By Katy Savage, Standard Staff
(Read the story published in 2014 about Nolan and his cancer fight)
Now that Nolan Alberty, a 4-year-old from Reading who has fought cancer since 2012, has been found cancer free, his family can’t wait for him to return to the “real world.”
A July 21 magnetic resonance imaging test showed the acute myeloid leukemia Nolan lived with for almost three years was gone.
“The day, hours leading up to testing for remission is tough emotionally, having him in a one-hour MRI feels like forever when you are sitting in the waiting room knowing the result could be catastrophic for the family,” his mother Mary Alberty said in an email. “Hearing the news ‘no sign of cancer’ brings tears of joy and relief, we breathe again then we re-group and go back to parenting a 4-year-old.”
Nolan was diagnosed with the rapidly developing bone tissue cancer, in December 2012, the day before his brother was born. Alberty and her husband, Matt, called urgent care when blood was pouring out of Nolan’s mouth uncontrollably.
Last year, Nolan was in isolation due a bone marrow transplant he received — the latest attempt to help him beat cancer. His immune system was weak and his body was adjusting to the new DNA from his donor.
It’s been a long journey for the Nolan. He stopped taking his heavy dosages of medications this past May and on June 10, a mediport in Nolan’s chest that doctors used to put medicine in, was removed.
“At first he was devastated, it was his port,” Alberty said.
He came home from the hospital and removed similar ports he had on his favorite stuffed lion and dog pet.
He’s now happier — his mood swings from the medication he was taking have subsided and he’s moving through the growth stages. “He’s talking a lot. He’s like a normal fouryear- old,” his grandmother, also named Mary Alberty, said. Now when he goes for check-ins, he gets blood drawn from his arms. He gets laughing gas through a mask before he’s sedated.
“Putting a mask on a 4-year-old in an operating room can be a challenge, but again we make it fun, we challenge Nolan not to laugh or smile when the mask is on and he loves a good challenge,” Alberty said.
He may put a bucket over his head or stand on one foot on the couch when he takes his medication.
He started preschool the day after finding out the cancer was gone. It was an emotional day for the Alberty family to see Nolan return to normal life. He had a seizure at naptime, requiring urgent care at the hospital.
“When we got an emergency call from the school, everything stopped, we had no idea whether the seizures meant his cancer was back or not,” Alberty said.
Nolan didn’t have cancer. He hasn’t had a seizure since taking his anti-seizure medication.
The family kept him home for a week and then sent him back to school, marking his return to the “real world” yet again.
When it comes to school, there are no excuses in the Alberty household.
“Our goal is to let him be a kid and kids his age go to preschool, get dirty and have lots of fun,” she said.
The Albertys can breathe a sigh of relief as they watch their son get the same experiences other boys his age get.
“There’s always going to be this fear of relapse having already been there, but we as a family do not let that cloud our outlook on life, everyday is an incredible day,” Alberty said.
Nolan continues going to oncology visits every other month and also goes to specialty clinicians in ophthalmology, neurology, neuropsychology and audiology.
“Every month we seem to have at least one appointment with a specialist,” Alberty said.
After September, his oncology visits will drop to every three months.
As for the future: “We don’t know if anyone can answer that and we don’t ask, today is today and it’s a great day,” Alberty said.
This article first appeared in the August 6, 2015 edition of the Vermont Standard.