My Story

How it all happened.

Two weeks before Christmas 2014, Kai was playing with Alicia and he was standing up holding onto the couch for balance. He suddenly fell because his right leg just gave out from under him.  After that fall, Kai appeared to be in some pain when he would move his right leg and we thought that he had hurt it when he had his little fall.  At the time we didn’t know that this would play a big role in Kai’s life for the next two months.

After the fall, Kai appeared to be ok, but he started to be a little more tired and irritable.  We thought it was all the running around we were doing for Christmas and we didn’t think much of it until December 22nd when we drove up to Powell River to Alicia’s parents place.  On the drive up he cried in his car seat which he rarely does, and by the time we got to the house, he was very upset and just wasn’t  himself.  Also, Kai stopped breastfeeding which he loved up until this point.  He would try to breastfeed but pull away in what appeared it be pain.

We didn’t waste any time taking him to the hospital the night we got there.  Kai was treated for an ear infection and was out on antibiotics.

Kai’s condition continued to worsen and on Christmas eve we were in the hospital again and this time they gave Kai an X-ray to see if there was anything wrong with his legs or abdomen.  By this time he was barely moving both legs and it was incredibly scary.  He wasn’t eating, wouldn’t breastfeed, could no longer sit, or hold himeself up.  He was crying in pain although he attempted to be his playful self but just couldn’t move around.

On Boxing Day we made our way back to Victoria so that we could get to Victoria general hospital where they have a pediattic ward.  We went in first thing on December 27th when we arrived at the Victoria general they were expecting us as we went to emergency at Saanich peninsula hospital where they took one look at him and said that we needed to go to the general.

Within an hour of being at Vic General we were seen by the head pediattic doctor and we had X-rays, ultrasounds, and bloodwork all done right away.

By 3pm we had the results, and the doctor was very concerned about Kai as she was nearly positive that he had Leukemia.  Those words at the time were honestoy horrifying.

By 5pm we were being rushed by ambulance out to the BC ferries so that we could be taken to BC Children’s hospital.  Alicia and Kai rode in the ambulance and I drove back to the house to grab our suitcase and bags that were still packed from Christmas.  The hospital had notified the ferries that I had to be on with the amu lance in our car, so they out me at the front of the line just minutes before 7pm.

We were at BC Children’s hospital by 9:30 on the 27th, where an entire team of oncology specialists and doctors were waiting.  They already had Kai’s blood work and we’re putting together a plan for Kai’s treatments.

There is no better place or better people anywhere in the world then here at BCCH.  a room at the brand new Ronald McDonald House was arranged for us and our journey to fight Kai’s cancer had begun.

Within three days, Kai had a central line out into his chest which allows him to receive blood transfusions, chemotherapy, and IV medications.  It also allows blood to be drawn without poking him.  The line goes directly into the heart.

We were told that we would be here for a minimum of six months, depending on how Kai reacted to treatments and among many other factors which I’ll discuss on the “About My Leukemia” page.