Diagnosis

Twelve days ago on April 9th, 2012, we took Isaiah to BC Children's Hospital after he woke up with a nose bleed and small bruising around his left eye.  I had taken him to the clinic a few times within the last month because his cough wouldn't go away.  He also had an ongoing low-grade fever and night sweats that persisted for two weeks.  He seemed very lethargic and constantly wanted to be carried.  Even so, the doctors assured me that it was only a virus and that it would go away in time.
When he woke up with the bruising, I decided to call 8-1-1.  The nurse identified the bruising as "petechiae" and urged me to take him to Children's Hospital.  We waited five hours at BCCH before blood work was done.  The doctor thought he looked very pale, however I didn't notice because Isaiah was always very fair (compliments to his father's genetics).  I knew when the doctor said the blood doctor was coming to talk with us that something was wrong.
Dr. Ann Van Eyssen told us that his platelets and red and white blood counts were very low.  She was pretty certain it was leukemia but wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy in the morning to be sure.  We were admitted and spent the night at the hospital.  

April 10th, the bone marrow biopsy confirmed the cancer.  Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).  That night Isaiah had a Venous Access Device (VAD) put in.

April 11th, Isaiah received his first lumbar puncture, where chemotherapy was put into his spinal fluid.  He then had more chemotherapy that day through his VAD.  They also started him on steroids.

April 14th, more chemo.

April 18th, more chemo.

And then we were discharged, sent home with a bucket full of drugs and a treatment schedule that wouldn't be over until 2015.  My little Isaiah will be in school when this is all over.