Speaking Of Family
March 11th 2008 01:28
I have a little cousin who was diagnosed with non-hodgkins late 2006. His dad notice a lump near his groin area when he was giving him a bath and consulted a doctor right away. The diagnosis was unexpected.
He was about 8 years old then. He turned 10 years old just last week. He's been cancer free for almost a year now. He has monthly check ups with his doctor whose clinic is 5 minutes away from our house. For this month's check up, I told him and his dad that i'd like to take him out for a fun afternoon with our other younger cousins.
So last Saturday, together with his dad, my grandmother and 4 of our other cousins (including his siblings) me and my older cousins took them out to a zoo and an amusement park full of rides for kids of all ages.
The fun they had together and the excitement on his face was priceless. Since he had cancer, he started growing paler and losing weight. His face usually emanates sadness, if not blank. He had to wear a mask for about half a year after his last chemotherapy and was prohibited from eating any processed food -- junk food which kids usually enjoy at least every now and then. He couldn't go out much because of possible dangers to his body because of the effect of Chemotherapy.
For half a year now, he stopped wearing the mask, and can now go out but still can't eat processed food although every now and then his dad would allow him to eat hotdogs or burgers just to let him enjoy his childhood.
I didn't really expect that we would have more than just fun. My older cousins and I as well as our parents and my grandmother felt more than happy that he's starting to enjoy childhood again. He may have fallen behind on his studies because of the whole year of chemo and check-ups, but it's not too late to enjoy childhood.
We're all here to make sure he enjoys it the best way we can allow him to.
There's always a sense of fulfillment and a natural high when you're able to make someone or some people happy beyond words.
He was about 8 years old then. He turned 10 years old just last week. He's been cancer free for almost a year now. He has monthly check ups with his doctor whose clinic is 5 minutes away from our house. For this month's check up, I told him and his dad that i'd like to take him out for a fun afternoon with our other younger cousins.
So last Saturday, together with his dad, my grandmother and 4 of our other cousins (including his siblings) me and my older cousins took them out to a zoo and an amusement park full of rides for kids of all ages.
The fun they had together and the excitement on his face was priceless. Since he had cancer, he started growing paler and losing weight. His face usually emanates sadness, if not blank. He had to wear a mask for about half a year after his last chemotherapy and was prohibited from eating any processed food -- junk food which kids usually enjoy at least every now and then. He couldn't go out much because of possible dangers to his body because of the effect of Chemotherapy.
For half a year now, he stopped wearing the mask, and can now go out but still can't eat processed food although every now and then his dad would allow him to eat hotdogs or burgers just to let him enjoy his childhood.
I didn't really expect that we would have more than just fun. My older cousins and I as well as our parents and my grandmother felt more than happy that he's starting to enjoy childhood again. He may have fallen behind on his studies because of the whole year of chemo and check-ups, but it's not too late to enjoy childhood.
We're all here to make sure he enjoys it the best way we can allow him to.
There's always a sense of fulfillment and a natural high when you're able to make someone or some people happy beyond words.
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Comment by AmyHuang
Project Job Search
Travel Debate
Travel String
Love Adventures
It certainly is important to keep your head up and just live the life you are given. My mother is also severely ill and often fall into deep depression because she is in pain everyday for the last two years.
If it were me, I would wonder why I bother continue living, but she fights and lives on in the hope that there will be a day she'll be able to get out of bed without the pain and enjoy life again.
Comment by Hazel Castillo
Working Title
Cirrus Cloud
Parent Adventures
But I guess when you've been in so much pain, you yearn to feel the day without pain again and then maybe then you can finally let go.
Comment by Sara Dobson
My Turn
It's sad when children miss out on some of their childhood. I found this story very moving.
What I have discovered recently is that children are fighters and can be very resilient.
Sara
x
Comment by Hazel Castillo
Working Title
Cirrus Cloud
Parent Adventures
I guess it helps to have a great family behind you. I didn't even include here how her mother didn't really go through this with him, but with his mom not even caring and being with him through the treatments, he stayed very strong. I'm proud of him and I admit I do like spoiling him a bit after that whole ordeal..