Saturday, June 27, 2009

Our Story

I've been married for 21 years now to the most amazing man. I have two beautiful sons who I absolutely adore and am proud of. We've been through lots of ups and downs but hands down the most difficult time in our lives was our son Kevin's illness. He got cancer, Wilm's Tumor, when he was just 5 1/2 years old. It was the most horrific time in our lives. His cancer relapsed within less than a few months after ending his first treatment. We were devastated. Our son suffered so much that it was overwhelming for us to watch but we needed to keep fighting.
His cancer had metastisized to his lungs where 3 tumors were in his left lung and 3 were in his right lung. The upper right lung tumor had grown so large that it had started to bulge out of his back. We were told that there was nothing else that we could do for him and that it was about quality of life and not quantity of life. Well, we didn't take no for an answer and another doctor came to talk to us about another chance for him and a new hospital. We took his advice and took him to the New York Columbia Presbyterian Hospital where they offered him an autologous stem cell transplant which means that they would use his own cells to rescue him at the end of his treatment.
Now, I hope that you don't stop reading because of the following but I guess it doesn't really matter because its the truth. There are many people of different faiths or some people's faith is in not believing in anything. I believe that either way they still believe in something, in a greater power. I was raised religiously but had steered away for many years. God came knocking on my door, actually he pounded and almost knocked the door down. You may not believe this but I surely do. Even though we were going through the most terrible thing that a family could go through, God was with us the whole way and I just didn't know it until later on in Kevin's illness.
To make a long story short our son Kevin after suffering tremendously, made it. He is now fifteen years old and is on his way to the 11th grade. He loves to play guitar. He is our miracle and evidence that God is good.
I have written a book about our experience. I would like to offer it to someone who is going through something similar where they have a family member with a serious disease or any serious situation who needs some guidance and hope. If you think you are that person or know someone who needs this in their life, please let me know and I will gladly email it to you for free. I wrote it for people who need healing in their life. It isn't very long and its easy reading. Its basically our testimony. You can email me at sandraisazav@gmail.com or post your message at my blog and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you need further assistance as far as nutrition, doctor referrals, alternative treatments or anything, I am willing to help you in anything you need even if I don't know what you are asking me about. I will do research or network to find an answer. This is what I do best. I don't give up and I love to help others so don't be embarrassed to ask me so JUST ASK!

Visual Snow Visual Static or Aeropsia

Its been a long time since Kevin finished his chemotherapy treatments (1/2001). He is cured from the Wilm's but he has a new symptom which is driving him crazy. He has what he describes as visual snow or visual static. He says that its like looking through an old television set. He experiences this 24/7. He also has floaters, he sees rainbow colors, he also experiences depersonalization, diplopia. He is now experiencing headaches which he didn't have before the last couple of weeks. We have been to many doctors already. We've seen neurologists, opthalmologists, neuroopthalmologists, psychologist and psychiatrist. They don't know what he has yet. I saw a neurologist in Hollywood, Florida who I thought was great. She says that he has migraine aura symptoms. She says that he has hyperexcitability of the brain and that he is hypervigilant. This is the best diagnosis thus so far, at least its a name not "I don't know what it is it must be in his mind". Who wants to be this sick and see these things 24/7. I am on a mission to find a cure for my son and we will find it. We have an appointment with a neuropthalmologist at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida. I will give you an update on his situation. If you also need help or just want feedback if you have the same condition, please feel free to email me at sandraisazav@gmail.com or just place a post in the blog. JUST ASK!