Warriors and Survivors - 84

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 84

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. 

Every single person has his/her own story; every soul carries its share of sorrows. We can’t guess a normal person walking in front of us has so much to handle until we hear them. 

When we face some difficulty or trial, we think that only we are in the worst situation. There can’t be any worse condition than what we are facing now. Whenever you feel like this, just start looking around, you will see a lot of people are suffering silently. There are grief stories all around us. They are so heart touching that it becomes difficult to decide what is the biggest grief. 

The key is “kindness”. A little compassion and kindness from us for everyone we deal with can lessen the pain of people who are silently suffering. Kindness heals us also; it alleviates our own sadness. When we behave politely with people around us, it becomes easy for them to bear the situation.  

Abbas Ali and his mother are in a similar situation. Abbas was three when his father passed away. The single mother took responsibility and started working as maid and brought up her only child. Abbas’s grandmother helped a lot in raising him and helping her daughter. Life was not easy but passing slowly with hope that Abbas Ali will someday take the family charge and will be taking care of her. But when he was ten, his mother had to bear another great grief of her life, Abbas was diagnosed as a blood cancer patient. 

After grieving for some time, she stood for treatment of her only son. She used to work some days, collect her wages, and used to take her son to hospital in Lahore for treatment. It was not as easy though as mentioned.  

After many difficult days, courage, prayers and hardships Abbas Ali went in remission, and both mother and son were very happy for the outcome. They went back to hometown dreaming happily ever after.

Life started again, they were contented that bad days had passed and now Abbas would complete his education and fulfill his dreams. But once started, trials do not end easily. Just after one and a half year, Abbas Ali’s disease came back. He got sick again and upon follow up, it was revealed that he was in relapse. His disease had come back. It was a devastating news for his mother and Abbas Ali as well. He is now grown up, he has many dreams, plans for his life and his mother. 

But now, chances of his treatment success are lesser than before. His mother is not agreed to start chemotherapy again as she has been counselled about treatment success rate and complications associated with relapse treatment.  

Other possibility is bone marrow transplant, the poor child has no siblings and father, so he has no donor. BMT consultation is waited for haploidentical transplant, which has its own complications though.

After few days of grieving, she has decided to go for chemotherapy, which is no doubt a courageous decision. His mother is crying continuously, she is not able to speak even. Abbas Ali is silent; he does not know what to think and speak. 

Life has brought them at a very cruel stage. Sometimes it becomes even difficult to just look at the child out of grief and helplessness. We healthcare providers only can do our part. Only Allah can heal these patients.

Prayers for the ease for Abbas Ali and his mother and grandmother. Aameen

Request for special prayers for Abbas Ali, that he recovers as soon as possible. May Allah grant some miracle for his complete recovery and may his disease never come back again. Aameen

Prayers for the ease of Abbas and his family. May Allah recover all patients. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors - 83

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 83

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. 

 

It has been three months since Shahzad was admitted in the hospital. Nine-year-old Shahzad is from Bahawalpur. He comes from a village and his father is laborer with five children.  It is not easy for him to raise his family even without the burden of disease. With a sick child, father’s life is even worse now. But He is still determined for the life of his child. 

Shehzad had fever for a month. His parents took him to another city Multan for treatment. There is a tertiary care hospital in Multan. Shehzad had to undergo several tests and he was diagnosed as AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia). It was a devastating news for the family as Shehzad is too young to understand the disease and possible consequences. Shehzad was referred to children hospital.

Treatment was initiated in hospital three months ago and the parents had a sigh of relief, thinking their child will be better in some time but no one knows how much time as it is. AML is with so many possible complications and chances of infection. 

The parents managed everything somehow for the treatment of their little angel from living out of town to leaving other children behind. His father even had to leave his job to stay with his young lad and making arrangements for the medications and his tests. 

Sometimes Shehzad insist to be with his father, and he has to stay with him. Life is more difficult than the disease itself.  Shehzad is in pain, His parents are in much more pain than him and they are looking at the doctors and praying for some miracle for the cure of their child. 

After all this pain and efforts so far, Shehzad has undergone two chemo cycles and his latest reports are not up to the mark for further treatment. Shehzad is on palliation now. Despite the counselling by the team, his mother is still satisfied that her child is not in pain. 

 

 

It is heart breaking situation, an angel who is only nine years old and who had to study and realize his dreams is now on hospital bed waiting for his death. 

Shehzad knows his condition now, he has realized that his life is short now, he does not smile, nor even talk.  He just keeps lying on bed on pain medications waiting for his turn to come. 

Though it is not easy to write about a dying child, but it is more difficult to see them and not being able to do anything for these children and it’s even worse to be a parent of such a child. 

Death is the biggest reality of this world which no one can deny. But a little angel’s death and waiting for death is like dying every moment before death. I am unable to express their state in words anymore. 

