Connor Muscat

Connor Anthony Muscat
Born: April 18, 1992
Family: brothers Carson (1994)and Chandler (1996),
dad Tony and mom Laura
Biopsy: June 2003
Diagnosis: July 9, 2003
Undifferentiated Sacoma
on the Right Chest Wall
but treated for Rhabdomyosarcoma
due to rarity
Insert Port a cath: July 2003
Begin 39 weeks of Chemo (VAC): July 2003
Vincristine/Actinomycin D/Cytoxan
Radiation: 5 weeks October, November 2003
Surgery: December 2003
Complete chemo: June 2004
Make-A-Wish Trip: July 2004 to Cayo Espanto, Belize
Relapse: December 2005
Re insert port a cath: January 2006
Begin 30 weeks of chemo: January 2006
Iphosphamide/Doxorubicin/Etoposide
Surgery to remove two tumors: February 22, 2006
Beat cancer a second time: August 2006 VICTORY!

Journal

Friday, March 26, 2010 10:38 PM CDT

Amen, AMEN to another set of clear scans today! We were told not to come back for a year and at that point, Connor will be moved to long time survivors clinic!!!! What a relief. Tony told Connor he doesn't even have to buy us an anniversary present because that's a gift in itself! Today is our 22nd anniversary and life is good!

Connor is doing wonderfully well and everyone at the hospital comments on how TALL he has gotten! He's still 6'2", but his body has matured so much he seems bigger! Lots of news on his end: Robotics dominates his time again as it is competition season (search youtube for Robonauts Team 118). He turns 18 April 18th and GRADUATES from high school the first week of June. He will be attending Texas A&M University to study engineering in the fall. Proud Aggie parents here! What an exciting time of life for him. God has blessed us so richly! Here's a wonderful tribute to our children growing up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olSyCLJU3O0

We have grown to love our doctor, Dr. Huh. My favorite thing to learn about him was how he became an oncologist. Connor interviewed him a couple years ago and found out he was a math / science guy and started school expecting to finish as an engineer. After two of his college friends were diagnosed and endured treatment for cancer, he changed his major to try and help stop this disease. I love how he was lead by his heart! I think this profession requires a lot of heart---no wonder MDAnderson is such a wonderful hospital!

God's Grace is truly AMAZING!

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed, hold on---one day at a time---God is NOT going to leave you---He is going to BLESS you!

One of the best things for me as a mom, was the day I realized it is not my job to heal my child. The healing is up to God and the doctors. My job is simply to LOVE my child---that's easy and I'm good at that!

The best therapy for my mind was listening to Christian radio (FM 89.3 in Houston). It takes a few weeks to get to know the songs, but not only did it constantly encourage and remind me of the love of Jesus and His promise to always be with us---but it reminded my children! I always had it on in the car, and I used to have to turn it on in the mornings while I put on my make-up because most of the battle is fought in the mind! So many of the songs spoke directly to my heart. The music kept my mind focused on what is right and good.

God is good all the time.
All the time, God is good.
Laura, Tony, Connor, Carson, and Chandler


A Cancer Prayer
by Stephen R. Chance

Dear God, we have prayed often for you to rid our child's body of cancer and never let it come back. We have prayed often for you to spare his body the harsh effects of the treatments he must endure. We have prayed for mercy and strength. But we have not yet prayed for the things about cancer we would like to keep.

Please let us keep the love that has been laid bare and that binds our family, our friends, and our community.

Please let us keep our preference to be together.

Please let us keep our appreciation for simple pleasures.

Please let us keep our ability to not sweat the small stuff.

Please let us keep our tolerance for each other's mistakes.

Please let us keep our focus on each other's needs.

Please let us keep our patient smiles responsive to normal childhood conflicts rather than the irritation that could so easily ensue.

Please let us keep our tendency to treat others tenderly knowing that we don't know all the heartbreaks they have felt.

Please let us keep the ease with which new acquaintances become good friends.

Please let us keep our enhanced appreciation for nature.

Please let us keep our motivation to live vigorously now rather than planning to live later.

Please let us keep our calling to help others fight cancer with better weapons and smarter generals.

Please let us keep our need to reciprocate the wonderfully kind favors we have received.

Please let us keep the strength to press on when faced with other illnesses, deaths, and human tragedies.

Please let us keep You at the center of our lives during good times, too.

Amen.

Read Journal History

Hospital Information:

Children's Cancer Hospital at M D Anderson

Links:

E-mail Author: muscat@spawmax.com or Lauramuscat@aol.com

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