CaringBridge.org - mickenzie

Read My Story

This website has been created to keep family and friends updated about a brave and courageous little girl, my daughter Mickenzie Nolan. She was diagnosed with bilateral, stage III/V Wilms Tumor favorable histology on July 2, 2003 at the age of 22 month. After her 3rd surgery on March 15th 2004 that changed to favorable histology in her left kidney and diffuse anaplasia unfavorable histology in her right kidney

And The Battle Begins

It is July 02, 2003

Mickenzie had been admitted to the Kings Daughters Children's Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia the evening of June 30 2003 Mickenzie's mom, Michaela, had taken her to the emergency room at the Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospitalin Virginia Beach that morning for diarrhea that had an incredible foul odor. There the physician on call got suspicious when he found microscopic blood in her stool and because of a very high blood pressure above the normal range he suspected at first "Twisted Bowels". He immediately ordered an X-ray, but no organs could be seen, only one huge foggy kind of mass engulfing the entire abdominal area. Twisted Bowels was ruled out. Within a very short time Mickenzie was in an ambulance transferring her to the Kings Daughters Children's Hospital in Norfolk. After another X-ray and Ultra Sound which revealed a large mass in her left kidney area, the preliminary report was suspected Wilms Tumor. A CT Scan with contrast was done and then, July 02 the terrible, horrifying news....Mickenzie has.... "Cancer"...., she has Wilms Tumor (also known as Nephroblastoma) Bilateral Wilms, meaning both kidneys were affected.
It is difficult to describe in words the anguish, the horror, hopeless and helplessness we felt. It was as if the whole world had crumbled around us. Thousand thoughts, thousand questions raced through our mind. We rationalized, tried to explain it away and even denied all this was happening. Why? That can't be! Mickenzie always has been the picture of health, rarely ever sick. She always was a very happy and content baby. There must be some sort of mistake! But it wasn't a mistake. Mickenzie has cancer. There were also feelings of guilt.....was it something I ate during pregnancy? Maybe the air freshener that was occasionally used in the house? Yet the terrible news wasn't news to Michaela at all. It only confirmed what she had known all along. She had known from the day Mickenzie was born that she had cancer. At first those feelings were only vague and occasionally but became more intense, more often over the next 22 month. Again and again she had expressed her fear, I am not imagine it, I am not crazy, that feeling is just too strong, she said. I can sense it when Mickenzie looks at me, the
expression in her eyes, its like she is trying to tell me...that she has cancer!
A biopsy was performed, which revealed multiple bilateral Wilms Tumor stage III/ V favorable histology with 12-15 tumors on each kidney. In addition there were countless smaller tumors like pearls strung and weaved around and throughout her kidneys. The larger Tumors, 2 in her right and 3 in her left kidney, from a golf to softball size. The larger tumor in her right kidney completely wrapped around tightly the main artery (Vena Cava). Then another surgery to insert a Central Venous Catheter for blood
draws and to administer chemo and other medications.

And so Mickenzie's journey battling her cancer began

Since then, over a period of 16 months (what initially was suppose
to be an 18 week protocol) treatment, Mickenzie received aggressive and toxic chemo therapy with Vinchristine, Dactomyacin, Ifosfamide,

Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide,

either alone or in different combinations, all which have short and long term side effects. Received four blood transfusions, countless blood draws, CT scans under anesthesia each time, chest X-rays and antibiotic treatments for infections. She fought Sepsis, a severe blood infection in January 2004 when her body was already weak and her blood counts dangerously low. It almost took her life. The doctors said, few more hours and she would have gone into shock and we would have lost her. But because of the quick intervention of the medical staff of the toxicology department and Michaela's diligence, watching Mickenzie ever so closely for even the slightest unusual changes in her, getting her to the hospital for the life saving treatment in time, she once again pulled through. Mickenzie spent a total of 130 days as an in-patient in the hospital.

Had 4 major surgeries with a total nephrectomy of the right and partial nephrectomy of the left kidney, leaving her with less than half of a kidney.

