So unfair

Eil4186
Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Well, just when I thought I couldn't get any more depressed. I had my 3 month check up with my oncologist on tuesday--and had blood work and all is well with me(my blood cells are enlarged but he will just watch that) but he told me his 16 yr old son has been diagnosed with leukemia and will need 2 yrs of chemo. My doctor is such a wonderful person, religious and an amazing doctor, I feel just awful for him and of course his son. I have been thinking about him since tues. Its just so sad that a young kid must suffer for 2 years when he should be carefree and having fun with his friends. And how stressful for his parents---esp. for his Dad because he knows all too well how serious things are because he is an oncologist. I am so disgusted with the damage this awful disease continues to cause. Its very depressing.

Comments

  • zahalene
    zahalene Member Posts: 670
    #2
    It is indeed depressing,
    It is indeed depressing, especially to see young people having to deal with something so awful when they have every right to be enjoying their youth.
    But one positive note. Your oncologist will know all the best plans and treatments, best doctors, best hospitals if needed that are available anywhere. And will have access to any medical advantage that might help his son.
    Hopefully all will be well in time and this young man will live a long happy life.
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #3
    No logic to it
    A lot of folks ask the "Why me?" question when they are first diagnosed. Some ask outloud; others just think it in their heads. Friends and even family members asked me when I was first diagnosed, "Why did the doctor think you got this?" They wanted to make sure they wouldn't make the same mistake. They wanted to think they were immune. Your post just underlines the fact that cancer is a disease. It is not a punishment that happens to folks because they are bad. Too many kinds of cancer have no known cause. It isn't anyone's "fault" or the result of a single bad decision. It is not a disease that just happens to "old people". It is not something anyone deserves. It is a disease, same as a cold or the flu, only more deadly to more people. We need a cure. There are just too many of us with cancer.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #4
    Damitol, Anyway....
    Sheesh, Eil, so sorry to hear the news~ what a blow to the young man and his family. I know there aren't any platitudes for this situation, so I won't offer any. It just "stinks out loud", as my mom used to say!

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • base61ball
    base61ball Member Posts: 125
    #5
    young
    I agree with Zahalene and Cabbott - it seems that cancer is striking more and more of our youth - whether its environmental or not remains to be seen. Cancer does not discriminate. As you said, his father will know of absolutely everything available to help his son.

    We are fortunate to be in a time when research is gaining ground. When my mother died of cancer in 1966, there was very little that could be done for her. I know she took part in some trials during her 1-1/2 years in the hospital but none seemed to help. She did not have chemotherapy or radiation. Just 4 or 5 operations. Today, she would have had a real chance to survive it.

    I am the first in my family with breast cancer. The family disease is colon cancer. I took precautions regarding that - not even thinking that it would show up in a different place. Leave it to me to add variety to the mix!

    Elli - my prayers are with you that you can somehow come to a peace about this. Stuff happens to others that we don't understand, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and a purpose. Even cancer.
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #6
    base61ball said:

    young
    I agree with Zahalene and Cabbott - it seems that cancer is striking more and more of our youth - whether its environmental or not remains to be seen. Cancer does not discriminate. As you said, his father will know of absolutely everything available to help his son.

    We are fortunate to be in a time when research is gaining ground. When my mother died of cancer in 1966, there was very little that could be done for her. I know she took part in some trials during her 1-1/2 years in the hospital but none seemed to help. She did not have chemotherapy or radiation. Just 4 or 5 operations. Today, she would have had a real chance to survive it.

    I am the first in my family with breast cancer. The family disease is colon cancer. I took precautions regarding that - not even thinking that it would show up in a different place. Leave it to me to add variety to the mix!

    Elli - my prayers are with you that you can somehow come to a peace about this. Stuff happens to others that we don't understand, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and a purpose. Even cancer.

