Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by Ochsner Children’s Hospital but is an authentic first hand account. It was written by Summer Vinet, a parent whose child receive treatment at Ochsner Children’s Hospital New Orleans.
A Mother’s Experience Supporting Her Daughter’s Journey with Osteosarcoma
On Sept. 8, 2023, we realized something serious was happening when my daughter Autumn started to feel pain in her right ankle. We thought it might be an old softball injury, but her doctor at Ochsner Children’s suggested an X-ray to be sure. It was a shock when they found what looked to be a “suspicious osteogenic sarcoma”. This led to many visits at Ochsner Children’s Hospital, and by the end of September, we learned Autumn had a type of bone cancer called Osteosarcoma in her right ankle.
Despite the tough news, we tried to keep things as normal as possible for Autumn, like going to a Houston Astros game and even attending a friend’s homecoming dance.
Autumn began chemotherapy on Oct. 13, using strong medicines called Doxorubicin and Cisplatin. These drugs made her lose her hair, which was hard for her. But, showing great courage, she decided to cut and then shave her hair herself before it all fell out. She was making the best of a tough situation. She said she wanted to take back the reigns of the one thing she had control over. As her mother, I admired her strength and of course, supported her decision.
Not long after, a kind friend gifted her a golf cart, which was a big help for her mobility while undergoing treatment. This gift allowed her to get around comfortably while resting her ankle, and it helped her see her friends! Her spirits began to lift, until she began a new treatment.
The next treatment, Methotrexate, was very difficult. It caused bad side effects for Autumn, and she needed extra help and even a blood transfusion to get through it. Autumn also caught COVID-19 during this time, which made things even harder and scarier as a parent to witness your child become so sick. But, with a supportive care team who understood her struggles and worked tirelessly to ensure she was comfortable and as healthy as possible, Autumn pushed through. Her friends and family surrounding her at this time, especially because it was the holidays, made a big difference in her energy and overall mood, especially leading into exploratory surgery to assess the severity of her cancer.
After surgery, Autumn had a tough choice to make. She’d choose to either try to fix her bone where the cancer was or remove her leg from the shin down through amputation to get rid of the cancer.
After many talks with family and her care team, Autumn bravely chose to have her leg amputated, hoping this was the best way to fully recover and maybe play softball again one day. Once again, I was in awe of my daughter and supported her decision to amputate.
On Jan. 16, 2024, Autumn had her surgery. It went well, and the team led by Craig Lotterman, MD said she was cancer-free. Although the recovery wasn’t easy, and she faced a lot of pain (more than we thought she would), there was some light in Autumn’s life during this time – her new puppy, Bronx. He brought joy to Autumn’s life and supplied her with many laughs and cuddles.
Autumn’s post-surgery treatment plan included continued chemotherapy, which she was able to complete as an outpatient. Being able to go home to rest after her chemo was a game-changer. It helped her feel more comfortable and stay positive during the home stretch of her treatment process. Despite everything she had gone through, my daughter was able to keep up with her schoolwork and activities.
She even celebrated her 14th birthday by ringing the bell at Ochsner Children’s surrounded by her doctors, nurses, and care team — a sign that she had beat her cancer once and for all.
On July 2, 2024, Autumn had her last chemotherapy treatment and began a brand-new chapter in her life with her new prosthetic leg and starting high school! Currently, she’s navigating all of these new changes so well. We’re excited for her future, which will hopefully include softball.
This entire journey taught our family about being strong and having a great support system, above all. And this includes having a care team of pediatric oncologists, nurses, child life specialists, and more. We couldn’t have done it without each other and without Ochsner Children’s.
My daughter Autumn has always been a light in our lives, and now she is even more of a shining example of determination and hope. And I just know that with the support from family, friends, her medical team, as well as her own strength, determination, and grit, she’s ready to tackle whatever comes next. And so are we.
Learn more about pediatric oncology at Ochsner Children’s here: https://www.ochsner.org/services/pediatric-cancer.
