co-workers (Yvonne Langevin and Patricia Naunheimer) are fund raising to help the family with expenses - it will be used for things like parking, meals at the hospital, extra tolls, items to make Owens progress more comfortable and relieve stress from the family. The family is going through an emotional toll and are ever so grateful for everyone's support and concern.
Organiser
Yvonne Pelletier Langevin
Organiser
Surrey, BC