Isabel has a bone marrow aspiration and a spinal tap. What are those like?
A bone marrow aspiration is when a little bit of marrow (the source of all blood cells) is taken from your hipbone to see if cancer is present or has spread. A spinal tap is when a needle is inserted into the spinal canal to check the spinal fluid for any central nervous system involvement. As with the bone marrow aspiration, a spinal tap can be uncomfortable so ask your doctor if there are any medications he/she can give you to help ease the discomfort. Q: Isabel’s type of cancer was curable are all cancers curable? A: Unfortunately, not all cancers are curable. Luckily, medicine has progressed to a point that many cancers can be effectively treated. Even if there isn’t a cure in sight, that doesn’t mean that remission and having a happy life are out of the question. Q: Isabel’s doctor said that she didn’t do anything wrong to cause her leukemia. Do they know why people get cancer? A: For children and teenagers with cancer, there are a lot of unanswered questions about what causes can
