Our Brave Little Star and BFF Battle The Brain Tumor

Chapter 10

Starscream woke up on Monday morning. Today was going to be his first chemotherapy. He was kind of nervous about it but he was ready for it. His father was with him today. His mother was at home with his siblings. Starscream watched as a nurse named John take some blood from his central line. 

Starscream was also able to have his breakfast. He was enjoying his breakfast. He was able to relax while he eating. Soon John came in with some medicine. "This medicine will help with the side effects of the chemotherapy," John said.

"Okay," Starscream said. Starscream was going to have to wait for his chemotherapy to be ready. "Why do I have to wait?" he asked John.

"Because chemotherapy needs to be made to order, so in other words it needs to be made when the doctors determine a patient is able to have it for their day of treatment," John explained. "So it must be made fresh," he said.

"Oh," Starscream said. Starscream understood that completely. Starscream was able to do a few things while waiting for his chemotherapy to be ready. Then a couple of hours later Starscream saw John come in with a couple of bags of medicine, there was even one in a syringe with a needle and one in a bottle. 

"Okay Starscream lay down on your side for me with your back facing me," John said.

"Okay," Starscream said and did as he was told. A spot on his lower back was cleaned and a needle went into his back. It hurt and medicine was injected into his back. Starscream soon felt the needle come out. Then a band aid was applied to his back. Starscream then watched as John washed his hands and set up the IV pump with the IV bags. Then was his hands again and attach the IV lines to his Hickman line. Then he unclamped the Hickman line and started the pump. Then he poured some medicine into a cup and gave it to Starscream to take. Starscream swallowed the medicine it was horrible. "Yucky," Starscream said. 

"Here is some juice it should help with the taste," John said.

Starscream swallowed the juice and it helped make the taste go away.  "How often will I get chemotherapy?" Starscream asked.

"You will get IV chemotherapy four days every two weeks, shots into your back two days every two weeks, and oral chemotherapy four days every two weeks," John said.

"Oh okay," Starscream said.

"Now you can do what you like while getting your chemotherapy," John said.

"I want to have a look around," Starscream said. Starscream walked around while pulling the IV pole around. Megatron walked around with him. Starscream saw the playrooms, had lunch at the Chic-fil-a. Looked around the gift shop and even went to the build a bear.

Starscream even chose a bear for himself that looked like the dragon out front. Starscream got it stuffed and was very happy. Starscream got to know some of the other kids in the hospital. Starscream was glad Hannah was there and was able to spend time with her too. 

There were many kids in the oncology unit. Starscream learned that each kid with cancer's story is different. He learned that many of them had different types of cancer. Many kids like him had brain tumors. Starscream learned that some of the kids their tumors were benign meaning it is not cancer and won't spread and need aggressive treatment. While others like him it was cancer and will spread and need aggressive treatment in order to get better. He learned that many of the kids there tumors started in a different part of the brain than his, and some it started in the same part of the brain. Some kids there were just diagnosed, others like him were in the early stages of treatment of radiation and chemotherapy, others had been in treatment a long time, others were finishing up treatment, and some had finished treatment and were getting tests done to make sure things were going okay.

But he was surprised how ever, that so many kids have brain tumors. He saw Dr. Zhao and maybe she can answer some of his questions why about the brain tumors. 

"I never knew so many kids have brain tumors," Starscream said. "Why do some many kids have brain tumors? Why are so many of them here in this hospital?" he asked.

"Well Starscream, brain tumors are the most common solid tumor and cancer in children," Dr. Zhao said. "Over 28,000 children today are living with a brain tumor diagnosis in the USA and thousands more around the world," she said. "Over 4,574 kids are diagnosed every year around the world," she said. "13 kids every day at least are diagnosed with a brain tumor every day in the USA," she said.

"That is a lot," Starscream said.

"As for you're other question many children's hospital in the USA and around the world help children with brain tumors," Dr. Zhao said. "Some see about 50 cases a year if the are a small program, while others like this large program sees up to 100 brain tumor patients a year," she said. "Some very large ones see 100 or more each year," she said. "It can differ from hospital to hospital," she said. "Here at Cook children's 80-100 cases are seen every year." she said.

"Oh," Starscream said.

"There are also many different kinds of brain tumors over 120 different types," Dr. Zhao  said. "Some are rarer than others and some like yours are very common," she said. "Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children," she said.

"Oh," Starscream said. 

Then a bit later Starscream was watching a movie in his room. Starscream had been hooked up to his chemotherapy for about 6 hours. Then the pump bleeped and it his chemotherapy was now empty for the day.

John came into the room and disconnected the IV from the Hickman line after closing the clamps over the Hickman line. Then he disconnect the bags from the pump. Then Starscream watched as John left with the pump. Starscream knew he was going to have more chemotherapy tomorrow.

Soon Starscream had his dinner and then went to bed. Starscream was going to keep being brain and strong.