Harry O'Neills Journey

Harry had been complaining of having a sore arm for a few weeks, which we had put down to being a pulled muscle and there was no point in going to the doctors as there was nothing they could do.

On June 7th Harry had swimming and complained of his arm hurting again, but this time Mum thought it was because he didn't want to do squad swimming. After waking in the night on Monday and Tuesday and complaining of pain, we booked an appointment at the doctors. The doctor then advised us to go for an x-ray, which we did the following morning. The radiologist advised us that the humerus bone in his left arm looked unusual and they thought he might have a bone infection. So we returned to the doctors and had blood tests.

Friday 11th June we went to the get the results after Harry finished his final school swimming lesson and passed level 10. The doctor advised us that the blood tests looked fine but sent us to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) for children and advised us to go to emergency as we would see someone quicker than if he was referred to a specialist. Harry then had to give more blood, had a CT Scan and then an MRI. After all this we were told that they didn't think it was a bone infection but a tumour of some sort. At this point they were thinking benign tumour as he was showing no other symptoms. So we went home for the weekend blissfully unaware of the news we were to receive the following week.

June 14th - Darren, Harry and I visited Professor David Wood at 7.30 am who told us that they were going to do an open biopsy on the Tuesday as this was the only definite way to confirm what sort of tumour it was. Darren asked him what he thought it was and he said Osteosarcoma with chemotherapy as treatment. All I understood was the chemotherapy and just started praying that he was wrong. We then went in to PMH and Harry had a bone scan, and again we returned home for the night.

June 15th - Harry had his open biopsy and a drain was put in the shoulder which remained there over night. The GA made him slightly sick, but he was in good spirits and enjoyed meeting the kids on the ward.

June 16th - Just after lunch, the Orthopaedic Registrar advised us that the oncology team would come and see us and they confirmed that Harry had Osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Our lovely 9 year old Harry is now going to have to go through Chemo, surgery and then further chemo. This has to be the worst day of our lives.

June 17th - We explained to Harry that he was going to get very sick, lose his hair and have to have surgery. We told him that the Doctor who is going to do his surgery also treated a young friend of Harrys who has been through this nightmare 4 years ago. Harry being Harry then says he is going to tell his friends 'he has cancer, is going to lose his hair and miss a lot of school!'

Prof David Woods to be known in future as Prof advises Harry will require major surgery in 3 months time .....