Prayers for the ease for Shehzad and his family. Aameen

Request for prayers for  Shehzad, that he recovers as soon as possible. May Allah grant some miracle for his complete recovery and may his disease never come back. Aameen

Prayers for the ease of Shehzad and his family. May Allah recover all patients. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors -82

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 82

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.

Ashir, a little angel from Peshawar is burning with high grade fever.  In the lap of his grandmother, he does not even remember his mother. He is stuck to his grandmother and thinks he is safe there. Grandfather having tears in his old, weak eyes is also worried for his beloved grandson who is burning with fever in front of him.

Two and half years old Ashir seems half dead, it’s his first chemo day today. He has been diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic Leukemia and he is not in a very stable condition.  Who knows this feeble poor child will be able to fight with such a monster disease or not.

Ashir’s laborer father is running here and there to get reports done for his little child. He has hardly mustered up his courage to fight with blood cancer of his dear son. Heartbreaking news of the cancer diagnosis had killed him and his whole family but then they gathered their courage and decided to go outstation to get the treatment done for their son.

Father and grandparents are with Ashir and mother is taking care for the rest of children in Peshawar. There are other diseases in the world and for children as well, but they are not as difficult as Cancer. Despite so much advancement in medical technology in diagnosis and treatment across the globe, cancer is still a nightmare for everyone, be it the Physician or the patient.

Today writing about Ashir, I remember so many of my patients to whom I saw in similar condition like Ashir. I am already afraid due to his condition, just imagine what could be the mantle state of his parents and other family members who have been counselled about his disease and exact disease condition.

Children are near to my heart and when it comes to sick children it really breaks my heart. Those who have worked with children in any capacity can imagine better the pain and happiness associated working with children. It is a nerve wrecking, constant battle. You cannot forget even dead children, their hopes, their dreams, and laughs.

Seeing Ashir in this semi unconscious state has reminded me of few children who are not among us anymore, and I request to all those who are reading to pray specially for the recovery of Ashir.

Prayers that Ashir recovers as soon as possible. May Allah grant him complete recovery and may his disease never come back. Aameen

Prayers for the ease of Ashir and his family. May Allah recover all patients. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors - 81

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 81

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.

 

“I learned that courage was not absence of fear, but the triumph over it, the brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers the fear”. Nelson Mandela

Only brave people have triumph stories to tell. Sixth grade student and a female child from Lahore is so brave that she is not only fighting with her terrible disease but also is a support for the family. She is having big dreams.

Arhama is only thirteen years old, and she is student of sixth grade. She belongs to a middle-class family from Lahore. Six months back she had pain in her right foot, later it started getting blue.

In few days, her foot was all blue and it was very painful. Physician referred her to tertiary care hospital and doctors advised few tests. Tests results led to more tests until she had to go for MRI and biopsy.

It was a terrible news for the family when tests results arrived. Arhama was diagnosed with cancer. She was diagnosed with RMS (Rhabdomyosarcoma) of right foot. Little doll Arhama was brave enough to counsel her family. She explained her family that after all it is a disease, and it can be treated.

Her first chemotherapy started in April 2022 and till date she has received six chemotherapy courses of one month duration each. No doubt this was a lot for a young girl like Arhama. But the brave soul is still fighting hard. After six courses there was another trial for Arhama and her family. Doctors suggested to surgically remove her affected foot.

Her parents were in shock, and it was the saddest time for the whole family. Again, the brave little soul came forward and she managed to counsel and make her family agree for the surgery. Finally, the day came when her foot was amputated.

She is now unable to walk and stand at her own, but she always smiles. She has dreams for her future. Armaha wants to be a doctor and she is Alhamdulillah quite hopeful for her future and her recovery.

She still has to undergo few chemotherapy cycles, there is still a long way to go.

May Allah recover her and bring reality to her hopes and prayers. Aameen

Prayers that Arhama recovers as soon as possible. May Allah grant her complete recovery and may her disease never come back. Aameen

 

Prayers for the ease of tashiqa and her family. May Allah recover all patients. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors - 80

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 80

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. 

Tashiqa is only ten years old and likes to talk too much and play around. She is very expressive and loves to make friends, and little cute Tashiqa is also my friend. She has explained history of her disease herself. 

She was fine few months ago when suddenly a mass appeared on her neck, and it was painful. Her parents took her to hospital where after clinical checkup, MRI was advised to her. After MRI she had to go through Biopsy. The biopsy and MRI reports led to further investigations and after series of diagnostics test, she was confirmed as case of Euro Ewing Sarcoma. 

Advised by Neurophysician, her brain surgery was done in Lahore general hospital. She felt better after long time. Her pain relieved after surgery and Tashiqa and her family were happy thinking it was over. Later she was referred to Children’s hospital for further cancer treatment. 

