April 14, 2025

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 April 14, 2025


When Marlon first started cancer treatment back in 2020, the cancer just seemed to flee from his body. We're outta here!

We continued through the treatment prescribed and I really believed cancer was a thing of the past. We went to our follow up visits and his blood work was great. 

Anytime anyone has asked me, ‘How’s your son doing?’. I responded that he was a healthy, normal, teenage boy.

Healthy, vibrant, strong, active, with an expected dose of attitude and rebellion mixed in.

The very end of March, Marlon pointed out a little bump on the back of his head. Then his lymph glands under his jaw were swollen. Looks like mono. Around that time, a girl at work mentioned her dog with swollen lymph glands which turned out to be cancer. I had a moment of panic and called the oncology department. He was just there for a regular checkup February 27th. His blood work is great. Go to your family doctor.  

Doctor said it looks like mono. Get blood work done. By the time we got results back saying mono was negative, but go back to doctor for more tests, Marlon was almost three weeks in and feeling very bad. The swelling was now covering the side of his face. Maybe mumps?

We decided that rather than going back to doctor, a trip to the hospital would bring about quicker results and by this time, Marlon was in no shape to go to school. 

They looked at him, I questioned whether it could be mumps, and they rushed him into isolation saying “Measles is the new COVID”. Even at check in, they were imagining mono and wondering if they did the full mono blood test.

Blood work, x-rays, ultrasound (for spleen pain), CT scan (partially because his eyes had gone all weird on him).

Later in the afternoon we heard some results.

When they first mentioned the word 'blasts in the blood, I went into shock. Recurrence of leukemia? No. No

Walking and talking were challenging. Teeth chattering. Body shakes. And denial. It can't be true. 

Marlon cried and cried. So long jui jitsu. So long badminton. So long school. So much for life as he knows it. 

I just can't believe it. It really has to be a mistake. When they mentioned the name of chemo drugs my system freaked out. PTSD. No this just can't be happening. The sounds, the memories, the emotions. 

No just no. NO

Now we are both settling down. Dealing with things as they come. I won't believe it until I get further proof.

Marlon has been poked several times to get the right IV. Lumbar puncture scheduled for the morning and they will test the bone marrow.

Not ready to be back here. To deal with this. I have said the word NO so much.

What happened to mono? Or mumps? I don't have to worry about him being contagious any more



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