The 'miracle kid' shines through
Coeur d'Alene 12-year-old Tammi Hite just received the great news that the cancerous tumors in her brain are shrinking and disappearing. She's seen here in Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital last Thursday.
Courtesy photo
Tammi Hite, center, and grandma Ladonna Umland and big brother Tanner Hite are all smiles last Wednesday as they get the news that Tammi's brain cancer is disappearing.
The scans of 12-year-old Tammi Hite's brain show a baseball-sized tumor above a wispy tumor earlier this year (top left) and how the tumors are now disappearing (bottom right).
Tammi Hite, 12, of Coeur d'Alene, is seen here at home with her dog, Scout, after she underwent an MRI that revealed her brain cancer is shrinking and disappearing. "I was excited," Tammi said. "I had happy tears flowing."
A baseball-sized tumor and a pesky wispy tumor are no match for Tammi Hite.
The Coeur d'Alene 12-year-old who was diagnosed with brain cancer at the end of April and her mom, Tristan Hite, have some good news to share.
"The big tumor is completely gone, and the other one is amazingly shrinking," Tristan said Tuesday. "She's doing awesome! Some bumps and stuff like that, but she is kicking butt and taking names and surprising all the doctors, so we're going to keep that momentum up."
The family received the news from Tammi's doctors last Wednesday. Tristan received the call at work, drove home, put her dad (Tammi's grandpa) on speakerphone and made the announcement for all to hear.
"It was literally one of the coolest moments ever," Tristan said. "They didn't tell us it was a possibility to shrink that much. She's literally my little miracle kid."
"I was excited," Tammi said. "I had happy tears flowing."
In the spring, Tammi had taken a little fall off her push scooter and didn't recover as quickly as she should have. A medical examination revealed the tumors and propelled the 'tween into a whirlwind of appointments, health complications and hospital stays.
Six months later, Tammi said she's feeling great. She continues to undergo chemotherapy treatment, including a powerful five-day regimen once a month. She also has been taking a CBD and herbal supplement formula specific for cancer patients that helps with her appetite and overall well-being.
Her positive attitude has never wavered, and that's been a good thing, too.
"I definitely think looking on the bright side and keeping my head up has helped," she said. "When you keep a positive outlook on life, you're more likely to get things done. That's the best thing you could do, because you never know."
Tammi snuggles up with her pup, Scout, and focuses on her eSchool studies. She's looking forward to dressing up as Harley Quinn and seeing a few close friends this Halloween, after they've quarantined long enough to hang out with their immunocompromised pal.
"She’s got warriors all over the world that are lifting her up in thoughts and prayers," Tristan said. "It's beautiful. She's got a story. This is going to be a part of her journey."
