Michael was 3 ½ years old when he started complaining about periodic eye pain. As the pain increased, he became lethargic and soon after, Michael lost vision in his right eye. After extensive testing, Michael was diagnosed with stage 4 Burkett’s Lymphoma. There was a golf ball sized tumour compressing his optic nerve causing permanent blindness in his right eye. With each type of diagnostic imaging, other tumours were found – in his kidneys, pancreas and abdomen.
Michael began a very aggressive treatment that required 24 hour chemo infusions for several days each month for several months. Between treatments, Michael would become so ill that he would be hospitalized until he was healthy enough to go home.
Last year, during his annual cancer follow-up appointment, at age 14 it was discovered that Michael had a pheochromocytoma – a hormone producing tumour on his adrenal gland which is extremely rare in children/youths. In May 2010, he underwent a very delicate surgery to remove the adrenal gland (an adrenalectomy). What was suppose to be a 1-2 day stay in the regular recovery unit ended up being a 5 day stay in intensive care and two additional days on the post surgical unit at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. He has since recovered and is checked routinely at the ACH.
Despite all of this, Michael remains an optimistic and positive young man. He likes to joke that, because each of his occurrences of cancer are very rare on there own and it's extremely rare for a person to have both diseases in his lifetime – in fact there is no recorded case of a child or adult having both of these diseases – he stood a better chance of being hit by lightening multiple times in a 15 minute period than contracting both diseases. He also stood a better chance of repeat lottery winnings.
Michael’s most heartfelt wish will include travelling – but the destination changes daily!
Thanks to Northern Patriot for making Michael's Wish come true!
