While trying to help Kristofer Robinson walk and push his IV pole his Mother Rachel has her work cut out for her during his 5 day stay for chemo therapy at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

At 2 years old, Kristofer Robinson looks like a tiny athlete, dressed in red and black workout pants, shooting a ball at a child-sized basket.

His mother Rachel has her hands full — literally — steadying him with one while holding onto "George," his IV pole at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, with the other.

Kristofer is attached nonstop to the IV, which is flushing his system prior to chemo.

On this particular Monday, Kristofer also is receiving physical therapy, learning to maneuver without one leg, amputated during his Oct. 9 surgery.

With help from a miniature walker, Kristofer races toward some toy trucks.

Newly mastered, the walker makes chasing Kristofer a challenge. Several foam Christmas ornaments dangle from George, bouncing around as Rachel keeps pace.

Although this challenge represents hope, her only child's cancer has proved more daunting.

Kristofer was diagnosed in July with mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, a form of cancer that attacks cartilage.A tumor in Kristofer's pelvis had grown into his groin, which Rachel and her husband Keith found out after seeing a doctor the previous month after their son began to limp."Kristofer was a happy-go-lucky kid until June until he started limping," said Rachel, 26, of Jefferson Township."The tumor had eaten away his hip socket completely. We asked the general surgeon how was he walking then: 'in pain,'" she said.Initially, doctors thought Kristofer had an abscessed muscle or torn ligament. Usual suspicions for someone who limps.After a series of subsequent X-rays and bone scans, he was diagnosed with toxic synovitis, an inflammation of the inner hip.But by late July, a tumor became visible in Kristofer's right thigh. An MRI, CT scan and multiple biopsies led doctors to suspect he had some type of sarcoma, or cancer of the connective tissue.By early August, the Robinsons received the distressing news: Their son had mesenchymal chondrosarcoma."The doctor said, 'He has a diagnosis: not a great one — but he has a diagnosis,'" Rachel recalled."I was devastated. This was my worst nightmare, the thing I prayed every night would never happen."

Although the prognosis for mesenchymal chondrosarcoma can be grim, the cancer is largely undocumented in Kristofer's age group."Most commonly it occurs in young adults or middle aged adults," said Dr. James "Jake" Cooper, a pediatric oncologist at Children's.Cooper said even in older patients, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is rare, with only 500 cases reported worldwide since 1959.After consultation on how and where to treat the disease, the Robinsons met with a surgeon and started two rounds of chemotherapy. With any luck, the chemo would shrink Kristofer's tumor, making it easier to remove.The tumor grew, a bad sign, but surgery revealed that although the mass had been swelling, by the time of surgery it was mostly dead. And the cancer had not spread.Because the growing tumor had damaged Kristofer's hip, amputation seemed the most reasonable option."We didn't want to risk the tumor metasticizing to other parts of this body. It was riskier for him," Cooper said, explaining an inevitable disability even with saving the leg.During the 14-hour surgery, multiple doctors were present."We don't know exactly how many doctors were in on Kristofer's surgery, because they switched off due to the length of his surgery. There were at least 20," Rachel said.

In the end, the tumor was removed with clear margins, meaning removal was done completely without impeding surrounding areas. His leg was amputated, with plastic surgeons on hand to graft the opening with skin from his thigh."Plastic surgery couldn't use the skin around his tumor site because it was contaminated," Rachel explained.Kristofer's positive response to the surgery exceeded expectations, as he spent the next eight days in the hospital."They told us three or four weeks,"said Keith, 25, noting the previous month had been harder.By September, 37 days out of 60 had been spent in the hospital, the couple added, explaining those days comprised preliminary chemotherapy as well as treatment for neutropenia, in which a high fever signals white blood cell counts have dropped to risky levels.Pain was also a factor, especially in those first rounds of chemo."We didn't have his pain managed yet, and he was very mean," Rachel said. "He was in pain, and he was very frustrated."Rachel, a school teacher, had been working as a substitute, leaving her available to remain at Kristofer's side. Keith, then employed by a construction company, made the daily commute."It was 71 miles down and back in a day," he recalled.

Time spent traveling during his son's treatment has become less of an issue for Keith, now laid off and spending more time at home. There, many aspects of Kristofer's cancer continue to dictate the family lifestyle.Although Kristofer had two rounds of chemotherapy before his operation, 12 are necessary afterward — happening for three and five days alternately in three-week intervals. Two of those rounds have been completed.Luckily, the Robinsons were told to apply for Medicaid when Kristofer was diagnosed, so health care costs are covered. But the couple estimates spending more than $1,000 in parking and food during many stays at the hospital, where Rachel uses a microwave to reheat meals prepared at home, a 47-acre farm owned by her in-laws, Glenn and Shirley Robinson along with Keith's uncle and aunt, John and Lori Robinson.Because the treatments compromise Kristofer's immune system, the Robinsons often remain homebound afterward to avoid the germs that could prove deadly."I don't go grocery shopping. I don't go anywhere," Rachel said, noting relatives including her parents, Dan and Laneice Olesnevich of Jefferson Township, often help out by delivering groceries and running other errands."You're afraid someone's going to cough on you," Rachel said. "All of those 'What ifs.' It's hard. We rent a lot of movies now. I cook a lot more."Food also has changed for their son, once an enthusiastic eater.For reasons Rachel attributes to the chemotherapy and anti-nausea medication, Kristofer now prefers plain foods like oatmeal and chicken fingers. He also has regressed to the Gerber Graduates toddler meals he ate when he was younger.

