Milo S.
South Carolina
Birth Date: July 11, 2015
Diagnosis: Leukemia
Theme: Beach Scenes & Tropical Fish
Due Date: October 1, 2020
Milo's Story
In November 2017 we were in Columbia, SC visiting family. We were on the way to church Sunday the 12th when Milo began projectile vomiting. I just knew it was the flu so I took him to an urgent care where they did some blood work. They decided to redraw and recheck his blood work.They came back in to say they had an ambulance on the way to take us to the Children's Hospital. The next day a group of doctors walked into our room in the PICU and introduced themselves as oncologists; I knew what they were going to say next. They believed Milo had cancer. We were transferred to MUSC in Charleston, SC that night. The next morning the oncologist came in and said Milo has ALL. The next day he underwent a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, had his port placed and began chemo therapy.
Milo has undergone 2 1/2 years of chemo, and we have spent countless nights in the hospital. He had C-diff for 8 months straight, has had salmonella twice, another rare GI bacteria, RSV, and currently is being treated for a fungal lung infection he contracted in December 2019. We also recently found out he has extremely high toxic levels of his daily chemo. That has been causing him to experience hypoglycemic episodes. Twice I woke up to him being unresponsive. He has started on a new drug to help lower his levels with hopes to decrease his hypoglycemic episodes. His current treatment is daily oral chemo, a different chemo taken once a week, quarterly chemo administered through his port and a different chemo administered directly into his spinal fluid.
The beach has always been “his spot”. During some of the toughest parts of his treatment we’d take him there when he felt up to it and oh, how it lifted his spirits. He loves the beach, the ocean, the waves, the shells ... everything about it. He also loves watching ocean documentaries and knows the names of all kinds of fish and ocean animals.
"Milo received his quilt, and he absolutely loves it! The first thing he noticed were the sea turtles. And then of course the beach scenes, fish, shells, and all things ocean and beach. Thank you all so much."
