Warriors and Survivors - 72

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 72

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.

 

Even in daylight, very often Feroza becomes afraid of darkness. She asks her mother, “Mama please turn on the light” and starts crying.

Feroza is eleven years old girl who cries often, whenever she is unable to see. It is unfortunate that her eyesight is diminishing day by day.  

Feroza is suffering from AML since few years. She was treated for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Lahore Children’s hospital, and she had recovered luckily. The chemotherapy and hardships associated with this long treatment duration was not easy to bear. But the family managed to complete treatment somehow. Feroza and her mother managed to stay in hospital for such a long time. In addition, they had to pay multiple visits to hospital.

 After this long struggle, Feroza remained symptom-free for only one year after treatment. Later she developed symptoms again. Her mother brought her to hospital and it was revealed that her brain tumor was growing again and it was affecting her vision and lower limbs. Sometimes she was unable to move her lower body. Feroza is on some palliative medicines and the family is facing financial issues to manage these medicines.

Situation is very unfortunate; her disease is not curable anymore and the doctors have put her on palliative care. An eleven-year-old knows that she is now counting days of her life. The mother is dying daily seeing her only doll waiting for the death.

Her father could not bear this news and has become emotionless. He has become a machine who only works for some times and then becomes still. Time is difficult to pass, every second is heavy. It seems time is still for this family as their only beloved doll is preparing to leave them for good.

It is hard to bear sudden death of a loved one, but this family is seeing their princess dying every second. Her eyesight is no more, the one who once used to be happy with colorful dresses and dolls not unable to see the bright colors of her toys and her clothes.

The family has four sons and one daughter pnly. Two sons do some work and help their family. Her father is diabetic and works in some factory. Allah has blessed the family with one daughter and its great trial that one and only doll is going through this suffering in front of their eyes and the parents are helpless.  They cannot do anything to save their one and only princess.

Feroza is extremely sad that she is unable to see while she is still alive, she wants to see this world before leaving. But no one can fulfill the desire of the young one.

The humans have reached Mars but still helpless for his dear ones.

We only can pray for some miracle for the health and recovery of Feroza and her safe and successful future life and ease of her family. Nothing is impossible for our Lord.

Prayers for the complete health and recovery of 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

Warriors and Survivors - 71

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 71

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.

 

Hussain is fourteen years old, tall child. His disease has given him a grim and lean look. It hurts seeing a little one suffering with cancer, but it hurts more seeing a teen life affected by this cruel disease. A young teen who has dreams for his future and plans for his family has to fight with such a horrible disease.

In one of my previous blogs, I had discussed that in our part of the world, a male child is considered as the future pillar of the family. When some family has to stand on only one pillar with three or four female siblings, it adds to the responsibility of the sole pillar.  The parents and family have so many dreams and plans associated with their son, but it is heart wrenching when the dear prince gets the cancer like disease in his early teens.

Hussain was thirteen when he started having pain in his arm. Later a mass appeared on his arm which was resected by the surgeons. Hussain felt better for some time, but he started having pain again. Then the poor child shifted to Lahore for proper management of his disease.

Hussain had to go for many diagnostic tests and the results were shocking for the poor family. Hussain himself was very upset as he was old enough to understand the disease and suffering associated with cancer. I am helplessly sad to see him lying quietly.

Hussain belongs to a family in Mansehra, he has three younger sisters and he is the only son of his parents. His father is a daily wager. Sometimes he finds some and sometimes he has no work and earning. Financial burden adds to the disease burden. Though public sector hospital provides free medicines and food but frequent travelling from Mansehra to Lahore for child’s treatment needs both finances and courage.

Brave parents are facing both burdens but seeing their one and only beloved son in such a grim condition is really hard to bear. Hussain’s treatment started, he had four chemotherapy cycles and his condition was improving. His disease did not get worse, and he was discharged in April 2022. He was called for further follow up. When he appeared and his tests were performed for the evaluation of further treatment, the reports were sadly shocking. Hussain’s disease was spreading. He was suffering from metastatic Ewing Sarcoma.