    Thanks everyone for your uplifting words
    Thanks, you guys, your posts really help with my dark mood. You are so right; cancer just strikes everywhere. I hate to see anyone suffer with the disease and treatments, but it is so hard to think of children dealing with it. A co-worker's 4 yr old daughter was diagnosed in August with leukemia and a tumor in her chest. She has been in the hospital since then and has been enduring chemo and nasty tests including 2 lumbar punctures. She has lost her hair but still manages to make jokes---she is a little trooper. Her parents have been by her bedside since her diagnosis in late August. The students at her Dad's middle school raised $10,000.00 to help pay for her medical expenses. They brought in their birthday money, babysitting pay, and savings. It just makes me cry when I think of it. As you said, when will we finally have a cure for this evil disease?
  • Joycelouise
    Joycelouise Member Posts: 482
    #7
    For one of my diagnostic
    For one of my diagnostic tests I had to drink that stuff that allows them to image you. Some of you may remember it. You have to drink a lot of it and it tast kind of like bubble gum. I was about to complain...what is with this flavoring, do they make this stuff for kids? And the reality that there might be some children having to drink it for their imaging made me more than happy to drink anything flavored, and suited, better for children. It may seem like a silly little thing, but I learned a lot from that experience.
    The censors wont let it slide through, but I must admit, when I saw my first ****cancer bumper sticker I was not in the least outraged at the profanity.
    Sorry for what you are going through, Eil. One last thing. In my job there are often sad stories. I was talking to a onc. nurse who told me that she continues to feel pain when stories are sad in her job too, . We agreed that maybe, God feels sad sometimes in His job too. Maybe when we share someone's pain, we are also sharing it with God.
    Best wishes, love, Joyce
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #8
    So sorry Eileen, hard for us
    So sorry Eileen, hard for us to face this dastardly beast can't fathom why children have to suffer this way. I have faith that he will be alright and will be saying many prayers for him. Hugs to you dear friend, Lili
  • kbc4869
    kbc4869 Member Posts: 159
    #9
    too young
    When I was dxed, I was lucky to have a major research and treatment hosipital in town. The down side of that was that I saw sick children there all the time. For some with very rare cases, this was their last hope.

    The second or third time I was there, a child around 6 or 7 years old passed out in front of an elevator in front of me. I couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl because they didn't have any hair. I saw the looks in the parents' eyes of panic, hopelessness and of undescribale pain. I left the hospital sobbing that day and never went back. I transferred to a smaller subset of the hospital to avoid seeing the children. I can deal with my own cancer and many others, but it breaks my heart into a million pieces to see an innocent child suffer. I think there are some things in this world that we aren't meant to come to terms with because they're so horrible and unfair. Maybe sick children make the doctors and researchers work harder towards a cure?

    Love to you, Eileen.

    Kim
  • Irishwhispers
    Irishwhispers Member Posts: 96
    #10
    If I were to ask "Why?"
    Eil, When I was Dxd back in May this year, the surgeon said to me ..and I quote "I am sure you feel like saying "Why ME???"

    My reply to him was "absolutely not!!!", and he looked at me like I had 2 heads or something...

    I told him that day, that if the little ones that endure such agonizing and horrifying diseases like cancer,I dont ask WHY ME?????.... I ask WHY THEM?? They do not deserve to suffer in such terrible ways.
    and in my mind ...I have no reason to complain when little ones behave like the bravest soldiers!

    It too breaks my heart to think of a child having to go through the treatments and the fear and also it saddens me for the families of these little ones who suffer so bravely.

    Love

    Trish
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #11
    With this cancer, young is good...
    There are amazing recovery numbers with children with this particular cancer...the medical world seems to have it down.

    That said, it's still a major thing to get thru. I'm sending up prayers that all will go well.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #12
    KathiM said:

    With this cancer, young is good...
    There are amazing recovery numbers with children with this particular cancer...the medical world seems to have it down.

    That said, it's still a major thing to get thru. I'm sending up prayers that all will go well.

    Hugs, Kathi

    You guys are so amazing
    Thank you all again for your words of encouragement and support. You always make me feel better. Thank you also for offering prayers for Basil. I will share your support with my oncologist and I know he will be so grateful and comforted to know that so many are sending prayers to his son. Again thanks for your support, love you all, Eil.
  • seetha
    seetha Member Posts: 6
    #13
    mmontero38 said:

    So sorry Eileen, hard for us
    So sorry Eileen, hard for us to face this dastardly beast can't fathom why children have to suffer this way. I have faith that he will be alright and will be saying many prayers for him. Hugs to you dear friend, Lili

    Thanks
    Lili, thanks for your message, the other day. I have now created a new post with her status and doctor's response. Please take a look at it. Subject - "Mom dignosed..."

    Thanks,
    Kumar

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