Surviving Osteosarcoma Cancer: Caitlin's Story Cedars-Sinai Skip to content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Share Email Print CS-Blog Cedars-Sinai Blog Overcoming Osteosarcoma Caitlin' s Story Dec 13, 2017 Cedars-Sinai Staff Share Tweet Post Cancer survivor Caitlin Meaney is in recovery and back to playing in her high school band after finishing chemo in April 2017. When Caitlin Meaney found out she had cancer, an avalanche of thoughts tumbled through her mind. "Will I be in bed all the time?" "Will I ever ride a bike again?" Last year, the then 14-year-old thought she'd twisted her right arm or slept on her shoulder incorrectly. To make sure it didn't get worse, she took a break from her favorite activities—playing sports, jumping on her best friend's trampoline, and riding her bike with her dad. "I kept telling myself, 'This isn't happening. This isn't happening.'" "I thought I was just sore and the pain would go away," she says. "But it soon got to the point where I realized this wasn't just an 'I slept on this wrong' problem. Something was up." In April 2016, a family doctor diagnosed Caitlin with tendonitis and prescribed physical therapy. When the physical therapist concluded that the shoulder and arm weren't healing, an orthopedic specialist was called in. "An X-ray showed a mass," Caitlin recalls. "He didn't know what it was, though. It could have been a bone infection or a tumor, but he said, 'Don't freak out until we know what it is.'" A cancer diagnosis To identify the mass, Caitlin was referred to Cedars-Sinai orthopedic oncologist Dr. Daniel Allison in July 2016. After reviewing her medical history, Dr. Allison suspected osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that often appears in adolescence. A battery of tests confirmed his suspicions: The source of Caitlin's pain was a 9-inch cancerous tumor sitting on her shoulder. Read: Survivor Kelsey's Message to Teens with Cancer: You Can Do It "I don't think it hit me right away. It felt like a dream," says Caitlin. "I kept telling myself, 'This isn't happening. This isn't happening.'" Caitlin's treatment started with 10 weeks of intense chemotherapy, followed by a surgery that removed the tumor and replaced part of the bone in her arm with a titanium rod, then 20 more weeks of chemotherapy, and finally physical therapy. Caitlin with pediatric oncologist Dr. Shivani Upadhyay during a follow-up visit. Dr. Upadhyay says laughter, determination, and music were key to Caitlin's recovery. The best medicine The day after Caitlin's first chemo treatment, she and her family went to see Guns N' Roses at Dodger Stadium. To celebrate her last chemo treatment, they went to a Green Day concert. Caitlin comes from a family that loves making and listening to music. Her father and brother play the guitar, and for 5 years, she has played the trumpet. Read: Leukemia Doesn't Stop Áine Randle from Rocking Out "I always say music and laughter are a key part of happiness and Caitlin and her family prove it," says Dr. Shivani Upadhyay, one of the pediatric oncologists on Caitlin's care team. "She's amazing, as is her family." Marching on Caitlin is 15 now and back to playing in her high school marching band, this time as part of the percussion ensemble. She admits it's a challenge, but she's up for it, especially since the instruments she plays—like the snare, keyboard, and cymbals—give her arms a workout, or as Caitlin puts it, "extra physical therapy." "A year ago, I was worried I wouldn't be able to ride a bike or get on a trampoline. Now I can do anything I want!" she says. 'A year ago, I was worried I wouldn't be able to ride a bike or get on a trampoline. Now I can do anything I want!' Click To Tweet Tags Pediatrics Patient Stories Children's Health Cancer Share Tweet Post Popular Categories Health + Wellness Science + Innovation Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Popular Topics In Our Community Faces of Cedars-Sinai Patient Stories Los Angeles Behind the Scenes Make an Appointment Find a Doctor Schedule a Callback Call us 24 hours a day 1-800-CEDARS-1 Support Cedars-Sinai Make a Gift Volunteer Share Email Print Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility