We had been home from our first family holiday to Montreal for two days. The holiday was a disaster as Mumma was sick and Dominique became very ill with the flu and went to the emergency two times in Malbaie. They diagnosed her with an ear infection and she was on antibiotics. On this date, it appeared she was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics and so we decided to bring her to children’s hospital emergency. The examining doctor was not concerned about her rash, but decided to X-ray her chest to check for pneumonia. Dominique had her X-ray, strapped in a plastic chair with her arms restrained above her head.

The doctor brought the X-rays in and declared, “we didn’t find any evidence of pneumonia but we found something else…a tumor in her chest.” After the reality sunk in I said “oh my god” and went to the bathroom and cried. Before we knew it we were meeting with oncologists and hearing the potential diagnosis of Neuroblastoma, a type of cancer, including the numerous tests Dominique would have to endure to make accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Dominique had her first blood test which was very traumatic. She cried and cried as the nurse poked her several times in both arms to get blood. We were sent home with urine bags to get a sample with an appointment to meet the Oncologist Dr. Bond on Monday March 4, 2002.

Time spent in the hospital on that day: 5 ½ hours