Round two about done and another big surprise!!
Hey army,Well we are finishing round 2 of chemo today. Atticus has done pretty well, he has had a few throw up sessions during this round. Last night at like 3 in the morning he all of the sudden sat up and started throwing up all over. So we got to have quite the exciting circus in the middle of the night.
On a super exciting note, Atticus made the front page of the Moscow/Pullman daily news!!! I thought that would make a great post for today's update. Here is what was written. We felt that Shannon (the writer for the news) did such a great job that we needed to share. Thanks so much Shnnon!!
ATTICUS' JOURNEY
Pullman boy kicking cancer with a smile
The cancer floor at Seattle Children's Hospital is not exactly a playground,
with its shiny machines and antiseptic cleanliness,
but not-quite-2-year-old Atticus Gwilliam doesn't seem to notice.
with its shiny machines and antiseptic cleanliness,
but not-quite-2-year-old Atticus Gwilliam doesn't seem to notice.
The tiny strawberry-blond boy has spent the majority of his time there for the
past six weeks and has claimed the spotless halls for his own. Still a toddler,
it's unlikely he will remember in later years riding a four-wheeled bicycle down
the halls with his dad, strolling with mom around and around the building or
many of the other not-so-pleasant things that have happened there.
past six weeks and has claimed the spotless halls for his own. Still a toddler,
it's unlikely he will remember in later years riding a four-wheeled bicycle down
the halls with his dad, strolling with mom around and around the building or
many of the other not-so-pleasant things that have happened there.
Atticus Gwilliam
Contributed photo
His curls will grow back and cover the zig-zag scar across the back of his head
and the pain of medical procedures will fade into nothingness for Atticus.
and the pain of medical procedures will fade into nothingness for Atticus.
It's a journey his family will never forget.
Caleb and Emilie Gwilliam celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in
February and with three children and a move from Utah to Pullman on the
horizon the future was one of promise.
February and with three children and a move from Utah to Pullman on the
horizon the future was one of promise.
Caleb was about to begin his third year of veterinary school at the Washington
State University Veterinary Hospital and the upcoming summer promised weeks
of low-key fun - visiting family in California, trips to Disneyland, a new brother
or sister on the way, and a brand new place to call home.
State University Veterinary Hospital and the upcoming summer promised weeks
of low-key fun - visiting family in California, trips to Disneyland, a new brother
or sister on the way, and a brand new place to call home.
Then, in the midst of all that activity, Atticus got sick.
"He had a really bad viral infection and ended up getting spinal meningitis and
was sick for quite a long time," Caleb Gwilliam said. "Then he started getting
better and he was doing great and we went and lived with family over the
summer and all went to Disneyland together and he ended up getting hand,
foot and mouth disease."
was sick for quite a long time," Caleb Gwilliam said. "Then he started getting
better and he was doing great and we went and lived with family over the
summer and all went to Disneyland together and he ended up getting hand,
foot and mouth disease."
While the series of illnesses were worrisome for the young family, especially
sleepless nights full of tears, high fevers and trips to the emergency room,
it was something they were certain would pass.
sleepless nights full of tears, high fevers and trips to the emergency room,
it was something they were certain would pass.
These things always do.
As the summer wore on, other changes, not attributable to the illnesses he was
fighting through, came upon the little boy.
fighting through, came upon the little boy.
"As a baby he was very, very happy and loved playing with his brothers and
sisters and was very self sufficient," Gwilliam said. "Not that we'd just put him
down and ignore him, but he would just love playing with stuff and he'd scoot
around on his little butt and follow us around the house."
sisters and was very self sufficient," Gwilliam said. "Not that we'd just put him
down and ignore him, but he would just love playing with stuff and he'd scoot
around on his little butt and follow us around the house."
Gwilliam said it was changes to their little man's personality in combination with
obvious headaches that started his parents pushing even harder for answers.
obvious headaches that started his parents pushing even harder for answers.
