It was a hot day in June, and everything happened as per the routine for Lauren Ouzts until she entered the bathroom and saw blood in the toilet. She assumed that her sister or she, herself, would be menstruating until her toddler quietly walked inside and, in a low tone, told her that she did it. Emma was immediately taken to the hospital as Lauren got worried. In the next few minutes, they sat in the ER patiently waiting for the doctor to diagnose Emma.
The doctor reassured both of them by telling them that they did not have to be worried about anything, as Emma was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, although it is more common in older women. She was prescribed some antibiotics and was soon sent home.
As the doctor had told Lauren that there wasn’t anything serious going on, she was first at peace, but when she saw that the bleeding did not stop even after a week had passed, she started to worry about her again. She decided to wait until the course ended, hoping for Emma to get better soon.
One day, after Emma went to a birthday party, she returned home sick. She was shivering due to a high fever and woke up screaming the next morning. It was so severe that she had to be rushed to the ER again.
This time, before prescribing any further medicines, the doctor insisted Lauren get an ultrasound of little Emma so the issue could be identified. The ultrasound had to be done at another hospital, so they had only two options: either the parents drive themselves, or Emma could be taken by ambulance. What the scans revealed was something no one was prepared for.
It wasn’t an ordinary UTI, but the scans showed a mass that needed to be examined by a specialist. Hence, the parents decided to take Emma to the children’s hospital, one of the best in Greenville. There, they heard something that no parent would ever be prepared for. The doctor said, ‘Emma has a Wilms’ tumor.’ It was a rare tumor found exclusively in children, and there was a high chance that Emma could be diagnosed with cancer too.
The doctor also suggested a surgery for Emma that had to be done as soon as possible to avoid further adverse effects on Emma’s health. Thus, with the parents’ consent, it was scheduled for this coming Friday. For the Laurens, everything that was happening in their lives was too much to process emotionally, as seeing their perfectly healthy and happy daughters’ health decline was something they never imagined.
The calls they received and how Emma’s brother had difficulty processing the news made it difficult for the parents to handle. However, this was when their community stepped up by raising funds and booking the family a hotel room. The surgery was successful, and soon it was time for Emma’s chemotherapy sessions to begin, which resulted in her beautiful red curls falling.
Although Lauren shatters when she sees her gorgeous little girl, Emma is a warrior, so she comforts her mother by saying that her hair will grow back once she is fine. Not just this, she often used to get high fevers, and her heart would race. The doctors diagnosed that she was allergic to the antibiotics, and so they were switched.
To preserve the memories, Emma also had photoshoots done looking like a princess, and it was clear that she tried living her life normally despite all the pain.
December 2018 brought the family some joy and peace when Emma’s chemo sessions finally ended. However, currently, she is still in remission as regular scanning and monitoring of her lungs are required to prevent any future problems.
Although the Laurens were devastated by the news of little Emma being sick, she proved she was a fighter, and her bravery is unmatched. Cancer charities should also be supported, as you never know whose life you’ll save!
