The Biggest Fight of Our Lives {Our Battle Series- Book 1}

The Diagnosis

Shay's POV: This morning Avia woke me and Colette up because she doesn't feel good again. This has been going on for about a week now so me and Colette are going to take her to the doctor this morning while Carlie comes over and watches the kids. I was in the kitchen eating breakfast and was watching Avia sleep on the couch, I hated seeing her like this. I missed her cute sassy self that never failed to make us laugh. Gavin was with her on the couch, the two had become close on the move back to Idaho, which meant that since Avia started feeling sick he was with her and mom trying to make her feel better. Colette came out of our bedroom dressed to leave with little Daxton and Carlie had just gotten here and was playing with Brock and Emmi. I went over to the couch to where Gavin and Avia where sitting and told her that we were leaving now. Gavin asked me if he could come with us to the doctor, I said he could because I knew how much he cared about Avia. I could tell Avia didn't want to get up so I scooped her up from the couch and carried her out to the car. Colette finished giving Carlie instructions about Daxton and came out and got in the front of the truck with me. The car ride over to the doctor was filled by small talk by me Gavin and Colette and sleeping by Avia. Upon arriving at the doctors office Avia was still asleep so I carried her inside hoping that having her rest would help her get better quicker. We waited for about a half hour to see a doctor Avia had woken up by this point and did not look good at all. The doctor looked at Avia and told us we needed to take her to the hospital to have some tests done. I asked her what the hospital would be testing for, she told Avia and Gavin to leave the room before telling us that they would be testing for Leukemia. My heart stopped when the doctor said that, I couldn't bear to think about what happen if Avia had cancer. So we held back tears and headed off to the hospital. Before going to the hospital we stopped for lunch anticipating that we would have a long day ahead of us. The closest thing to us was a Chick-fil-A, so that's where we stopped. After lunch we got back on route to the hospital, the doctors office had called the hospital to let them know we were coming so we checked Avia in and headed up to a regular hospital to room. It was a standard hospital room a bed for Avia to sit in along with some chairs a TV and a window to for us to look out of. For the first few hours nurses came in and doing things like checking Avia's heart rate and breathing and making sure everything was within normal means. At around 4:30 PM a doctor came in letting us know Avia would have spinal tap and lumbar puncture done. Me and Colette knew that these two tests would determine if Avia had cancer or not, we still hadn't told Avia because we didn't want her to potentially freak out over nothing. At around five the doctor that was going to Avia's spinal tap came with a cart full. Of stuff, once he explained to Avia, Colette Gavin and I what he was going to do Avia tensed up and I could tell that she was getting nervous. The doctor asked Avia to roll on her side so that she was facing Colette, Gavin and I so that he could the fluid he needed from Avia's back. The doctor rubbed something cold on to her back because she shivered. This signaled that the doctor was about to start, this caused Avia to grab onto Gavin and Colette's hands as I vlogged. As much as I hated to I knew we needed to put up a vlog, well I didn't hate vlogging I just hated having video of Avia suffering but I knew it would be good for our future selves and for the viewers. The doctor counted done from three before sticking the needle in Avia's back to collect the fluid he needed to test. Colette was using free hand to do something that never failed calm down any of our kids, she stroked Avia's hair trying to provide a feeling of calmness Gavin and I were encouraging her telling her that she was almost done and was doing such a good job. But it didn't do much good, I could see Avia fighting back tears and I knew how painful it was and I told her that it was okay to cry, and with that tears began flowing down her face. I almost started crying because I had never seen her this upset. A minute later the doctor finished up and told Avia her that she did a good job and told her he'd be back again soon for a lumbar puncture. Even though the test was Avia was still crying. Colette asked her what was wrong and Avia cried that she was tired and just wanted to go home. We told her that she would be able to soon they just had to do one more test. Colette asked Avia if she could sit with her on the hospital bed, Colette sat down next to Avia as Avia cried into Colette's arms. At around 6 the doctor came back in to do Avia's lumbar puncture, this test wasn't as bad as the spinal tap because they were able to numb her back for this one which meant she wasn't feeling any pain. At 7:30 a doctor told me and Colette to go into the hall so we could speak. to him. He introduced himself as John Wilson pediatric oncologist, I knew oncologist meant cancer doctor. He sighed as he broke to us the news that Avia had Leukemia. Colette immediately started crying but I knew I was going to have to stay strong in this situation. Once Colette gathered herself he explained Avia's treatment plan of radiation and chemotherapy. The plan was that two to three times a week for a year Avia would come to the hospital to receive chemotherapy and then once a month would receive radiation. He also said that Avia would have to come in for surgery tomorrow to have a portacath implemented so that she could get the chemo, but she would be allowed to go home tonight. He told us the time of her surgery tomorrow and the time of her first chemotherapy treatment on Wednesday. Before he left he told us that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Avia got better. With that Colette and I knew we had to walk in the room and go