I can't believe it, but today marks 4 years since we started our cancer journey. Merry had been sick for the previous few months and after many, many, many trips to the doctor, we couldn't figure out what was wrong. On June 3, 2011, she woke up with a black eye. The pressure from the tumor in her sinus must have gotten too much for her little face. We rushed her in for a CT scan and then down to Children's Hospital.
I will never forget that day, but some particular pieces stand out. That drive to Children's is one of them. She had emergency surgery that night and they removed what we later found out was cancer - rhabdomyosarcoma. I remember the surgeon coming out to talk to us and she was crying. I remember practicing saying the word "rhabdomyosarcoma". Oh, how I wish I didn't know that word.
While I would never wish cancer on anyone, ever, I can say that we have all changed, hopefully for the better. Thank you to all that have helped us get to this point – family, friends, teachers, doctors, nurses, staff from the hospitals and complete strangers who somehow knew that sometimes I just needed a hug. We could never have done any of this alone.
This photo was taken a few days after we found out. We thought it would be easier to get a haircut before she started losing her hair.