Celah

Age: 6 months

Hometown: Salcha, Alaska

Diagnosis: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

As the oldest of eight children, Celah’s mom, Tia, was well-prepared and very excited to welcome her own children into the world. She laughs to remember finding out she was carrying not only twins, but a boy and a girl. “It was a surprise!” After a healthy full-term pregnancy, Jacob and Celah quickly became the center of Tia and Daniel’s lives.

 

Three months later Tia was alarmed to notice Celah appearing listless and pale. After running a low-grade fever for three days, the parents were instructed to bring Celah to the emergency room of the hospital one hour away. In 40-below degree weather, the family set out, never wanting to guess what the next hours and days would hold. 

 

Celah was severely dehydrated and a node was discovered behind her ear. Several hours after arriving at the hospital, blood work revealed the need for an immediate transfusion, after which her parents were told Celah must be medevaced directly to Seattle Children’s Hospital. At 4:30 am, the parents had 30 minutes to pack what they could. “I arrived in Seattle with an extra pair of jeans and a toothbrush,” remembers Tia. 

 

After two days without sleep and not knowing how long they would be in Seattle, Tia and Daniel learned they could move into the House.  “The House is an amazing place,” Tia says. “There is such a community of support here. It feels like such a safe place.” Besides being close to the hospital, Tia is quick to acknowledge other advantages of staying in the House. “I don’t know what I’d do if it weren’t for the House. If you were to live in a hotel, you’d still need all the pots and pans…all our baby items were left behind. The cribs, clothes, everything…”

 

Fortunately, a treatment plan was put immediately in place for Celah, though it includes a full year of rigorous chemotherapy and possibly a bone marrow transplant. Tia affirms the challenge, noting “I just had three months to adjust to being a mother, and now I’ve had to adjust to being the mother of baby with Leukemia.” One of the biggest surprises about the House for Tia has been what an uplifting place it can be. “Everyone here is facing tremendous trials, but the staff and volunteers are always so positive. Everyone recognizes the children as just normal kids. I was on an outing with Celah and Jacob after Celah got her NG (nasogastric) tube inserted, and it felt weird for the first time, being out in public with people who don’t understand.”

 

The family has been able to cope with their situation through the generosity of Daniel’s benefits as an Air National Guard and the kindness of Tia’s co-workers at her hometown coffee shop. In the thick of what will surely become a family legend, Tia pragmatically admits that the chemo makes Celah really sick, and tired. “I just keep telling myself she won’t remember this when she’s older. We’ll get a fresh start.”