After receiving news that Phoenix's remaining leg contained cancer over a week ago, the Perrault family is asking for prayer for what's to come next.
On June 2, the Perrault family was given the results of an MRI scan.
"The chemo meds are no longer working," says Joyce Perrault in a Facebook post. "The cancer in her only leg is near her hip bone."
The doctors began to discuss the end of her life, but according to her mother, Phoenix refused to talk about it, saying "I will talk to my mom about that. I'm not going to die, okay?"
The MRI results also showed that Phoenix's leg was already beginning to fracture, so she has to stay off her leg for 6 weeks. Doctors say if the bone were to break, there's a chance the cancer could spread faster, so they are trying to mitigate that chance until she can undergo radiation.
"We are going to fight it all the way. God has the last say. We have complete trust in Our God, Lord of Lords our Savior Jesus Christ. Please keep praying for our family, especially for Bear. Negative thoughts try and creep into my heart and mind but I think about God and His love and healing."
Phoenix has had a tough life, battling many infections and difficulties throughout her cancer journey.
Two years ago, back in June 2021, Perrault was taken to the hospital after she developed a fever. She had a blood infection which doctors tried to treat with antibiotics, but the fever came back. She then had a tough battle with sepsis.
Since then, Joyce Perrault, Phoenix's mother says that Phoenix was doing well after she lost her leg. Unfortunately, her daughter couldn't get a prosthetic leg since the doctors took her whole hip joint because they found a trace of cancer on it.
"This past year, she's been doing wonderful and everything was going good," says the mother. "We made plans for the summer and everything and then our world kind of fell apart on Friday."
On May 26, the family went to the hospital for an appointment and after more scans, the doctors found cancer in Phoenix's remaining leg.
Perrault admits that it's harder this time around since they now know what to expect.
"She's more emotional now. She's more triggered by anything. She get's angry but we're coping. We're giving her space, but we're doing what we can for her."
The mother is distraught that she can't be with her daughter in this time of hardship, as she needs to go to work. Phoenix has been trying to go to school.
Perrault says that things were going so well before this news that they talked about graduation as her daughter is now in grade 11.
Phoenix went in for an MRI on Monday and it was revealed the cancer spot was bigger than anticipated. As a precaution, doctors don't want her using her only leg anymore for fear it might fracture.
Phoenix from February 2023 (Joyce Perrault/Facebook)Phoenix tried looking at the situation positively because she has a friend named Tan who was born with underdeveloped legs and has never been able to walk.
"[Phoenix] told me the other day, 'Mom, even if I lose this leg, I think about Tan.' And I said, 'Yeah, you should think about Tan because you were blessed to be able to walk, jump and skip, and Tan was never blessed with that."
Even with this encouraging perspective, it's still difficult for the family.
"God has blessed me because they gave her only two months to a year [to live] and she's still here and I have to be grateful for that."
Perrault mentions the Book of Solomon and the story where two women claimed to be the mother of a child, and the one who was desperate for the baby to not be hurt was deemed the mother.
She says she thinks about this story and how grateful she is that God has let her keep her daughter for this long. Especially since Phoenix will turn 17 in August.
"My go-to is the Lord Jesus Christ, for anything that comes our way."
Tue, Apr 23, 1:20 PM
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