2010 Interview
Teresa Ruiz, Emilio’s mom
Treasure Chest Foundation
Teresa Ruiz
Emilio “Milo” Ruiz is a typical five-year-old boy who loves Transformer action figures. He is the spitting image of his father and shy around strangers who come to interview him. Emilio
is also a little boy who happens to have Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). As we sit at his family’s kitchen table, we talk
with his mother, Teresa, while the sounds of “POW, POW” explosions and rocket fire come from Emilio and his father, Rangel, as they play with his Transformers.
TCF
Can you tell me about the time of Emilio’s diagnosis and what you remember?
T
He was diagnosed January 7, 2008. The month prior to his diagnosis, he was having a lot of hip pain. He was hospitalized twice—two different hospitals, different doctors, and different specialists were checking his hip. They thought
it was a viral illness causing the pain. It was inconsolable pain in the night. We also found
out he was anemic. And I thought. . .something
is wrong here. A child is not anemic who eats
his fruits and veggies.
Emilio had several more blood tests to check for a
possible genetic disorder to explain the hip pain. His
blood work continued to only show he was anemic.
Teresa’s instinct told her there was a reason for his
anemia. She knew something was wrong and
kept pressing the doctors for further testing.
T
Finally, we go see a hematologist, who I didn’t know was also an oncologist. The doctor said,
“I don’t think it is cancer.” I said, “I didn’t know
we were here for that.” So they drew his blood. The next day, we got a call from the oncologist. They found some abnormal cells in his blood
and needed us to come to the hospital.
I already knew what they found. They did
the bone marrow test and confirmed within
an hour that it’s cancer. From there, we were admitted and started chemotherapy that day. They need to work on it that fast because children die if it’s not taken care of. But we caught it early on.
The bone marrow, where his hip was hurting,
was holding all the cancer cells. The way
ALL works, it releases cancer cells into the
peripheral system. Emilio’s hip was holding
all those cancer cells, which is why it wasn’t showing before in all the blood work he was having. The cancer cells hadn’t been released yet. We caught it right that week—within days. Otherwise, he could have been in a much
worse situation.
TCF
Can you tell us about the hospitalizations?
T
He lived in the hospital—a lot of it was for infections. Last year, he had 13 hospital visits, each one or two weeks long. We always had
a suitcase by the front door for emergencies because he had a lot of emergency visits. He
got fevers and neutropenia, when your blood count is so low. He had surgery for a port for chemotherapy. Bone marrow taps, spinal
taps—he’s been through a lot. He’s been
through the ringer. His treatment is 3½ years long. He’ll have chemotherapy until March 2011.
TCF
What is the worst part of treatment for Emilio?
T
I think just having to be isolated. He couldn’t go out of his room at the hospital because they didn’t know what he was infected with. And having to explain, at the time, to a 3½-year-old, that he has cancer. He would ask, “When is
my sister (8-year-old Mireya) going to have cancer?” He thought everybody gets it. It’s all
he knew. I told him that he’s a special little boy that God chose for this. He was so young he
just thought it was normal. I think he does
realize now, now that he is five and in Kindergarten, that not everyone has this.
Emilio’s away from society, away from the
world, or he’s isolated at home. Psychologically, it has done a lot to him. He was always loving and outgoing, but once you are stuck in a hospital for so long. . .it’s a scary place for
little kids. He’s been through a lot.
TCF
What was it like to find out your child was that sick?
T
You never imagine your child is going to have cancer. (After a long tear-filled pause) It so
much changed our lives because you never
know what’s going to happen tomorrow. I just thank God every day that he’s here. It’s a hard thing to face. Our world was changed the day
he was diagnosed. What was once normal is no longer. What’s hard is that not everybody gets that. The world is busy with unimportant things, and that hurts.
TCF
What is the best part, if there is a good part,
of the clinic/hospital?
T
For Emilio, it’s getting something out of the Treasure Chest! He actually gets happy when
he has to have a spinal tap, because he gets
to pull a big toy out of the closet—where large Treasure Chest gifts are stored.
TCF
Can you tell me more about the Treasure Chest?
T
With each visit, Emilio gets to pick a little toy.
A deck of cards or it could be a ball—something small to say I earned this. The closet is for when they have a big procedure; spinal tap, bone marrow, transfusions. Let me tell you. . .trying
to drag a kid to the hospital for a spinal tap in
a snowstorm, and they can’t eat or drink until the procedure is done. . .the Treasure Chest is what gets them through it. It works 100% and
it saved us many times. I don’t know how we would have got through it without the Treasure Chest.
TCF
(To Emilio) What is your favorite toy from the Treasure Chest?
With just a hint of a smile, Emilio holds something up.
