Lucy Devine
A mom has revealed the first symptoms her son suffered after doctors misdiagnosed him with tonsillitis, admitting she 'knew' there was more to it.
Tyler Scott, 13, from Hampshire in the UK, had been suffering with symptoms which doctors initially believed were caused by tonsillitis, but his mom Charley said she had a gut feeling there was 'more to it'.
"The doctors initially thought it was tonsil-related, but my mum instinct just knew there was more to it," she said.
"His blood results were erratic. They were showing that he was anaemic, and there were no definitive answers (as to what it was).
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"They [the doctors] said at the time that he didn't have leukaemia or blood cancer."
One of the first symptoms Charley noticed was lumps on Tyler's neck.
The mom first raised the alarm with doctors in February, when the lumps 'became more visible' and Tyler became fatigued.
While doctors initially said it was likely to be tonsillitis, in July, Tyler was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin Lymphoma and began treatment.
Tyler now has cancerous lumps on his face, nose, throat, collar bone, armpit, spleen, left shoulder blade and all of his organ entry points. He also has one on his chest near an entry point to his heart.
"I believed it was Lymphoma, but I was very shocked when they told me it was stage four. How was it not picked up on?" said Charley.
Tyler started chemotherapy in the summer and has so far had six rounds. He has also had eight blood transfusions and is waiting to start the first of three radiotherapy rounds.
"Mentally, it's really hard because you're watching your 13-year-old lifeless," Charley said.
"If he's not in hospital for treatment he's in because he's catching every bug.
"It's turned our world upside down. We just don't know what’s going to happen. We're staring into the unknown.
"So many things he used to love doing, he now can't do. He was competing as a world cheerleading champion and now he can't do it.
"He also used to love fishing and we can't go anymore because of the bacteria.
"He has to be wrapped in cotton wool when he was quite an adventurous boy."
Tyler is the oldest of four, including 10-year-old brother, Kenny, sisters Nyla, eight and Aaloiah, six.
The family are also struggling financially as Charley has taken unpaid compassionate leave; meanwhile, trips to the hospital have incurred costs.
However, there are positive signs that Tyler is responding to the chemotherapy.
"Tyler has remained the most positive little boy I’ve ever met. He's so resilient and so strong," said Charley.
Despite the positive signs, Charley worries about the future and how well the treatment will continue to work.
"Even though they say he's curable, there are so many risks involved. He could get cancer elsewhere or it could come back or he could have a turn with the chemo," she added.
"Of the six rounds he's had, only two of them went well, so every round is different and you never know what's next.
"Your body's so exhausted, but you can't shut down because you have to go so many places and do so many things.
"I feel like I'm just constantly on the go. You're trying to keep positive but you know anything could happen."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.