Make A Child Smile

Hollyn's Story
written by mom Jennifer

Hollyn was born on June 22nd, 2000. She was ten days early and my third child. She had gorgeous blue eyes, chubby cheeks and weighed 8 lbs. 12 oz. Hollyn's big sister Jorie was 7 and her big brother Drake was 3 when Hollyn was born. Drake wanted to name her Snoopy, Jorie wanted her to be Delaney, and my husband wanted Hollyn and I wanted to name her Jamie. My husband won out, and we are so happy we named her Hollyn. She is unique, strong, smart, energetic and a joy!

When Hollyn was 5 she was healthy and fine, she played and went to school, and she was in kindergarten. She did Tae Kwon Do and swam. One day she complained at supper she had a belly ache, she went and laid down and slept through the night, it was only 5:00, so I was concerned. The next morning she was fine and went to school. Two weeks later the same thing happened and I had noticed her appetite had diminished. I thought maybe she had a virus. I took her temp and it was 100, no other symptoms, so I thought, tomorrow I will take her in. Then, she was fine again the next morning, I brushed it off as she seemed fine, and ate well.

Then she was fine for about four weeks except that she had a few accidents at home, which were abnormal for her, as she potty trained herself at 19 months. I asked if she had any pain, and she said no. So I just watched her, and one day I found she had blood in her urine. I called the doctor and talked to Hollyn about it, and found out she had that happen a few times. I was alarmed and she saw the doctor that day. Well, they weren’t worried and they also found blood in her urine, but no other symptoms so they asked for a recheck, so I took her in and no more blood, but she had high blood pressure now. They still were not concerned. I was, and looked things up online. When she went in for another recheck days later, I asked for a renal ultrasound. She seemed fine, she played, ate, no fever, pain, nothing. They found nothing, but did the ultrasound at my request. I was told we wouldn't know anything for days after the ultrasound, and so my husband went to work that day and I brought my younger girls with me. Kailey was 2 and Jessica was just 4 months old. I had read about Wilm's and prayed it wasn't that, maybe it was just a fluke, or virus.

We went in for the renal ultrasound on November 18, 2005, the technician was very nice, but I felt something was wrong as she spent so much time on Hollyn's right side. I had a bad feeling. They then took me to a CT waiting room and said my doctor would call me with the results, I said, "They told me I wouldn't know for days!", and the Tech told me a radiologist had time and was looking at it now. It was important that I wait. My doctor called a while later and told me over the phone that Hollyn had a huge tumor in her right kidney and that it was probably cancer. She and I cried together. It was the worst phone call I ever got.

I had to call my husband and tell him at work and then they told us Hollyn needed a CT. She was brave through the poke for the IV and she drank the contrast, and did the test like a champ!

My husband came to be with me and we cried together and prayed while we waited for the results. A team of doctors came in to give us the news, and I told him what I had read about Wilm's tumors and had a bunch of questions for him, he was surprised and reassured us. Then he told Hollyn she needed surgery to remove a bubble out of her tummy and that they would cut her open and cut out the bubble. She said "Is it going to hurt?" He replied, "No, they will give you sleepy medicine and you won't feel anything and then they sew you up again and you can see your mommy and daddy." She said, "Will they use a sharp knife or a butter knife?" He paused and said a sharp one. She cried her head off then.

We were told the surgery would be the next day, and she was admitted. We found out later by the surgeon how extensive of a surgery it would be as the tumor had grown up into her chest cavity. So the surgery was to wait until the A-team came in on Monday. She had the surgery on November 21st, went to PICU, and later was diagnosed with a Wilm’s Tumor. She was stage II FH and had to undergo weeks of chemotherapy, which made her sick and many times in pain. In April 2006, she was off chemotherapy and she did well, but continued with many stomach aches and headaches. She had to go to a neurologist and see why her headaches continued and to rule out any problems, and all was clear. We were very relieved.

She continued to go in for check ups and scans and all were clear. At least up until July 31st, 2007. She was almost 16 months off treatment when she was diagnosed with recurrent disease. They found four lung metastases, two were large and two were small. She was diagnosed August 3rd, 2007 and underwent many tests. The hardest thing was having to tell her that her cancer was back! She had surgery to place her port and started chemotherapy right away. This time she also needed radiation. This is her seventh week on this roadmap, it is harder and stronger than before and a lot of inpatient stays. She has been in the hospital many times already, for inpatient chemotherapy, and has had to come in due to fevers. She has some days were she gets chemotherapy for five days straight and then two days later comes back for more, it is a lot harder.

She has only gone to school one day, she misses school and her friends and her normal life. She has lost her hair, lost weight, and misses home and her four siblings. She is the middle child. Cancer affects the whole family, and it is horrible. I pray they find a cure and that many people donate to Cure Search. Children should not have to suffer like this; the weight of the whole thing is nearly unbearable. But I turn to God, and He keeps us strong and is with us.

Hollyn has really been struggling with this relapse. We have her seeing a child psychologist now to help with her anger issues. She is mad her cancer is back, mad she has to take so much medicine, mad people ask her questions (Have you gone to the bathroom today? Does your stomach hurt today? Etc..), she is mad she will be behind in school again, as she went to a tough summer school program and worked her tail-end off to catch up, so she has a lot of anger built up and tries coping with it, but it explodes in so many different ways. I totally understand it all, as we are all dealing with anger issues these days. So being featured here on Make A Child Smile, will be a highlight for her, something to look forward to, something that will make her smile....words of thanks are not enough....

Hollyn is a remarkable little girl, she still does Tae Kwon Do, she played soccer and did t-ball over the summer. She had no symptoms this time around, and is trying to adjust to her new norm. She has learned to swallow pills, she is taking 9 a day, and on weekends it is 15. She will kick cancer's booty, and writes to many friends world wide who have cancer. She raised money for Cancer Research here at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and she helped support a coin drive and helped her class raise over $200 for sick kids here, this was all before her relapse. She has a lot of spirit and a lot to give. She is our sunshine!