Last fall, Remington Pitman noticed a pain in his elbow.

Because he always endeavored to keep fit with exercise and weights, he assumed it was a strain of some nature, according to his father, Athens veterinarian Dr. Robert Pitman.

“He was treated over time for tendonitis, strained muscles, strained ligaments — a number of things that involved rest,” Pitman said of his son.

From time to time over the next two to three months, Remington would tell his father his elbow hurt, and his dad would tell him to see a sports doctor.

One day, Remington told his dad his elbow was really hurting.

Robert set up an appointment with Dr. Jack Moore of Athens. During a one-day break on Oct. 10 last year, Remington and his dad went to see the doctor, who scheduled an MRI. The doctor found the results of that test suspicious, so he immediately scheduled a CT scan.

The doctor didn’t like the results of CT scan, so Remington was sent to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital for a biopsy and further treatment, Robert said.

The Pitmans were shocked by the diagnosis — Ewing sarcoma — a rare disease in which cancer cells are found in the bone or in soft tissue. The disease is marked by a small, round, blue-cell malignant tumor and most commonly found in the pelvis, femur, humerus, ribs or clavicle.

“By the time it was discovered, it had metastasized to his lungs,” Robert said. UAB wanted to begin a particular treatment plan immediately.

“When I returned home from UAB, I was not satisfied with the information, so at 10 p.m. I called MD Anderson,” Robert said, referring to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston. MD Anderson is one of the top cancer hospitals in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranked it No. 1 for cancer care in its annual “best hospitals” survey, a ranking the clinic has received many times over the years.

“MD Anderson said they wrote the book on Ewing sarcoma and if we wanted him treated, we better get him out there,” Robert said. “I said we needed to do it right away and they said in three weeks. I told them UAB wanted to start right away.”

Robert went to bed believing a three-week delay in treatment was no good.

“MD Anderson called me the next day and told us to have him out there Friday and they would begin treatment Monday,” Robert said.

Treatment

The clinic treated Remington’s cancer “very aggressively” with chemotherapy, radiation and countless blood transfusions, Robert said. He underwent 12 cycles of chemo plus radiation after the doctors found four lesions in his lungs in addition to the large lesion in his elbow.

“It was physically decimating to him,” Robert said of the treatment.

Today marks exactly 10 months since 24-year-old Remington went to MD Anderson, and he is now cancer-free, his father said.

Saving support

Robert believes what helped his son “as much as anything” was the tremendous outpouring of prayers and support from the Athens and Limestone County community.

“The churches sent cards and letters, well blankets, supplies and things like that, words of encouragement and expressions of putting him on multiple prayer lists,” Robert said. “People all over the state were praying for him. All of the churches and the community have given so much support that I have been completely humbled by it.”

There was also Remington’s courage. If he ever lost hope during the miserable journey, he never showed it.

“He had a great positive attitude the whole time he was out there,” Robert said. “Even on his sickest days, he’d say he was fine when I called, even when he was nauseated, had ulcers in his mouth or had been vomiting.”

During the 10 months in treatment, Robert and his wife, Cookie, stayed with Remington as much as they could, as did their daughter, Camille, 29, who is a master’s student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Remington, who was scheduled to graduate this past May with a degree in supply-chain management, had to drop out of college temporarily to undergo treatment. His girlfriend, M.K. Matus of Huntsville, also dropped out of Auburn University temporarily so she could be by Remington’s side every day. They both plan to return to school in the fall, Robert said.

Hope

Since his treatment, Remington has regained some weight and has learned to walk again through physical therapy, Robert said.

“He is getting stronger, though I think it will take about a year for him to fully regain his strength,” he said.

“When he was first diagnosed, he was given a 30 percent chance of survival,” Robert said of his boy. “The treatment improved his chances to 70 percent.”

Remington will be watched very closely for the next few years, his father said.

“He will be checked every three months for couple of years and then every six months for a couple of years,” Robert said.

Homecoming

Remington will be returning home to Athens and on Aug. 15, the Pitmans will hold a welcome-home reception for their boy at the Athens Event Center to celebrate his cancer-free status. They are inviting all of his friends and supporters to the event, which is from 6 to 8 p.m.

“It is for friends, those who have offered prayers or anyone who wants to meet him,” Robert said. “Mainly, he wants to meet people and thank them in person.”