When you first enter the Shock household, you soon realize that it’s not unlike most other family households. The kids, Blake who is 12 and Payton who is 10, and dog Bauer were hanging out in the family room. The parents, Howard and Heather were in the kitchen preparing dinner. What does make this family different from most is that their sweet daughter Payton has cancer.
In April 2019 Payton complained of back pain, but it went away with rest and Ibuprofen. The pain reemerged in June, but once again went away on its own. Upon waking after the Fourth of July holiday, the pain in her back returned and was getting increasingly worse. She was having difficulty walking and by Monday she was unable to walk without assistance. They took Payton to see her pediatrician Dr. Engle on July 7. He took one look at her and immediately sent them to the ER at Children’s Hospital downtown.
Payton had a CAT Scan, MRI, X-ray, and PET Scan which revealed that she had a tumor on her spine. Surgery to remove this tumor was scheduled for the following day. Her surgery lasted 8 hours, after which the surgeon determined that this tumor was cancerous. Further tests were done and the official diagnosis was Ewing Sarcoma, which is a rare pediatric cancer of the bone and soft tissues. The treatment plan consists of 32 cycles of chemotherapy treatment, which are all done in-patient at Beaumont Royal Oak and Children’s Hospital, as well as 6 weeks of proton radiation therapy done at Beaumont. As of today, Payton has 10 more chemo admissions to go. Both Heather and Howard said, “The doctors, nurses, and other staff at both hospitals have been wonderful, they have a great facility and a great team.”
One extra special nurse in Payton’s life is Katy Isles. The two met the day Payton was rushed to the ER at Children’s Hospital downtown. Katy was Payton’s ER nurse at Children’s, and the two had an instant connection and bond. They now see each other regularly and talk every day on the phone. Katy and her fiancé Mike have even asked Payton to do a reading at their wedding next New Year’s Eve 2020!
When asked how she is coping with all of this, her mom said, “There are days when she’s dancing and there are days when she’s crying.” When asked what is helping Payton the most her father replied “Her friends and support: People! People don’t realize what kind of impact they have on one another. People don’t give themselves enough credit, but we can!” All of the support, even the little things like cards, texts and meals, etc. from family, friends and the community have let them know that they are cared about, that they are loved and not forgotten.
There has been an outpouring of support. The community has rallied around Payton and her family during this challenging time. Since her cancer is so aggressive, going to school could compromise her immune system. With the help of Tina Forsythe, the principal of St. Paul School, Payton remained enrolled at the school. Biz Williamson and Cathy Mestdagh also stepped up and are now homeschooling Payton. She also receives some tutoring help from Carrie Johnson. There are too many people to list in this article, but their biggest support has come from St. Paul School and Athletic Club, the Saint Clair Shores Hockey Association, and Growing Smiles.
This beautiful family has an authentically inspiring attitude filled with gratitude. The main reason that Heather and Howard wanted to share their story is to showcase all of the wonderful people in our community. Howard said, “Sometimes we need to be reminded of how much we can accomplish together!”
Heather shared that the best thing Payton said to her is, “I’m just over this cancer thing. I just want it done!” When Payton was asked what she wanted all of you to know about her, she simply said, “She feels BRAVE!” It was an honor getting to spend time with and getting to know this brave and inspiring young warrior—Payton Power!