Warriors and Survivors - 30

 

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 30

I am Rukh Yusuf, Clinical Pharmacist, also specialized in Total Parenteral Nutrition and Bone Marrow Transplant. I have been working in Pediatric Oncology unit of a public hospital for several years. The mission of this blog is to bring to you the real-life stories of child patients suffering from cancer. Cancer is still a difficult disease to handle and treat. However, when it strikes the children, some so young that they cannot even speak, their agony is beyond expression and words. Let us pray especially for children suffering from cancer for early and complete remission. May Allah shower His Merciful Blessings upon them. Aameen.

Whenever I meet and talk to a child and his or her family, I keep thinking for hours about how can I ease them,  I try to do what is possible though it may not be much. Obviously, there are number of factors I can’t control, and I am directly not involved in many. But I do whatever I can do in my domain. There are a lot of miseries and complications associated with the treatment of chronic illnesses like cancer.

We need a strong heart and mind to meet and treat all patients who are suffering silently. I met 10 years old Sajeel and his parents today, and I still remember their painful and hopeful eyes. The family belongs to Bhakkar, a town near Faisalabad. Sajeel’s father works as barber in Bhakkar. The parents cannot speak proper language here. They have four children and Sajeel is a middle child. It’s not hard to understand their grief.

Few months back, Sajeel had recurrent fever and fits, He was playing when he got fits, parents took him to doctor in Bhakkar, who gave him initial treatment and sent him home. Sajeel had again same episode of fits and recurrent fever. Parents consulted doctor again and he referred Sajeel to Allied hospital Faisalabad. Sajeel’s initial treatment and investigations began in hospital and his fever and overall health improved. After necessary tests and investigations doctor broke the bad news to Sajeel’s parents that their child was having blood cancer. Sajeel was sent to Lahore for treatment and further investigations.

The poor family managed to travel to Lahore somehow. Moving to an unknown city, leaving three children behind, and stopping daily wage with such a horrible news of one’s life is surely not an easy task. Parents do whatever they can to protect their child, no matter whatever resources they have, Sajeel’s parents are still doing the same without considering their financial status. In Children’s hospital Sajeel was diagnosed as a case of high-risk B-cell ALL and he was put on completion of Induction.

His treatment started and he was sent home after initiation of chemotherapy. It was advised that he would come and have his chemo in Chemobay on scheduled days, but after couple of weeks Sajeel developed cough and difficulty in breathing, he had to travel again to Lahore and had to be admitted due to his sick condition. His treatment was started, and it was found out that he had fungal pneumonia. He is still on treatment for ten days.

  

Sajeel is doing better these days. His first cycle is about to complete but seeing his condition it is still a long way to go. In this one-month, multiple visits to other city has brought many hardships for the poor family and they still don’t know for how long they will have to face hardship.

Sajeel is silent and there is pain in his eyes, no one can imagine how much his little heart is afraid of his disease, his pain and agony he is facing since couple of months.

We humans only can try to treat well and counsel and pray, health is always from Allah. I pray that May Allah bring health and smooth recovery for Sajeel and ease for his family and all the families who are suffering in silence.

 

 

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity