Warriors and Survivors - 50

 

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 50

"Rhabdomyosarcoma"

 

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.

Today I am writing my 50^th blog. Last year in Ramadan, I started my first blog. At that time, I was not sure I will be able to come this far or even more. Fiftieth blog means I have discussed fifty real stories of children with such a deadly disease and fifty families suffering in silence. Some are lucky enough to become survivors and most are still fighting. Few of them have lost their battles.

I know some mothers who have lost their children but still come to hospital to help other fighting mothers. It’s about strength, they know the grief of others very well as they have passed through it.

Today I am going to introduce a four-year-old pure soul who is in such a grave pain that I am unable to forget him and his mother since I met them. One can easily see his extreme pain on his innocent face. He is oxygen dependent, sleeping under the effect of pain medications. Breathing hardly even with oxygen. He is in palliative care as his cancer is not curable anymore.

Just imagine the emotional state of a mother whose four-year-old is going to die soon with such a painful death. I felt that the mother has become emotionless after hearing such a terrible news. She was sitting near his head and was just watching everything blankly. I pray no parent would ever have to hear such terrible news about their children.

Abu Bakar was only three years old when he had facial swelling that got worse with the passage of time. Parents took him to Jinnah hospital and after series of work up and some initial treatment, He was diagnosed as case of RMS (Rhabdomyosarcoma) after mass biopsy.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare type of cancer that forms in soft tissue — specifically skeletal muscle tissue or sometimes hollow organs such as the bladder or uterus. RMS can occur at any age, but it most often affects children. Although RMS can arise anywhere in the body, it's more likely to start in the Head and neck area, urinary system, such as the bladder, skin and soft tissue, reproductive system, such as the vagina, uterus and testes and arms and legs. The prognosis and treatment decisions depend on the type of Rhabdomyosarcoma, where it starts, tumor size and whether the cancer had spread.

His treatment started soon after he landed in our oncology unit. Till now, four chemotherapy cycles have been completed but his recent investigation shows that his cancer has spread and no treatment can affect him now. His lungs have been affected badly, it’s hard for him to breath. There is nothing much that can be done except reducing his pain at this stage.

It is very heartbreaking to see him in such pain, knowing that his mother is counting his dear son’s breaths sitting near him. No one can imagine the mother’s condition and I could not decide as well whether she is in deep grief, or she has accepted the loss of his son who is still in front of her. The kid is still in front of my eyes, and I am praying for his recovery knowing his condition in detail.

We can pray for the ease of the suffering family and the complete health and recovery of Abubakar and all warriors who are suffering silently and those who even don’t know their disease and what is going on with them.

May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

 

 

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity