Warriors and Survivors - 52

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 52

 

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 a child patient, I remember him/her for days, patient’s condition remains in my mind for quite some time. I believe this is the same for many health care providers, we remain in stress, we keep praying in addition to taking care for our patients.

Shaban is twelve years old boy, looks very healthy and has a tall strong build. He belongs to a well-off family of Lahore. His father is a businessman and among his siblings Shaban is in middle, one elder and one younger brother and they have one younger sister.

Few months back Shaban was alright, one fine day when he was back from school, he had two episodes of vomiting. He was having pain in abdomen. He was fine after some time, but the same pain and vomiting episode recurred after couple of days. Parents took him to physician, and he gave regular medicines and Shaban was fine in some time. Unfortunately, he had same episodes again, abdominal pain and vomiting. This time on scan a mass was seen in his abdomen. He was admitted in Children’s hospital and his thorough workup was started.

After investigations, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma was diagnosed, no doubt it was the worst news a family could ever have.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands spread throughout body. In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the affected lymphocytes start to multiply in an abnormal way and begin to collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system, such as the lymph nodes (glands).

The lymphatic system is part of immune system. Clear fluid called lymph flows through the lymphatic vessels and contains infection-fighting white blood cells known as lymphocyte. The affected lymphocytes lose their infection-fighting properties, making one more vulnerable to infection. The most common symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit, or groin.

Shaban’s treatment was started and just before starting chemotherapy, poor child got sick and multiple issues arose simultaneously. He was having multiple complications due to this. He was having continuous high blood pressure and developed fits later. His Cancer had spread already, and he was getting serious day by day. He was admitted in Oncology unit but was shifted to High dependency unit. Being NPO he was being given IV nutrition too.

His blood pressure was rising too; I met him in his unconscious condition. Whenever I visited him, His aunt was there. I came to know later that his mother is too grieved to see him in this condition. Mother got faint twice to see his grown-up child in such a poor condition, so she was kept away. What a heart wrenching situation.

It was Saturday afternoon when I last saw him and prayed for his miraculous recovery. I was having an eye on ICU update as well but could not find his name in ICU patients. I thought he has been shifted back to his room. But I heard the shocking news on Monday morning that he expired on Saturday night, …ahh. I am unable to imagine how his mother would have faced it. What a loss, no one could have thought that a young healthy-looking child would die so quickly in days. I still remember his painful condition.

We pray for the ease of the Shaban’s suffering family and the complete health and recovery of all warriors who are suffering with their families.

May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

 

 

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity