Caroline and Me Kick Cancer – Chapter Two

Here is the next installment of Otto the bear and Caroline’s story of how they are coping with Caroline’s Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer journey, as written by Otto himself! If you missed Chapter One you can catch up here.

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The White Donut and the Operation

Written 28 June 2017, Oklahoma City

Our first night in Cramlington hospital was ABSOLUTELY CRAZY/MAD. In the morning Caroline had some weird scan thing with jelly called an Ultrasound and that’s when they said she needed an MRI because the ultrasound didn’t go deep enough. I thought maybe Caroline swallowed a ball!!!

The next thing I know we’re running off to another hospital where someone puts a sticker round my neck!

And then about an hour later me and Caroline are lying in a big white donut. I could tell Caroline was scared because I could feel it. The big donut made lots of weird noises and we were in it so long that my tummy started hurting because I was lying on Caroline for so long. But I didn’t really mind because I love Caroline. This was what the MRI scanner looked like. It took photos of the inside of Caroline’s body to see if she had swallowed a ball or not!

Before all this weirdness I had a very peaceful life AND THEN IT ALL CHANGED!!!

We were in hospital for days and lots more scans, and two days later Caroline’s being told she needs a Biopsy whatever that is. Caroline was really scared and so was I.

They said she’d be put to sleep but I thought they only did that to old bears! That whole week had been very weird but this part was the weirdest for me (I actually fell asleep but don’t tell Caroline!!! ) and when I woke up I was in a room with lots of people lying in beds and other people in blue clothes wandering about and I had no idea what was going on and I think Caroline felt the same. I think Caroline had a sore mouth because she didn’t talk much and she cuddled me lots

I had no idea what a Biopsy was so I asked Caroline’s Mummy. She said that they cut some tissue (like skin) from inside Caroline’s mouth, where there was a lump, so they could test the lump to find out what it was.

Caroline’s Mummy and Daddy seemed very nervous and stressed. I felt quite nervous and I think Caroline did to.

Caroline kept having to squirt weird things into her mouth I didn’t know why she had to keep eating stuff from these plastic things – so I asked Caroline’s Mummy and she said they were syringes of medicine to help with the head pain from the lump and the mouth pain from the operation.

Then I had to ask what an operation was!!! – an operation is surgical procedure in hospital. Surgical procedures (surgery) are procedures that involve cutting into the patient’s body.

Yuck! That’s what I thought!

The day after the Biopsy and 4 days of being in hospital (but when you’re in hospital the time passes VEEEEERYYYY VEEEEERYYYY slowly) we went HOME and waited for the results… (But before we left Caroline & her Mummy danced to the song at the end of Zootropolis which she had been watching and I thought this was QUITE surprising!!!).

AND NEXT TIME – Otto will be learning about hearing tests, doctors and diagnosis. In the meantime bye from the bear and have a grrreat day!

Click this link to read Chapter 3

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To read more about Caroline’s cancer journey click Caroline’s Rainbow.

Reach Out for Support

If your child has been diagnosed with cancer, or anyone you know has been affected and is looking for support, help or information, PLEASE don’t hesitate to reach out and get in touch with me – you can use the contact form on the website or message me via Facebook at Kids of the Wild and I will respond personally.

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