T
A Transformer! The Treasure Chest Foundation
is such a giving organization. It’s from the
heart because you know how these children
are affected. Psychologically it’s a rough time
for these kids. And it helps them get through it.
Once in a while, we pick something for his sister. She goes through a lot too. It’s hard for the
other children; going to stay with this neighbor and then this neighbor.
TCF
Someone told me (Colleen) that my son’s
cancer treatment would change me for the better. Has this changed you in any way?
T
Some people say they are grateful their child
got cancer. I can’t say that. But you realize what is big (important) and small in the world. I just feel so much more compassionate towards
other people and situations and things. I feel
like I have to be there for everyone, yet we’re
still going through our own process. It just
opens your eyes to be very grateful for what you do have. Some people might be in a worse situation than ours, and they are.
TCF
It is wonderful that you are so open that
you can still see the problems of others.
T
People need to be like that. That is just who
I am. I’ve always wanted to help everyone,
and now I’ve got to help the world. (laughs)
As soon as we get through this, I’m going to do something. It really does open your eyes. I told someone recently, “No one is guaranteed that their child will be here tomorrow,” but I feel like
I have even less of a guarantee. And that is
what really hits home. You just don’t know.
That’s what I’m grateful for out of all this.
It really opens your eyes.
TCF
What would you say to a family who just
learned their son or daughter was diagnosed with cancer?
T
Take one day at a time. That’s all you can do.
Try not to ignore the other children that you have. Just take one day at a time. You get through it. We recently went to a retreat for children with cancer in Florida, and we learned that at the end of the day, regardless of how bad the day was, you should name one thing you are thankful for. It kind of gets you out
of the me-me-me place. That’s the best thing. Seek any help you can. Don’t over-focus on
what lies ahead. Take it for today. You can
worry yourself to death—I’ve been there.
Just have faith that you will get through it.
TCF
What would you say to contributors?
T
There’s so much good coming out of what
they are doing. They may not realize what
$5, $10 or a small toy that is donated does.
It is helping a child with cancer get through
the day. They are spending their day at the hospital instead of at home, or school, or preschool with their friends and family.
Everyone gets to continue with their lives
except him, but it’s going to get him through
that day and will get him through the cancer. That little $5 that they just donated will get
a kid through a blood draw, a shot, or an IV treatment. It makes it better for the family
as a whole. It makes it a lot easier. Everything they contribute is for such a good cause.
2010 Interview
Teresa Ruiz, Emilio’s mom
Treasure Chest Foundation
Teresa Ruiz
Emilio “Milo” Ruiz is a typical five-year-old boy who loves Transformer action figures. He is the spitting image of his father and shy around strangers who come to interview him. Emilio is also a little boy who happens to have Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). As we sit at his family’s kitchen table, we talk with his mother, Teresa, while the sounds of “POW, POW” explosions and rocket fire come from Emilio and his father, Rangel, as they
play with his Transformers.
TCF
Can you tell me about the
time of Emilio’s diagnosis
and what you remember?
T
He was diagnosed January
7, 2008. The month prior to
his diagnosis, he was having
a lot of hip pain. He was hospitalized twice—two different hospitals, different doctors, and different specialists were checking
his hip. They thought it was
a viral illness causing the pain. It was inconsolable pain in the night. We also found out he was anemic. And I thought. . . something is wrong here. A child is not anemic who eats
his fruits and veggies.
Emilio had several more blood tests
to check for a possible genetic disorder
to explain the hip pain. His blood work continued to only show he was anemic.
Teresa’s instinct told her there was
a reason for his anemia. She knew something was wrong and kept
pressing the doctors for further testing.
T
Finally, we go see a hematologist, who I didn’t
know was also an oncologist. The doctor said, “I don’t think
it is cancer.” I said, “I didn’t know we were here for that.” So they drew his blood. The next day, we got a call from the oncologist. They found some abnormal cells in his blood and needed us to come to the hospital.
I already knew what they found. They did the bone marrow test and confirmed within an hour that it’s cancer. From there, we were admitted and started chemotherapy
that day. They need to work
on it that fast because
children die if it’s not taken care of. But we caught it
early on.
The bone marrow, where his hip was hurting, was holding
all the cancer cells. The way ALL works, it releases cancer cells into the peripheral
system. Emilio’s hip was
holding all those cancer
cells, which is why it wasn’t showing before in all the
blood work he was having.
The cancer cells hadn’t been released yet. We caught it
right that week—within days. Otherwise, he could have
been in a much worse
situation.
TCF
Can you tell us about
the hospitalizations?
T
He lived in the hospital—a
lot of it was for infections.