break the news to Avia and Gavin. I grabbed Colette's hand and squeezed it as we walked into the room together. Gavin and Avia were sitting together watching TV, happy with out a care in the world and I was sad to know how quickly the atmosphere of the room would change. Colette and I pulled two chairs up to the side of Avia's bed. Avia honey Colette said grabbing Avia's hand we got your test results back. Colette looked up at me giving me that look of you tell her I can't or I'll lose it. Avia sweetie I said looking at her with tears in my eyes, you have cancer. Gavin and Avia both knew what cancer was and knew it was bad disease that you could die from. Avia looked up at me and Colette crying I could tell Gavin was trying to hold back tears and stay strong for his sister. I pulled the four of us into a hug and with that we all lost, we sat their hugging and crying I couldn't imagine what we sounded like to the people in the room next to us. We took a minute to regroup before we explained to Gavin and Avia what was going to happen over the course of the next year. Some nurses came back and disconnected Avia from her heart and oxygen monitors so that way we could bring her home. Avia's back was still a little sore from the tests so I decided to carry her so that way she wouldn't have to walk in pain. On the car ride home Colette and I called some family members letting them know to come to our house because we had something to tell them. By the time we had left the hospital it was 8:30 so we stopped for McDonald's for dinner, at dinner we tried to keep the mood light and happy knowing what a sad day it had been and it felt good. Once we finished dinner we continued toward home where we would have to face our family and break the news to them, then after that we would have to tell the viewers. Once we got home I carried Avia inside and placed her on the couch, Gavin and sat down next her and the two of them became immersed in their own little world. With in the half hour mine and Colette's family started to arrive, we gathered them into our living room ready to break the news. I stood by Colette, holding her hand I knew this was going to be hard to announce especially for her because she lost her mom to cancer. Once everybody quieted down, Colette started off by saying how Avia had been sick for about a week or two now and today we took her to the doctor and how we ended up at the hospital today. She began that silent cry which meant I once again had to break the news. My voice shook as I said Avia was diagnosed with cancer, I myself also began crying I couldn't hold it in anymore. There was sobs from adults and murmurs of confusion from the kids. I was trying to stop crying when I felt someone hug me, I looked down to see Avia wrapped around my waist. She looked up at me and said don't worry dad I'm going to brave like and beat this. I almost started crying again, but I held back tears and picked her up and said I know you will. For another hour or so we talked to the family about Avia's condition and what happen, Avia who had already heard this today fell asleep. I was stilling holding her, I was grateful that she was small enough and I was strong enough to still be carrying her at the age of 9. She looked so precious with her head rested on my shoulder and her bangs cover her closed eyes. Colette was still talking to people but I wanted to get Avia to bed, so I signaled Colette that I was taking Avia down to her room. Gavin followed me because he was also tired from the days events. After I got Avia into her pajamas and into bed I went into to Gavin's to tell him goodnight and that I loved him. I walked in and saw he was reading, something he did before bed every night. I sat down next to him and thanked him for being so helpful with Avia today. He told me it was no problem because he loved Avia and would always be there for here. I hugged and kissed him good night and told him to get some rest. I went back upstairs to Emmi and Brock's room to kiss them goodnight because even in all this madness I wanted to make sure all of my kids felt love, when I walked into the room I was surprised to see Emmi asleep but Brock awake. I kissed Emmi on the forehead before going over to Brock and asking why he was still up. Whats up little man I said sitting on the floor by his bed, is Avia going to die he asked me with tears in eyes. No no I said hugging him, Avia is just very sick but shes going to fight and beat her sickness I said still hugging him. Good he said I don't want my best friend to die, I sighed and said I know. I never realized who close Avia was to all of the kids I mean her and Emmi were sisters and hung out the most, plus her and Gavin being the oldest two had that and soccer. Avia had always played with Brock but I never knew how close they were. I hugged and kissed Brock and told him to go to bed, I walked back into the family room and saw Colette sitting on the couch with my laptop she was watching old Shaytard vlogs from when the kids were younger. Are you to tell the viewers I asked sitting down next to her on the couch. She sighed and said ready as I'll ever be, I went and grabbed the tripod and one of the vlog cameras and set it up in front of Colette and I. For the third time to day we talked about Avia's cancer and what was going to happen, I told the viewers we would of course be vlogging because we love it, but they would have to be patient because vlogs would get uploaded at weird times. By the end of the one taker Colette and I were both crying. I plugged the camera into the computer and uploaded it so that we could go to bed. Once the vlog was fully exported I plugged in my laptop and camera before heading off to bed. When Colette and I were sitting in bed the night she asked me if I was ready to take on the next leg of our lives, I thought of Avia and said when it comes to our kids I'm always ready.

AN: Just giving you heads up for where the story is beginning, it is right after the moved to Idaho last year and is going to continue from there.