Nicholas's Story

Nicholas was a "strong willed child" right from the start.
At the time of his delivery, he was so stubborn about making
his grand entrance, that my doctor had to ask my husband to
help me push! That was the first of many times to come where
we had a clash of wills with Nick! Don't get me wrong, Nick
is a really good kid, but I've never met a more stubborn one!
But we believe Nick's strong will was definitely a gift from
God, to enable him to deal with what was to come almost 7
years later in his life.

Nick was a healthy child except for chronic ear infections
until early 2001. The last week of February, I got a call
from the school to pick up Nick because he had vomited in the
classroom. We figured it was just the flu since it was going
around at his school. The funny thing was, he seemed fine when
I picked him up. No fever, no stomach ache.... This happened
again a week later, and by the next week, the frequency of
vomiting was slowly increasing. We took him to the doctor and
the dentist. They found that he had a abscess tooth, and a
sinus infection. So we treated him for those, but that didn't
seem to help the vomiting. It was getting more and more
frequent. Our family doctor was puzzled and was going to start
ordering some tests the following week if things didn't
improve. Then on March 17th,2001, Nick and his friend were
playing outside and decided to try and jump steps with their
skateboards. They weren't wearing their helmets and Nick fell
and got a goose egg sized bump on his forehead. He seemed to
be okay though, with no signs of concussion. But when Nick
woke up the next morning, he started the vomiting again. We
brought him to the hospital, thinking that maybe he did have
a concussion, after all. But after a CAT scan was done, we
were stunned to find out he had a brain tumor the size of a
golf ball, and was to be admitted and scheduled for surgery
right away.

Nick was diagnosed with Cerebellar Medulloblastoma, a fast
growing tumor that frequently spreads to the spine. We believe
it was by God's grace that Nick had that skateboard accident
that lead us to discover the tumor before it had a chance to
spread. God was also with Nick through his surgery where over
99% of his tumor was able to be removed. He came out of the
surgery wonderfully, with only double vision as a side effect
from the pressure in his head on the optic nerves, and a loss
of balance. Then again, a couple days later, God was with him
also, when Nick had a mild stoke that effected his left side.
It left his left arm and hand with no movement, and his left
leg and foot with very minimal movement. We know it could
have been much worse. A mild stroke and brain surgery is enough
to keep a good man down ---- but not Nick!! That strong will
of his prevailed, and he wasn't going to let anything keep him
down!

Nick was in DeVos Children's Hospital a total of about 2 weeks.
Then he was transferred to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
where he stayed for 4 weeks. He arrived there in a wheelchair,
but left walking with a cane and able to play video games again!
That strong will worked wonders for him! That and the power of
prayer! Nick continued to work very hard at Mary Free Bed with
outpatient therapy 3 mornings a week. And when he was finally
discharged summer of 03 - He not only didn't need a cane, he was
running, jumping, climbing and skipping again!! You can't even
notice a limp!! Not all of his balance, endurance, and strength
has returned totally yet, his left hand still shakes a little.
But he's working at it. Now he is back on his roller blades
again! Not jumping ramps yet, but, he's working on it with all
the determination of a champion!! We are not sure how much more
of his balance will return, but we're praying for a full
recovery. Nick's double vision is gone and he no longer needs
glasses at all! The only lasting vision impairment is Nystagmus
when he gazes up and out.

Nick has been considered in remission since his his last chemo
dose. The cancer has a 12% chance of returning, and they say if
it does come back, it usually does within the first two years
after completing chemotherapy. We passed that 2 year mark in the
fall of 2004, and the fall of 2007 marked 5 years of remission!
Woo Hoo! This fall will be 6 !

Nick completed all of his radiation treatments (30) in 2001. And
then on July 23, 2002 he was given his last dose of chemo. The
long term side effects he has developed is a hearing loss in the
higher tones which he now has hearing aids for, and slow thought
processing skills. He has been placed in smaller classes with
teacher aids at school and has some extra accommodations to help
with his slow processing skills. Nick works very hard at school
though and is making mostly B's! The slow processing skills were
effecting his social skills and giving him a coping anxiety. So,
he has been taking the drug Zoloft since the summer of 2004 and
it has done wonders for him! He has come back out of that shell
and is again the "wild and crazy" Nick we used to know!

It was truly a very ruff but miraculous recovery. And Nick, I'm
sure, will continue to amaze us with his sunny disposition,
bright outlook, and "nothing can keep me down" attitude. We have
learned so much already, but the most important thing is that if
you put your faith and trust in God, He will come through for you
in countless ways. Even though you may be going through the
hardest time of your life, He will rain blessing upon blessing on
you and give you the strength to make it through in ways you've
never even imagined. Our family is so much closer now, we have
shifted our priorities and now count each day as a gift, and
strive to make the most of it. We laugh and joke and spend so
much more quality time together than before. And God has put so
many people in our path who have helped us in so many ways. And
he continues to do so! And also I'd like to think we have helped
others too along the way. No child should ever have to go through
something like this, but many do, and by God's grace, are better
people for it. My son Nicholas will be too, as well as all of us
who's lives he has touched!

Thank you for reading Nick's story and visiting his website !
Please leave him a message before you go, in his guestbook.
Below is some info on him, as well as his snail mail addy,
and early pics of him during treatment and surgery.


Siblings:

Nick has no brothers or sisters, but he does have some very
special pets. A Jack Russell Terrier, "Trigger", a cockatiel
"Spike" a chinchillas "Zoey", and a tarantula "Hockey" =)

Nick's Interests:

Nick loves video games (PSP & Xbox 360,) Legos & Kinex,
Scary movies and books (short chapter books) drawing and
word searches. Loves listening to music: Green day,
Smash Mouth, Creed, etc...

Snail Mail Addy:

Nicholas D
P.O. Box 513
Jenison, Mi 49429

My 7th Bday at the hospital,
the day before my surgery




3/22/01 after my 10 hour surgery
My tumor is over 99% gone!
Thank you so much Dr Foody!




4/2/01
My "Cancer Warrior Battle Scar"




9/01
My mail after being featured on
Make A Child Smile for just 1 month!