One year ago...

Tomorrow is the year mark of Evalette's diagnosis…here a recap of her last year.


Hi,

I am Evalette Rose…

And this month I turn 2 (April 2nd)!

I have four brothers… Tyrell (7), Jarom (5), Lance (3), and baby Enoch (6 weeks). And of course a mommy and a daddy! We are a HAPPY family!

Mommy says that she waited a long time for me…her first little girl. Guess you could say that I am "the little princess" of the family.  

I love to be "girly", which makes my mom very happy and makes my daddy smile.  

I love to dress up, wear headbands and bows, to twirl until I fall down, blow kisses, and rock my babies to sleep.  

Singing is also a favorite thing of mine.  

I am always carrying around a book or two…reading is very important.  

My "meme" (Minnie)  and "meke" (Mickey) stuffed animals are my absolute favorites.

Mommy thinks I am a bit obsessed but I just love them!

Just ask my brother Lance, he gets a severe tongue lashing from me any time he runs off with them.

I have a Minnie outfit that I love to dress up in.  

Mickey's clubhouse is my favorite cartoon.  

Frozen is my favorite movie by far.  I can sing "Let It Go" for you any time you ask.  

I love to perform! 

 I am a pretty happy, sweet, energetic, go lucky little girl. 

But I also have cancer.  

That part isn't so fun!

March 2013 was a pretty rough month for me.  

I was sick, really sick.

Mommy was worried.

I saw a doctor for four straight days until they sent me to the hospital for dehydration.

They did labs and X-rays.  

The results forever changed my life. 

On March 27th, 2013, I was diagnosed with high risk T-cell 

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, 

aka cancer of the blood.  

Mine specific type of cancer was rare for a baby my age…I was only 11 months old.

I was life lighted to Primary Children's Hospital where a specialized team of Oncologists and other doctors worked to get me stabilized.  

My mom rode with me.  

I cried…I wasn't sure what was going on. 

The first few days, I was in critical condition. 

But my wonderful doctors stabilized me and my long journey of  cancer treatments (2 years total) began…

FIRST, I had surgery to get a port placed in my chest.  This way, I didn't have to get an IV every time I had chemotherapy or other medicines given to me.  

My first 30 days of treatment were intense.  Chemotherapy and high dose steroids were my constant friends.  I didn't feel good, I missed home, but I hung in there.  

During my first week in the hospital, I celebrated my 1st birthday.  I did get a cake, but I didn't want to eat it.  That day I was especially not feeling good.  

Because I was so immunosurpressed from the chemotherapy my brothers couldn't come see me.  My mom and I stayed at the hospital while daddy and my brothers were at home.

It was rough… I missed my family and they missed me!

In May, we found out that I was in REMISSION! Such great news…mommy cried! 

But my heavy cancer treatment still continued so that we could make sure the cancer didn't come back since I was so HIGH-RISK.  I would be getting treatment for 2 whole years!

I spent the all summer in the hospital.  

The high doses of steroids made me gain weight and really cranky!!

 My life became a sterile place of my hospital room, nurses, doctors, masks, gloves, chemo, medicines, and vitals all day long.  

I was becoming a doctor myself!!!

 Occasionally, I got a little break and got to go home for a couple of days. 

I loved to see my brothers, jump on the trampoline, be with my dad, go on bike rides, eat chocolate, and rest.  

 The chemotherapy made me really sick.  I lost my appetite and was losing weight.  So I had to get an NG tube.  I hated it.  It felt so weird!

 But I started to do better.  

When I started to lose my hair, mom cried again.  My brothers thought my shiny head was cool!!! I didn't notice too much.

 The last long inpatient phase of chemotherapy made me the most sick.  Mom cried again as she watched me go through a lot of pain.  My poor body was tired.  But still I was happy most of the time and flashed every a smile when anyone came into my room!

 In October of 2013, it was decided that I needed a break from the treatments.  Mommy was nervous that with coming cold winter months, which meant lots of sicknesses, I would be worse off with no immune system from all my cancer treatments.  We got the ok to take a break. Meaning that I go in every month to Primary Children's Hospital instead of extended stays!! 

So I was home for Halloween!!!

 And Thanksgiving and Christmas, which was so fun!!!  With the break in my chemotherapy, my hair started to grow back and it hasn't stop yet!!!

Just before my diagnosis I had just started taking steps.  Due to all the steroids which make your bones hurt, I refused to walk or to put pressure on my legs.  Mommy was afraid I would never walk! 

But in Nov, I finally started to walk after physical therapy and constant help from my family.

It was an exciting day!!!

 I have been inside and away from people all winter.  My brothers keep me entertained and I am happy to be home with my family for now.  

My mommy and daddy pray everyday that I stay in remission and that God heals me from cancer.
The doctors tell us that we will not know if I am 'cured' for 5 years.

Mommy says that I am fighter and daddy says that I can do anything!!

I have decided that no matter what I like being happy!!!
Thank you to my great doctors and nurses.
And a special thanks to family, neighbors, and friends that helped my family while mommy and I were away!

It is great to be ALIVE!