Abby will participate with her family and friends in KRide 2017. Please join them – and make a difference.
Abigail is a funny, witty and smart girl. She has always smiled and laughed at anything that came her way.
May 1,2015 is when the battle began, only we did not know it. Abigail presented with flu like symptoms. She was always tired, stopped eating and cried of pain. Her neck was stiff as if she slept wrong. After a few days we took her to the Emergency room. They told us it was step throat and sent her home with Antibiotics. 4 days later her fevers were over 102.5 and would never go down. We took her to her Pediatrician who then sent us to the Emergency room with a Cat Scan as soon as possible. Once all the tests were done, it showed it was nothing, but was admitted that night on May 12, 2015.
The coming days were scary as they could not figure out what was wrong with her. Meningitis and mononucleosis, were on the list of possible diagnosis. Those tests were invalid. On May 14th the Doctors came to me and said they wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy, as they were suspecting Leukemia. On May 16 the news turned our world upside down. It was in fact Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. After 2 weeks she was released to go home!
Abigail never once complained. She had her surgery for a port to be placed and started chemo. The weeks and months seemed to go slow. We had to adjust to a new normal. Clinic, multiple blood transfusions, hair loss, hospital stays including spending her 5th birthday there, Spinal taps and the many doctor appointments never dulled Abigail’s sunshine.
Abby was able to enjoy her Make-A-Wish trip to Florida to meet a Unicorn! She also had a photoshoot at Baystate Hospital as she missed her school pictures that day because she has been admitted the night before. Her photoshoot went viral and Abby was then interviewed about her photoshoot and meeting a unicorn that was later published. She now attends many Make-A-Wish events.
September 2016 marked 1 year of No Evidence of Disease! She still had to have her chemo, spinal taps and clinic visits. Abigail always enjoyed going to the clinic, it was her place where she didn’t have to feel alone in her journey. Everyone understood. We are now reaching the end of the tunnel! August 27, 2017 will be her LAST DAY OF TREATMENT!!
We are elated! Abigail and our family have been extremely grateful for all the help, love and patients we have received. The friends we made along the way are now our forever families. We cannot thank everyone enough.
We are extremely proud to have made a real impact by helping children with cancer in the Western Mass. area – but we want to do more. With your help, we can.