August 10, 2010 -
May 8, 2020
Diagnosis: Stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma
Carter's Story
Carter was diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma in July 2018 after a month of back pain and lots of doctors. At the time of diagnosis he was already at stage 4. He has undergone 18 rounds of inpatient chemo so far and 33 sessions of proton radiation. While scans continue to show improvement, the odds are not in his favor.
He has been on home bound school for all of third grade and has spent more time in the hospital than at home it seems. He remains upbeat a lot of the time even though he has chronic pain and nausea as well as awful neuropathy which causes numbness in his hands and feet. He had a large open wound on his foot from the radiation. That is where his primary tumor is. It was open from December until the beginning of May. During that time he could not walk. Now that it is healed he is walking better and better with the help of physical therapy.
He loves playing video games and watching Marvel and DC superhero movies. He is hoping to go back to school in the fall for fourth grade so he can see his friends. Due to his treatment he has been very isolated over the last 11 months because his immune system is so greatly compromised.
"Thank you so much for this beautiful gift. Carter was actually playing Pokemon Go when the quilt was delivered, and it was a great surprise for him."