Here we go again! #CalvinStrong

On February 13, 2019 our 23 month old son, Calvin was diagnosed with leukemia. We knew back in December when he had RSV that something was going on with him, but at that time the doctors ruled out leukemia. We were sent home thinking it had been the RSV that caused his blood levels to drop drastically. It turns out that a steroid he was given at our first ER visit to help with his breathing suppressed the leukemia cells and that is why the doctors couldn't see them when they did the bone marrow test.

The type of leukemia Calvin has, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common children’s cancer in children under the age of 15. The doctors have told us that more than 95% of patients recover from this type of leukemia. The treatment timeline for boys is 3-1/2 years. The first 6 months will be very intensive and Calvin will need one of us to be with him around the clock. After that there will be 3 years of follow ups and maintenance. Mike and I are both taking time off of work to be here for our little guy. There will be a lot of trips to the clinic in Oakland, and likely quite a few trips to the ER. If Calvin gets a fever, straight to the ER we go and he'll probably need to be admitted to the hospital.

On Valentine's Day, Calvin had surgery to have a chemo port placed in his chest. The port will save his veins and make chemo treatments and blood draws a lot easier. And when it’s not “accessed” he’ll be able to live a pretty normal life. No dressings for us to change, easy baths, and being able to play in the water and go swimming, which he loves.

During the Induction phase, which lasts 35 days, he is taking 6 different medicines twice a day, plus an extra one on the weekends. We go for blood work once a week and depending on his levels we may need to make an extra trip to Oakland for an infusion of platelets—that was the case this week. Then, once a week we drive out to Oakland for his chemo treatment. Plus a few lumbar punctures and another bone marrow test at the end to see if the leukemia is still present in the marrow (nearly 98 of every 100 patients go into remission at the end of this phase).

Our home has been rocked. We are each doing our part to help Calvin fight this battle. And also doing our best to take care of one another at the same time. Calvin is lucky to have the most amazing big brother. Alan is 10 and is great at keeping Calvin entertained and smiling. We really want to make sure he can keep enjoying her childhood and extracurricular activities. My mom, Vail has also been amazing. We'd be lost without her.

This first week of treatment has really opened our eyes to how costly treatment will be. The co-pays, prescriptions, travel, and taking time off work are adding up quickly! Any donations received will first go to medical expenses and then to helping cover basic living expenses for our family while we take time away from work to care for Calvin.

We appreciate your love, support, and prayers!

Rhiannon, Mike, Calvin, Alan, and Grama Vail