August 25, 2006

Cancer treatment rough, but teen smiles through it

Brianna Mercado waiting to get back to normal

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

Brianna Mercado was like any other 15-year-old until she got cancer. The teenager is suffering from Ewing’s Sarcoma, a cancer that generally affects teens in their bones and soft tissue.

The Pumpkin Heads are a team of sophomores from Silver Creek High School. They included (back row, from left) Karlo Ilagan, Diana Mercado, Daniel Carbio and Cameron Miller. Second row Brianna Mercado and Katy Nomura and kneeling Sabrina Mercado and Bernadette Bettencourt. Several team members shaved their heads to match Brianna’s hair lost from chemotherapy, hence the name, Pumpkin Heads.

Everything was fairly normal in her life until last spring when she noticed a lump on her chest. Her doctor sent her to a surgeon, who diagnosed a calcium deposit. But then it grew to the size of a ping-pong ball. She went into surgery and within two weeks had started her first round of chemotherapy. Those events last about three weeks and included alternating three- and five-day doses of chemo. During that period she stays in the hospital for about six days while the doctors raise her fluid levels.

“She ends up pretty weak,” her mother said. “But she recovers pretty fast. She’s only about 10 pounds off from when the treatments started. During the treatment she loses about 20 pounds and gains 10 back during off treatment times. She likes her food,” said Diana Mercado.

However, there are two items that can set her stomach churning; hand soap and meatballs. “Hand soap reminds her of chemo,” said Diana.

After the treatment that began on Aug. 14, Debbie said the doctors would go back to check out the tumor. Brianna will finish her chemo, but if any traces of the tumor are found, she also will have to undergo radiation beginning in September.

Most of the time Brianna’s psyche is fine and she’s only cried once, said her mother. That one time was when she found out she couldn’t go to nationals with her dance team because she needed injections every day. But no one has seen her cry before or since. Brianna and twin sister, Sabrina, are very active. Besides dancing, Brianna misses swimming and playing water polo.

Two things are in the process of changing. Throughout the summer Sabrina was there for her when Brianna needed help during chemo or just for someone to talk with. But with school starting and Brianna getting home schooled because she would get too far behind with her three-week treatments, the twins will be split up for the first time. Sabrina will start her sophomore year at Silver Creek, and it will mean a big change for the girls who are very close.

Diana was especially lavish in her praise of Sabrina, who—she said—spends as much time as possible taking care of her sister. In addition, Sabrina and the twins’ friends Katy Nomura, Daniel Carbio, Cameron Miller and two others all shaved their heads in sympathy with Brianna. Sabrina shaved her head twice, but Brianna said that’s enough.

“I don’t want her to get teased at school,” Brianna said of her twin.

As for Sabrina, she’s not at all jealous of all the attention her sister has been getting. “She’s my role model now, just being with her is what matters,” Sabrina said.

The twins are fraternal, but extremely close and look very much alike. The two were actually born on different days. Brianna always wanted to be a princess; she likes bright colors and cartoons. Sabrina, on the other hand, is a typical teenager, she likes to talk on the phone, to gossip and play with makeup.

As babies they had their own language and occasionally the two can communicate without talking, but “not too often.” Sabrina does admit to feeling some of the pain her sister feels, but mostly just wants to be with her and take care of her.

“Sabrina sat up with her in the hospital; we had to pry her away from Brianna’s bed. These two girls are so remarkable. I can’t ask for better kids, athletes and scholars, swimmers and dancers,” Diana said.

She knows what she’s talking about, she has two other kids—17-year-old Jessica, who’s a senior at Evergreen Valley, and 10-year-old Daniel, a fifth grader at Cadwallader Elementary. And there’s a fifth child on the way. Another girl, who will be named Bailey, Ava, Riley or Peyton, depending on what she looks like, the day and everyone’s mood.