HEY ALL! ITS ME MALIYAH!! JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT TOMORROW MORNING I FINISH MY LAST ROUND OF INTENCE CHEMO! MY MOMMY AND I WILL BE HOME SOMETIME TOMORROW EVENING! I CANT WAIT BECAUSE WE ARE BOTH EXHAUSTED FROM OUR 2ND HOME (CHILDRENS HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH)! ANYWAYS, ILL UPDATE MORE TOMORROW...TAKE SOME TIME OUT TO READ THE STORY MY MOM CREATED FOR US BOTH. IT HASNT BEEN UPDATED SINCE JULY, BUT SHE IS WORKING ON IT! WHEN IT IS ALL FINISHED WE WILL HAVE A GREAT TESTIMONY! THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS!
LOVE, MALIYAH
OUR STORY….
Maliyah was an over all very healthy baby. Ate good, played good, and always smiling. Yes of course there where times where she would get a fever or little cold, but after a quick doctor visit and some meds, she got better in no time. From the time she was born until Now, she loves to observe new things and interact with all walks of life. She enjoys coloring, counting, watching Dora the explorer and reading books. During the week I Had work and/or school Maliyah would be in daycare most of the day; Which she had no problem with being as she's made great friends, teachers and learned many new things. One day Maliyah started to get dark circles under her eyes; As if someone had hit her in the face! Her teacher asked me what was wrong but I myself was unsure and figured it was only allergies. That same week Mali was throwing up, had diarrhea and was lying around completely out of character. I called a Nurse at the Children's Primary Care Center In Pittsburgh where she usually goes for check-up's and was told to give her lots of fluids and change her diet a bit. I proceeded with what I was told being as Maliyah had a 2 year well baby visit in a few days. What the nurse had told me worked and Maliyah was good as new!
It was April 24th, 2012 the day of her check-up and boy was that day a long one. We went from having a regular check up to being in the Children's Hospital Of Pittsburgh Emergency room because Mali's blood Levels were EXTREMELY LOW and her stomach was "protruding " (according to doctors). That explains her being so tired. With only a baby bag and a purse, we found out that we where going to be staying the night. At this point I'm confused. Various Blood tests, CAT scans, ultrasounds, x-rays, Blood transfusions, antibiotics, IV's, Fluids, and biopsy's turned from one night to two weeks.
On May 3 Our lives then flashed before our eyes as the doctor's and there team come in and tell me my daughter has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma that started as a tumor the size of an orange in her abdomen and that it has spread to her bone marrow. As they talk to me about what it is, the type of treatment plan they have set up for her, and the fact that its a 30%-40% chance of survival buckled me into tears; Like any other parent would do. "I Had just lost my mom to cancer 10 months prior to this and now my daughter" is all i could think about. I was literally heart broken and shocked, but I told myself that if this is the game the devil wants to start, then Maliyah, God, and I are going to play to win!
Over the next year or so Maliyah has 6 rounds of intense chemotherapy, surgery, a Bone Marrow Transplant, Radiation, and immunotherapy. In between she will receive various blood & platelet transfusions along with antibiotics. Indeed this will be a very long and stressful battle for Maliyah and I, but with the help from family, friends, others and most importantly THE LORD, I am sure this journey will go as smooth as its sapose to. We all will continue to pray, be thankful, and have full trust in the lord that Maliyah will be completely healed! I believe in miracles until god proves me otherwise!
As of this very moment (July 10th, 2012) Maliyah has had 12 Blood transfusions, 10 Platelet transfusions, and 3 rounds of chemotherapy. So far ALL of her counts have been in normal ranges, the tumor in her abdomen shrunk from 7 1/2 cm to 3 cm's and is not as active as it was before. Also, the MIBG scan (that detects if neuroblastoma is still present in the marrow) shows that they do not see anymore. If god isn't healing and creating a Miracle then I don't know what it is. She is not cured, and not in remission, but thats what our hopes are set high for now, after treatment and the future! It is hard to keep a strong positive mind set as a young single mother. Its also very hard to give up college, work and the things you love to do best. But when it comes to a child nothing is more important! I am proudly to say that maliyah has been doing great so far and thats the way that i would love to see her all the time! [emoji]9829[/emoji]
TO BE CONTINUED….