"He'd wake up grabbing his head and then there were just a bunch of funny
little mood, personality quirks," Gwilliam said. "He always slept really good as
a baby. We would lay him down, give him his little bottle and he was out. All
of a sudden he hated his bottle for no reason whatsoever. He didn't want to
play anymore."
little mood, personality quirks," Gwilliam said. "He always slept really good as
a baby. We would lay him down, give him his little bottle and he was out. All
of a sudden he hated his bottle for no reason whatsoever. He didn't want to
play anymore."
Something was wrong, the Gwilliam's agreed, but the problem was getting a
medical professional to agree as well.
medical professional to agree as well.
"Em and I just kept pushing, this is not right. We ended up at the doctor four or
five times saying something is wrong, something is not right," he said.
five times saying something is wrong, something is not right," he said.
An MRI scan of Atticus Gwilliam's brain tumor that was removed Sept. 2.
Contributed photo
Gwilliam said it wasn't until the family began settling into their Pullman home
they started to get answers - though not the ones they had prayed for.
they started to get answers - though not the ones they had prayed for.
"Two weeks after we'd been in Pullman there were a couple of nights in a row
that were horrible,' Gwilliam said. "He was crying all night and then would sleep
all day long."
that were horrible,' Gwilliam said. "He was crying all night and then would sleep
all day long."
The family had just found a pediatrician for the children - one that seemed as
dedicated to discovering the problem as they were.
dedicated to discovering the problem as they were.
"He was great," Gwilliam said. "He got us right in the next morning and he
listened to the whole story."
listened to the whole story."
The first order of business, Gwilliam said, was an MRI.
It was scheduled for Friday, Aug. 26.
"We got up really early and got an IV catheter in and sedated him and did the
MRI," he said. "In our brains it was just a precaution, just to rule anything
big out."
MRI," he said. "In our brains it was just a precaution, just to rule anything
big out."
Since it was a Friday, the family hoped to get results before the weekend, but
weren't counting on it.
weren't counting on it.
"Within half an hour of us getting home from the hospital our doctor called us,
" Gwilliam said. "As soon as that happened we knew something was wrong.
He said ... I'll be there in five minutes."
" Gwilliam said. "As soon as that happened we knew something was wrong.
He said ... I'll be there in five minutes."
He was.
"He just dropped everything ... at the clinic and came straight to our house
and brought the radiology report," he said, his voice lowering over the long
distance connection. "It was a very, very sizable brain tumor. It was not a
fun day at all."
and brought the radiology report," he said, his voice lowering over the long
distance connection. "It was a very, very sizable brain tumor. It was not a
fun day at all."
The ones that followed were a whirlwind.
"We went to Spokane first," Gwilliam said. "The surgeon just didn't feel
comfortable with how large the tumor was. Then we were here in Seattle and
we were checked into the emergency room and they almost took him into
surgery that night."
comfortable with how large the tumor was. Then we were here in Seattle and
we were checked into the emergency room and they almost took him into
surgery that night."
Gwilliam said because of the size of the tumor - "about the size of an apple" -
the hospital decided to wait for a second chief surgeon to return to the city.
the hospital decided to wait for a second chief surgeon to return to the city.
A week from the day Atticus' tumor was discovered, it was removed on Sept. 2.
It was cancerous.
"The cancer itself is called the choroid plexus carcinoma," Gwilliam said.
"It's a very, very, very rare cancer - they say its about one in 3 million kids
or more that have this type of cancer."
"It's a very, very, very rare cancer - they say its about one in 3 million kids
or more that have this type of cancer."
While the news was yet sinking in for the Gwilliam family, a realization came
to them.
to them.
"For the first two weeks of this the older kids were staying with my sister in
law in Spokane," Gwilliam said. "Regardless of what's going on we had to
keep our family together."
law in Spokane," Gwilliam said. "Regardless of what's going on we had to
keep our family together."
While normalcy is hard to come by in such a situation, the family is making
the best of what they have, with the help of hospital personnel.
the best of what they have, with the help of hospital personnel.
