Life Can Change in a Second - Thankfully Our's Did Not

I honestly don't think I had ever been as scared as I was from last Tuesday to Friday morning. Jacey's doctor called on Tuesday and said that her white blood cell count had dropped to 2500. He thought it was probably caused by a virus, but wanted to refer her to a specialist for a second opinion and to make sure he wasn't missing something. Of course, the first thing I did was look up low white blood cell count on the Mayoclinic's website. According to the website, it can be caused by viral infections, lupus, some meds, radiation therapy, leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndromes. It also said that a dangerously low white blood cell count is below 2500. Since her level was 2500, I decided to keep her pretty much isolated at home because I did not want her to be exposed to anything else.

Dr. Bowman at the Cook's Hematology and Oncology Clinic worked her in at 8:15 Friday morning. After filling out a very in depth questionnaire, we were taken back and placed in a room where we had more questions from the nurse before we saw the doctor. After examining her, Dr. Bowman said that she appeared healthy, but he wanted to do a blood test so that he could look at her cells under the microscope to make sure they looked okay. He said it would take 30-45 minutes before he had the results and we could wait there or go to Starbucks at the hospital. Of course Jacey chose Starbucks. When we got back we were told to go back to the room she had been in before we left. We probably waited about ten minutes before Dr. Bowman came in and told us that everything looked fine. She did not have leukemia or any cancer and that she was basically a healthy girl. Her white blood cell count was now within the normal range and we did not need to return to the clinic. I was so relieved!!

I hadn't told anyone that I was worried about her having leukemia. When I called my aunt, she said she and my grandmother had both been worried about it and since I hadn't said anything, she didn't want to worry me. She actually teared up after I told her. My grandmother told me that she had been praying about it all week. I don't know think I have ever asked so many people to pray for something before.

I am very thankful that everything was fine. I just can't help but think about the families that aren't given good news. I can't imagine the helpless feeling of being told your child has some terrible disease. How do you hold it together so your child doesn't know how terrified you are? After all, you're the adult and you're supposed to be the strong one. Do you wait to get home and then fall apart in private? I know that everyone deals with things differently, I just thank God that I did not have to find out.