Warriors and Survivors - 57

 

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 57

 

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.

His first expression was that of an angry looking child. When I first saw him, he was leaving his room. I asked where he was going. He stopped and gave a strange look and said to me, “Do I ask you when you go somewhere”.

I was not expecting this answer from apparently healthy-looking child. Today he came to me to ask about his chemo dose. He knows everything about his treatment and chemotherapy. He knows exactly how many chemo cycles have been completed. He remembers when his MRI was done and when he had to go for surgery. He knows every minor detail of his treatment.

Ubaid ur Rehman is ten years old healthy-looking child but in fact he is not healthy. He has undergone a very long cancer treatment so far. Two years ago, he felt pain in his right arm. It was usual pain, so his parents did not pay much heed. His pain got severe so his father who is Hakeem in Lahore gave him medicines. But pain was getting worse, and parents had to go for a proper check up. As per routine procedure Ubaid ur Rehman was treated by general physicians and then orthopedic doctors. Finally, he was diagnosed as case of Ewings Sarcoma of right humerus.

His treatment started in children’s hospital oncology unit and the poor kid had to go through 12 long chemotherapy cycles. He remembers the dates when he was first diagnosed and when his chemo cycles were started. Today he told me that he had four cycles and then his MRI of right arm was done. After that he had to go through another six chemo cycles and then in between his humerus mass was resected in a surgery.

Now he is on last chemo cycle, he wears arm support. He says he is feeling better Alhumdolilah and he will be discharged soon. He is quite happy for the news that he is going home for good.

To my surprise, he knows exactly what consultant asked in today’s round about his condition and further treatment plans. Normally kids of this age do not know and remember such details. But Ubaid ur Rehman is different. He has also remembered some part of Quran by heart. He had to take a break because of his treatment. Now he will continue from where he left.

Ubaid ur Rehman was a student of class six when he had to leave his studies due to his disease. He is fond of studies and learning Quran. He has five brothers, and he is the youngest of all. Two of his eldest brothers are married. He says his family has a large house and they all live together with grandparents.

Ubaid ur Rehman’s mother was not with him today due to her gastric surgery recently. His aunt was taking care of him. We pray for his complete recovery and that his disease may never come back. Aameen. We pray that he is able to continue his Hifz and studies soon. Aameen.

We pray for the ease of Ubaid ur Rehman and his family and the complete health and recovery of a cute angry boy and all other 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