It is grave situation; it is not guaranteed that further treatment will improve his condition so now his case will be discussed in panel for further decision of his treatment.

The parents are helpless, and Hussain is silent too. The worst fact is, he understands his condition and possible outcomes of his disease. In his age other children plan and do things for their future and he is thinking about death and his sick life.

I have no words to write more for him.

 

We only can pray for some miracle for the health and recovery of Hussain and his safe and successful future life and ease of his family. Nothing is impossible for our Lord.

Prayers for the complete health and recovery of 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

Warriors and Survivors - 70

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 70

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 saw an eight years old girl and wished to talk to her. I could see her sitting on bed while passing by the corridor. At the end of the day I finally managed to talk to her. I am extremely sad since I met her.

Aqsa is only eight years old and suffering from T cell ALL (T cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia). She got the disease when she was six. She is under treatment since more than an year and worst part of story is, “her disease is not curable anymore”.

I am in deep pain since I met her and family.  Aqsa was discharged by consultant today. She was sent home for further management of her palliation in hospital in her hometown. She has swollen lymph nodes and neck. She is having so much pain and needs morphine for pain management.

When I was talking to Aqsa, she was with her both parents and an uncle. Parents had still so many questions despite consultant had briefed them clearly. The reason of their multiple questions are many. First of all, denial about the condition of their child. Second, hope that there is still something that can be done to save their dear child. Third, they want to try every possible thing to save their beloved child. Because of above all reasons they were knocking every possible door.

No doubt it was a miserable condition not only for the patient and her family but for the health care providers as well. We can’t do anything for a dying child. It is worst kind of helplessness. This helplessness cannot be described in words. We leave our workplace with heavy heart and it happens daily.

Aqsa is from Bagh, Mirpur. She belongs to a middle class family. She has two sisters and one brother. She was student of class two when she got this terrible disease. Parents did their best for her treatment in their hometown but then they  had to take her to Lahore for the complete treatment. Her treatment started here but Aqsa’s disease was not responding well to the treatment.

She got three chemotherapy cycles and upon retesting it occurred that her disease has come back and that she is not responding to treatment.

I still cannot forget the hopeless faces of Aqsa and her family, the faces with too many questions. Sometimes we only can pray for these patients.

A lot of prayers for some miracle for the health and recovery of Aqsa and her safe and successful future life and ease of his family.

Prayers for the complete health and recovery of 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

Warriors and Survivors - 69

 

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 69

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.

 

Cancer patients and specially children are recognized easily as they have usually deteriorated health, pale complexion, and hair loss. It is not easy to see them around in such condition. But there are very few exceptions, and these exceptions are more painful to watch.

I still remember eleven years old Areeba who does not look like a patient or a cancer patient. She seems a healthy child but in fact she is not, and this thing hurts more.

Areeba is suffering from osteosarcoma (bone cancer). She is a cute, healthy looking child but she has lost her long and beautiful hair in this battle.  Areeba is fighting this battle since more than four months.

Areeba’s mother is a brave and educated lady who is courageous like all the mothers are who are fighting this battle. She is more than worried for her bright and cute kid.

Before disease Areeba used to be a shining and bright child who used to roam around and play with her dolls. Areeba used to have very long and healthy hair. But since disease, she has lost her long hair and she is extremely sad about this. Not only hair but she has also lost her shine and smiles.

The family belongs to Gujranwala and unlike majority, this family is educated with better financial circumstances. Mother is housewife and father works in some bank. Areeba has two sisters and one brother, and all the children are school students.

Areeba has got four chemotherapy cycles and it is her fifth cycle going. It is her strength that she has survived all this chemo.

Her mother used to ask from every available doctor about the treatment success and condition of her child. Areeba seems concerned too. She knows her disease. But she does not discuss about herself. It is painful that these bright flowers are withering like this.

A lot of prayers for some miracle for the health and recovery of Areeba and her safe and successful future life and ease of his family.

Prayers for the complete health and recovery of 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