On January 3, 2020, Jackson underwent surgery to attempt to remove the two liver masses (tumor resection) and to complete a biopsy to confirm the hepatoblastoma diagnosis and details of the disease. Unfortunately, the tumors were unable to be safely removed without compromising Jackson’s overall health and the possibility of maintaining enough remaining liver to healthily regenerate.
A liver biopsy was completed instead, and Stage Three Hepatoblastoma was confirmed. According to St. Jude Research Hospital, hepatoblastoma his a rare childhood liver cancer that affects fewer than one in a million children. It is usually found in babies and children under the age of three. Jackson's surgeons also placed a chemotherapy port underneath Jackson's skin to allow for direct infusion treatments. He would have to undergo several rounds of chemotherapy first before attempting to surgically remove the tumors again.
Jack then experienced respiratory distress post-surgery, and was unable to breathe successfully on his own. He was heavily sedated so that an intubation (breathing) tube could be placed down his throat to allow a ventilator machine to automatically pump oxygen into his lungs for the next 24 hours. He was sent to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) where he stayed for close monitoring until he was able to be moved to the low-risk pediatric floor. We stayed by Jack’s side in the hospital until he was able to recover and safe enough to be discharged home four days later.
Once released from the hospital, we tried to keep Jackson as comfortable as possible to help ease his recovery. We also began meeting with his oncology team at the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic here in Charlotte, NC to discuss treatment modalities, including what to expect regarding chemotherapy, subsequent surgeries, and the anticipated side effects.
