Thank you for supporting me and the more than 300,000 kids worldwide who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. By sharing the gifts of your time, talent and money with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, you're supporting research to give all kids with cancer a better chance for a cure.
On October 6, 2015, Tatum was running a fever and had some excessive bruising on her shins. Nothing too alarming considering she was an active 4-yr-old. But the visit to her pediatricians’ office quickly turned into a trip to the ER for further testing, which led Tatum and her parents to be transported by ambulance to Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Shortly after arrival, they were told that Tatum had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, also known as ALL. Learning of her diagnosis was devastating and to make matters even scarier, Tatum would need to stay as an in-patient for her 28-day induction phase of chemotherapy treatment since she also developed osteomyelitis (inflammation of bone caused by infection) in her right leg below the knee and could not walk. Physical therapy monitored her closely and with the help of a walker she was on her feet again within a week.
Unfortunately the good news was short-lived and she was diagnosed with typhlitis (inflammation of the large intestine, also associated with infection) on October 24, 2015. The doctors put her on a strict diet of no food or drink to help alleviate her tummy pains and paused her 28-day induction chemo treatment on day 20. In the early morning hours of October 31, 2015, Tatum was rushed from the oncology floor to the ICU due to an elevated heart rate and substantial drop in her blood pressure. She was immediately put on a ventilator and sedated. Once stabilized, she was taken down to the operating room for emergency surgery to remove her colon. As if this was not enough, once back from the OR in ICU she suffered acute kidney injury, resulting in necessary dialysis, and had to have tubes inserted into each lung in order to drain excess fluid.
Tatum remained on the ventilator and dialysis for the better part of the month of November and spent a total of 35 days in ICU, where she gave the ICU staff too many scares to count. However, on November 11, 2015, Tatum’s family received the news they had been praying for - Tatum was in remission! Most families would have been elated to receive such news, however although Tatum’s family was relieved, it was extremely difficult to celebrate when Tatum was still fighting for her life in ICU. In order to be transferred back down to the oncology floor, Tatum had to first be successfully weaned off dialysis and then the ventilator, which meant her oxygen levels had to remain stable while breathing on her own.
Tatum eventually was moved back down to the oncology floor on December 4, 2015, and a care team was immediately put in place. Intensive occupational, speech and physical therapy commenced for Tatum. The wounds team and GI would also follow her due to her incision and to help monitor her ostomy. Tatum would spend another month in the hospital before finally being discharged on January 4, 2016, totaling 91 days spent with the miraculous staff at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.
With the exception of two short hospital stays during intense chemo treatment phases in February and March, Tatum made amazing strides in 2015. She was placed in the intensive outpatient OT / PT program, with almost immediate results. Her strength and increased stamina had finally stared to return. Tatum experienced a minor setback in May 2015 when she fractured her left tibia and had to wear a full-leg cast for 4 weeks but it didn’t slow her down too much. She graduated from occupational therapy in August 2015 and continues to work with her physical therapist twice a week. Tatum also reached the Maintenance phase of chemotherapy treatment in June 2015 and will continue monthly clinic visits for treatment until the end of 2017. Once she completes her chemo treatment, her surgeons will request to wait 6-8 weeks before scheduling the operation to reverse her ostomy. Tatum will be home-schooled for Kindergarten and possibly first grade, with hopes to return to the classroom for in a public school setting for second grade.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. -Romans 12:12