Atticus Gwilliam rides on the lap of his father, Caleb, throughout the halls of Seattle Children’s Hospital
in Seattle, as family follows in tow.
Contributed photoin Seattle, as family follows in tow.
"His brother and sister come to the hospital every day and do homework and
play," Gwilliam said.
play," Gwilliam said.
Nine-year-old Kezlin has permission to do her math problems with dry-erase
markers on the hospital room windows, while 6-year-old Ryker, who began
kindergarten less than a month ago, spends quality time with his brother.
markers on the hospital room windows, while 6-year-old Ryker, who began
kindergarten less than a month ago, spends quality time with his brother.
With one round of chemotherapy down, the family has five more to go,
and Atticus, who will celebrate his second birthday Dec. 10,
remains undaunted.
and Atticus, who will celebrate his second birthday Dec. 10,
remains undaunted.
"He's been so good throughout this whole thing," Gwilliam said.
"He's always wanting to get up and go running around."
"He's always wanting to get up and go running around."
Fortunately for Atticus, the hospital rewards its smallest patients' energy
with colorful paper shoe decorations that announce how many hallway miles
have been traveled.
with colorful paper shoe decorations that announce how many hallway miles
have been traveled.
The little patient has six, so far.
While the family hasn't asked for a point-blank prognosis, Gwilliam has done
his own research into his son's ailment.
his own research into his son's ailment.
"Statistically, the diagnosis of a choroid plexus carcinoma can be a dismal one.
In years past, the five-year survival rate hung around the 20 to 30 percent,
" Gwilliam wrote in an email.
In years past, the five-year survival rate hung around the 20 to 30 percent,
" Gwilliam wrote in an email.
But those numbers apply to cases in which complete surgical removal of the
tumor is impossible, he said.
tumor is impossible, he said.
Gwilliam said the combination of Atticus' successful surgery and chemotherapy
may bring that five-year-rate up to 65 percent to 80 percent, but it's impossible
to be certain, as there is not treatment protocol for choroid plexus carcinoma,
due to its rarity.
may bring that five-year-rate up to 65 percent to 80 percent, but it's impossible
to be certain, as there is not treatment protocol for choroid plexus carcinoma,
due to its rarity.
Although the road to recovery is long and demanding of attention, the Gwilliam
family has embarked on a second mission: addressing a problem they didn't
know existed until it arrived in their own family.
family has embarked on a second mission: addressing a problem they didn't
know existed until it arrived in their own family.
Only 4 percent of the National Cancer Institute's budget is dedicated to funding
research of childhood cancers, according to the St. Baldrick's Foundation,
which conducts cancer research. Meanwhile, funds provided by pharmaceutical
companies is close to zero, with three new drugs developed to treat children
with cancer over the past 20 years.
research of childhood cancers, according to the St. Baldrick's Foundation,
which conducts cancer research. Meanwhile, funds provided by pharmaceutical
companies is close to zero, with three new drugs developed to treat children
with cancer over the past 20 years.
"We want to raise that awareness," Gwilliam said.
Gwilliam said fundraising being conducted for his family will go first for Atticus'
medical bills and, second, for his future college expenses - "We're counting on
him being around," Gwilliam said - but another portion will be paid forward in
funding research for children and families who will be making a similar journey
in the future.
medical bills and, second, for his future college expenses - "We're counting on
him being around," Gwilliam said - but another portion will be paid forward in
funding research for children and families who will be making a similar journey
in the future.
For more information on childhood cancer research, visit St. Baldricks
For more information on Atticus Gwilliam and his ongoing journey
toward freedom from cancer, visit Atticus's Army
toward freedom from cancer, visit Atticus's Army
To make a donation, visit this link: You caring donation page
Thanks Shannon for such a great story. And big thanks to all of our army for
your amazing support!
Thanks Shannon for such a great story. And big thanks to all of our army for
your amazing support!
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