After second surgery on November 24th 2003 (Thanksgiving Day) at MD Anderson Cancer Research Center, performed by

Martin Blakely, M.D., M.P.H.,
he was ready to remove her left kidney with all those tumors. According to the CT scan everything looked good. But he quickly closed her up again, saying there was no way, it was too dangerous to proceed with surgery. The tumors had not shrunk enough as the CT scan indicated. The tumors had stopped responding to the chemo. After surgery she had a collapsed lung and shortly afterwards a dangerous infection in her CVC Line. Intravenous antibiotics were administered for several weeks to fight the infection.

at her third surgery on March 15th 2004 at
Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center again with her surgeons Dr. Martin Blakely assisted by Pediatric Urologist, with expertise in Kidney cancer and Surgical rep to the Renal Tumors Committee of the Children's Oncology Group (used to be called the Wilms Tumor Study Group)

Michael Ritchey MD
little over half of her left kidney was removed followed by the pathology report with a new diagnosis. Bilateral Wilms stage III/V, left kidney favorable, right kidney diffuse anaplasia unfavorable histology. That meant a new protocol for few more month.

Then, 3 months later on June 14th 2004 her right kidney was removed. This time the surgery took place at MD.Anderson Cancer Research Center again, of course with her surgeon,Dr Martin Blakely
She was his last patient before he transferred to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Tennessee
She also had 3 lesser surgeries, inserting the CVC Line, removing it because of infection and reinserting a new CVC Line.
Mickenzie is now in "Remission" or "NED" (No Evidence of Disease) since Oct. of 2004, but her journey in fighting her cancer, fighting this beast is not quite over yet. She has a road map for the next 8 years and beyond starting from the day she completed her chemo treatment and her CT scans showed no evidence of disease.

Mickenzie's Follow-Up Care consists of check-up and blood work. Since her Wilms tumor was bilateral, a CT scan and chest x-ray every 3 months for the first 2 years. Followed by 6 months check-ups for the 3nd and 4th year. When she is 5 years from diagnosis or 3 years past treatment follow-up care is yearly for the rest of her life

ECHO/EKGS at end of treatment then once every year for life. Hearing test at end of treatment, then the 5th year. Dental exam every year.

When she gets to the 8 year mark without relapse (the first 5 years are the most crucial for relapse) we can then say (with caution), she is cured of cancer.
I say with caution because a relapse can still occur after 8 years. Also because of the type of treatment she received she is at a higher risk for secondary cancer and heart failure. But we pray and put
our faith in the Lord that Mickenzie is completely healed.
Throughout this journey we had to make many sacrifices, a major relocation, much to the criticism of family and friends, from the East coast to Houston, Texas with very limited financial resources to assure Mickenzie the best care with a pediatric oncologist specializing in Wilms Tumor as well as a pediatric surgeon, with one of his expertise in removing Wilms Tumor. We found both at the

M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center in Houston,TX.

Jaffe Norman, MD.
and Dr. Martin Blakely. We sold, gave away and stored our belongings. We left behind family and friends not knowing for how long. Throughout her ordeal her sister, 13 year old Brittaney and 10 year old brother Brendan stood courageously beside
her, willingly giving up many things to save their little sister's live.
We have come to realize we are not alone in this new world, in this war on cancer.

We have met many wonderful, caring people at the hospital, through the Caringbridge website and the Wilms Tumor list. We have met many courageous little heroes, children who fought or are still fighting cancer or other life threatening and chronic illnesses. Sadly too many of our hospital friends, Steven 13y, Olah 3y, George 10y, David 10y, Kelly 16y, Chloe 3y, Evelyn 3 1/2 and Star 4y and many of our Caringbridge friends, Mason 4y, Haley 11y, have earned their angel wings. It is then when one feels the most helpless. And it is then, during those times that our faith falters. Yet we keep on believing in miracles, because we know they do happen.
Mickenzie just turned 4 years old August 14th (she was 22 month when diagnosed) yet she has endured more over those past 2 years than an average adult in their lifetime.

Her sweet, gentle personality, her incredible inner strength, her zest for life never ceases to amaze me and is an inspiration to us all.

I like to thank each and everyone for their continuing prayers, emotional and spiritual support, it is and was that gave us the strength, the hope to get us through on our journey fighting this illness. It means more than I can say.
God Bless each and everyone of you...Linda, grandma (Oma) and Michaela mom to Mickenzie. Many hugs to all from Mickenzie

Click to play
"Little Video Clip
of Mickenzie
taken March 2005