Last year, he had 13 hospital visits, each one or two weeks long. We always had a
suitcase by the front door
for emergencies because he
had a lot of emergency visits. He got fevers and neutropenia, when your blood count is so low. He had surgery for a
port for chemotherapy. Bone marrow taps, spinaltaps—he’s been through a lot. He’s
been through the ringer. His treatment is 3½ years long. He’ll have chemotherapy
until March 2011.
TCF
What is the worst part
of treatment for Emilio?
T
I think just having to be isolated. He couldn’t go out
of his room at the hospital because they didn’t know
what he was infected with.
And having to explain, at
the time, to a 3½-year-old,
that he has cancer. He would
ask, “When is my sister
(8-year-old Mireya) going
to have cancer?” He thought everybody gets it. It’s all he knew. I told him that he’s a special little boy that God chose for this. He was so
young he just thought it was normal. I think he does realize now, now that he is five and
in Kindergarten, that not everyone has this.
Emilio’s away from society, away from the world,
or he’s isolated at home. Psychologically, it has done
a lot to him. He was always loving and outgoing, but once you are stuck in a hospital for so long. . .it’s a scary place for
little kids. He’s been through
a lot.
TCF
What was it like to find out your child was that sick?
T
You never imagine your child
is going to have cancer. (After a long tear-filled pause) It so
much changed our lives because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. I just thank God every day that he’s here.
It’s a hard thing to face. Our world was changed the day
he was diagnosed. What
was once normal is no longer. What’s hard is that not everybody gets that.
The world is busy with
unimportant things, and
that hurts.
TCF
What is the best part,
if there is a good part,
of the clinic/hospital?
T
For Emilio, it’s getting something out of the Treasure Chest! He actually gets happy when he has to have a spinal tap, because he gets to pull
a big toy out of the closet—where large Treasure Chest gifts are stored.
TCF
Can you tell me more about the Treasure Chest?
T
With each visit, Emilio gets
to pick a little toy. A deck of
cards or it could be a ball—something small to say I earned this. The closet is
for when they have a big procedure; spinal tap, bone marrow, transfusions. Let me tell you. . .trying to drag a
kid to the hospital for a spinal
tap in a snowstorm, and they
can’t eat or drink until the procedure is done. . .the Treasure Chest is what gets them through it. It works 100% and it saved us many times.
I don’t know how we would have got through it without
the Treasure Chest.
TCF
(To Emilio) What is your favorite toy from the
Treasure Chest?
With just a hint of a smile,
Emilio holds something up.
T
A Transformer! The Treasure Chest Foundation is such
a giving organization. It’s
from the heart because you know how these children are affected. Psychologically it’s
a rough time for these kids. And it helps them get through it. Once in a while, we pick something for his sister. She goes through a lot too. It’s
hard for the other children; going to stay with this
neighbor and then this neighbor.
TCF
Someone told me (Colleen) that my son’s cancer
treatment would change
me for the better. Has this changed you in any way?
T
Some people say they are grateful their child got cancer.
I can’t say that. But you realize what is big (important) and small in the world. I just feel
so much more compassionate towards other people and situations and things. I feel
like I have to be there for everyone, yet we’re still going through our own process.
It just opens your eyes to be very grateful for what you do have. Some people might be
in a worse situation than ours, and they are.
TCF
It is wonderful that you are
so open that you can still see the problems of others.
T
People need to be like that. That is just who I am. I’ve always wanted to help everyone, and now I’ve got
to help the world. (laughs) As soon as we get through this,
I’m going to do something. It really does open your eyes.
I told someone recently, “No one is guaranteed that their child will be here tomorrow,” but I feel like I have even less
of a guarantee. And that is
what really hits home. You
just don’t know. That’s what
I’m grateful for out of all this.
It really opens your eyes.
TCF
What would you say to
a family who just learned
their son or daughter was diagnosed with cancer?
T
Take one day at a time.
That’s all you can do. Try not
to ignore the other children that you have. Just take one day at a time. You get through it. We recently went to a
retreat for children with
cancer in Florida, and we learned that at the end of
the day, regardless of how
bad the day was, you should name one thing you are thankful for. It kind of gets
you out of the me-me-me place. That’s the best thing. Seek any help you can. Don’t over-focus on what lies ahead. Take it for today. You can worry yourself to death—I’ve been there. Just have faith
that you will get through it.
TCF
What would you say
to contributors?
T
There’s so much good coming out of what they are doing. They may not realize what
$5, $10 or a small toy that is donated does. It is helping a child with cancer get through
the day. They are spending their day at the hospital instead of at home, or school, or preschool with their friends and family. Everyone gets to continue with their lives except him, but it’s going to get him through that day and will get him through the cancer. That little $5 that they just donated will get a kid through a
blood draw, a shot, or an
IV treatment. It makes it
better for the family as a whole. It makes it a lot easier. Everything they contribute
is for such a good cause.