After his first round of chemo, Kristofer also contracted mucositis, which inflames the digestive tract."He wouldn't eat anything,"said Rachel."He ate real healthy before. He ate all fruits and veggies. For all we knew three months ago we had the world's healthiest child," she said, noting he was in the 100th percentile for weight."Even missing a limb, he's still in the 50th percentile."Although his vocabulary also is typical for his age, Kristofer's parents must still often speculate. He hits at his head when he's frustrated or uncomfortable. He knows how to say "Ow.""I wish I could ask him ... what's hurting?" Rachel said. "Is it really hurting or is it just 'Ow?'"Kristofer's sleep patterns also have changed. Once a solid sleeper, he now sleeps fitfully, waking up during the night and then taking multiple naps to compensate."Chemo wears you out," Rachel said. "Because you're not getting enough oxygen. When his (blood) counts are down, he takes two, two-hour naps a day."In his waking hours, Kristofer does many of the typical toddler things: watching movies, crawling around, sitting perched atop a colorful popcorn tin, where his mother stores healthy snacks.Like most 2-year-olds, he's pleasantly quirky."He covers his mouth when he burps," Keith said. "It's funny."

For Keith and Rachel, the humor is a nice break from the uncertainty never far from their thoughts."They have no idea whether he is going to have a relapse three months from now, whether he'll have a tumor ... that's part of the hard part: not knowing," Rachel said."It's something you have to accept, because there's nothing you can do about it."Told their son's cancer was classed as incurable, the couple wondered initially if they should forego treatment, spending time instead on fun things. But over time the treatment sounded more promising. They decided to embrace the future with a positive attitude."We cried a lot, and then we decided: Would Kristofer be a happier boy if he saw his parents crying a lot or would he be a happier boy if he saw his parents treating him (normally)?" Rachel said."Yes, it sucks," she added. "You just Mommy up."It's kind of like Cowboy up, she explained, only harder."You do what you have to because you're a mom," she added.The community also is lending a hand. October fund-raising events included a spaghetti dinner and blood drive hosted by St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Herman, with a fund currently set up at Citizens Bank in Saxonburg. Keystone Ridge Designs sponsored the family for Christmas, with the Minner Co. also raising funds.To donate, a check can be sent to: Kristofer Robinson, Citizens Bank, P.O. 428, Saxonburg, PA 16056.For now, chemo is ever-present, making it hard not to seize moments instead of long-term dreams.

"Every parent dreams about what their child is going to do," Rachel said. "Keith thought Kristofer was going to be a big football star, work on the farm with him. My dreams were for him to become a doctor or a lawyer — and he can still do that, providing he lives that long."We're curbing our dreams because we don't know how long we'll have him. I hope Kristofer has a merry Christmas and I hope he does well with his chemo treatment," Rachel said."I try not to take things for granted as much anymore," her husband said. "Because you never think it's going to happen to you, you know what I mean?"I try to spend time with him and enjoy him. He's taking treatment quite well. He's a strong little kid. I think things are going to turn out alright."Cooper, too, is hopeful, saying the most recent review of younger patients showed survival rates of about 67 percent after 10 years — assuming the tumors were completely resected."When we get cases like this, we still have hope. Even with something as severe as the operation Kristofer had," he said."We work with families not only to cure kids but to give families hope: We hope he'll adapt and this will just be part of his story, but not something that ruins his life.""We'll follow him with scans, probably ultrasounds of his belly where the resection was. Then let him get on with growing up and being himself and continuing to adapt to his surgery," Cooper said."I think Kristofer is a remarkable little guy. He's very wise for a 2-year-old. He has that look about him: He's ]thinking about everything. He's waiting for you to impress him.""He's been a pleasure to take care of," Cooper added. "It shows you what remarkable things children are capable of."

Kristofer Robinson watches Cars the movie during his 5 day stay for chemo therapy at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Kristofer Robinson gets comfort from his mother Rachel during his 5 day stay for chemo therapy at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Kristofer Robinson works on reaching for toys as he takes a a break during a session of physical therapy at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Kristofer Robinson catches bubbles with the help of his Physical Therapist during a session of physical therapy at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Kristofer Robinson opens Christmas presents with his parents Keith and Rachel during a Christmas party.

Kristofer Robinson walks with his little walker that he just learned to use while his Physical Therapist and his Mother Rachel assist him during a session of physical therapy at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.