Warriors and Survivors -55

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 55

 

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.

Mahnoor is eight years old sweet child. I met her last week when her chemo dose had some issue and she was worried for her chemo dose. She is very innocent looking thin child. She was wearing scarf which was adding innocence to her face.

Mahnoor is patient of acute lymphocytic leukemia, she is on relapse protocol that is heart breaking. Poor souls and their families very hardly bear treatment first time and when they recover this disease comes back in some other form.   Though she is admitted again but she does not seem worried or frightened. She was with her aunt and was looking more vigilant than her aunt.

Mahnoor also wants to go to her home as soon as possible like all other admitted children. She knows her chemotherapy protocol and counts days herself when she can go home after completing her doses.

When I met her again, I was surprised to see that she was crying.  I had an image of her bravery, so I was concerned to see her crying. When asked why she was weeping, she replied that her Dado (grandmother) has not come yet. She was missing her grandmother and was weeping with tears.

She lives in joint family with her grandmother and an aunt. She has younger siblings to be taken care of, so her mother has to do a lot at home. Father has to earn livelihood, the reason he could not come too. She is lucky to have the option of dado and Phupho who can go with her for treatment. In this visit Dado was unable to come and Mahnoor was missing her when she was in pain.

Sometimes children look normal apparently while they are suffering actually. Mahnoor has similar case. She looks like a normal pure soul wearing hijab. But being a relapse case, she is going through a lot already. I observed another good thing today, due to long and cumbersome treatment children and mothers develop some bonding with each other. They take care of each other’s children in need and otherwise. It is good to see them helping each other and realizing their pain.

A mother whose child had passed away, used to come in Oncology ward to take care of other fellow children of the same room. Pain has tied them strongly; they can feel others’ pain exactly in true sense. It is true that pain teaches us a lot.

Mahnoor and her Phupho also take care of other fellow children in their room. It is heartening to see them helping others when they are in such a grave situation.

 

We pray for the ease of the Mahnoor and her 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