Leaving high school and having to say good bye to some of your closest friends is a very hard thing to do. Later finding out that your best friend, who now lives 166 miles away, is in the hospital is unimaginable. Knowing that Megan had a double athletic scholarship, I was not surprised that she may have twisted an ankle or bumped her head in one way or another; nevertheless, no one wants to get the text that their loved one isn't 100%. With little to say, the doctors sent her back to school under the impression that it was simply an ovarian cyst and that she needed to rest. These are very common in girls and she decided to go back in at a later date to make sure that all was well. With a sigh of relief, I told myself that everything would be fine, and there was no need to worry about her safety. Little did I know, this was only the beginning.
The trouble began when the doctors decided that they should do a biopsy of the mass. Worry crept into the back of my mind once again, but this meant she was coming home and I could see her for myself. Soon after the biopsy, there was bleeding, and while in the hospital recovering, the biopsy results came back. I got the call that night. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Cancer. The tumor was in her lower abdomen and it was aggressive. This specific type of sarcoma cancer is an aggressive, adolescent cancer that attacked the soft tissue. It is most commonly found in one to five year old boys, which puzzled just about everyone considering that Megan was, at the time of diagnosis, 18 years old, and a girl.
Treatment was the first course of action. They quickly began chemotherapy in hopes to shrink the tumor before it caused more problems. Weeks passed, and they decided that they were going to try and remove the tumor completely. I don't think I had ever been so distracted in my entire life. I remember sitting through what seemed like the world's longest philosophy lecture there has ever been. 45 minutes in, I got the update that Megan was out of surgery and the tumor had been removed. There was a weight lifted off my shoulders as I sank into my seat, thankful that she was out and resting. Alongside the tumor removal, there were also some details that I found out later in the day. The tumor had been touching other organs, resulting in the doctors' decision to remove all of her reproductive organs except for an ovary. I couldn't even begin to imagine how Megan was feeling, but I was ready to be there for her in whatever she needed.
Following the surgery, they planned to continue treatment to ensure that all of the cancerous cells were terminated and the scans were clean. The odds were looking good, and Megan was doing very well. A couple weeks ago, while I was on vacation, I got a call from her. She wanted to tell me that she had recently gotten her new scans and there was news. The old tumor metastasized and there were five new possible tumors in its place. There was one spot that was concerning for her medical team, so they ordered more tests. They then clarified that it was in fact the same tumor.
Since her case is special, Megan's team of doctors is doing everything in their power to combat the disease. She is currently on a new chemotherapy plan, and is doing well. Something that is, in many ways, the most important is her outlook on this. Before the cancer, Megan was the most caring, giving, and all around amazing person who was always looking out for everyone. Now, she is all of that and more. Her spirits have been so high, and her attitude is phenomenal. When she had every reason to be angry, she was loving and kind. I have never seen someone so positive and it is contagious. I am inspired every day by her, and she never fails to make me smile. Laughing with her is one of my favorite things to do. I am so proud of how far she has come and how incredibly she is fighting the fight.