Frightened and worried, the parents took their child to Children’s hospital. Again, she was admitted there and before initiating treatment, doctors counselled the family and child about treatment, its challenges, expected duration and chances of treatment success. It is necessary to brief the families in the start so that they become mentally ready to face the challenges ahead. Most of the families fight till last for their beloved children but many lose heart due to cumbersome treatment and other problems associated with cancer treatment.

Tashiqa has two sisters and one brother, and her father works as sales manager in some company. Both parents are struggling for their daughter’s treatment. Though they are from the same city, and they do not have to travel long for Tashiqa’s treatment, but it is very long duration. Tashiqa has completed her six chemotherapy courses and has undergone ten radiation sessions, and this is a lot for a ten-year-old female child.  She was admitted in hospital in February 2022 and its already ten months of treatment and there is still a long way to go.

Tashiqa is a brave, lively child, she is getting better Alhamdulillah with each passing day and doctors are positive if she completes her chemotherapy, she will recover soon Insha Allah. 

Prayers that Tashiqa recovers as soon as possible. May Allah grant her complete recovery and may her disease never come back. Aameen

 

Prayers for the ease of tashiqa and her family. May Allah recover all patients. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors - 79

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 79

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.

 

 

If we look around, we can easily find so much pain and agony, sometimes it is hard to believe what people are going through. Little individual effort by everyone can reduce the suffering around us.

 Ananbia is only one and half year-old innocent child who has not learnt how to speak yet. She got admitted in February 2022 and now she is one year and 10 months old.

Anabia was diagnosed of Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma in February 2022. She is under treatment, and she still can’t express her pain and treatment related difficulties. Her disease started with vaginal mass in one and half year age, Anabia had no pain, so parents did not know about the cancer of her daughter.  They came to know her disease when the mass came out. They consulted physician and doctors admitted her for diagnostic tests and she was diagnosed as a case of a very difficult cancer.

Anabia has one brother and one sister, and her father was working in private company which he was forced to quit as he had to stay with his daughter in hospital for chemotherapy and treatment. His little doll Anabia wants to be with her father, so father left the job to be with his little doll.

Since Anabia is under treatment, her other siblings are with grandparents. It is difficult time for the family but there is no other way out.  Anabia is too weak but still fighting with cancer. She has received four chemotherapy cycles and radiations as well. Her treatment is continued, and she has started speaking few words but cannot express her grief and pain in words.

Her parents only want healthy life of their daughter, they laugh when Anabia is happy, they cry when she cries. Anabia’s father is educated, and he has couple of job offers as well but can’t work until his daughter gets stabilized and recovers.

 

This white-collar family is working hard for the life of younger daughter. They do not complain, nor do they ask any help from anyone. The family is struggling with the financial issues as well but still you will not see both parents complaining. You will see them contented as they have hopes from Allah that their daughter will be healthy and normal again.

Prayers that Anabia recovers as soon as possible. If Allah wills and Anabia recovers, they will forget all the agony.

 

Prayers for the ease of Anabia and her family. May Allah recover all patients. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors - 78

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 78

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.

 

I did not want to write this story out of grief but still I am writing it to show our young warrior’s bravery and strength, and to keep him in remembrance.

This story is about Shahzad; I still feel upset while writing about him and recalling his memories, but he was too brave and must be recalled and remembered.

Shahzad belonged to a small village near Pattoki, He was only 12 years old when he was first admitted in Children’s hospital. His father was usually sick, and his uncle used to take care of him who he had his small shop in the village. Shahzad’s mother used to bring Shahzad for his treatment to Lahore. Shahzad was mature enough to understand the importance of chemotherapy, so he was going through it without complaining. Shahzad bore every difficulty associated with long troublesome treatment valiantly.

After two and half year’s treatment, Alhamdulillah, he was fine. His results were good, and he was allowed to go home, and he only needed periodic follow ups. Shahzad and his family were very happy, he had lots of plan and dreams for his future healthy life. The life he had forgotten about was looking bright ahead.

Shahzad continued his studies in his town, he was a brilliant student and loved by all his family and teachers. He was doing great in his studies. He did his matriculation and then Intermediate. It was happy time for him when he was about to go for admission for his graduate studies.

He used to do photography with his phone camera, and he had an Instagram page too for his photography skills and many of his pictures were amazing. He also used to play football and once when he came to hospital for follow up, he met us and told us that sometimes it was difficult for him to play as he was short of breath and got tired easily. He said that his heart rate went up high up while playing. I was afraid those were not a good sign.

Doctors sent his all tests necessary for follow up. In just two days his relapse was conformed. It was the saddest news he could ever had. Even more annoying than first time he had this diagnosis.

He came by himself for follow up. He was running all by himself for his tests and meeting doctors. Shahzad was worried about his treatment and treatment success. He asked almost every doctor involved that if he was going to be cured.

I am heartbroken while writing it, A young lad who had to see the world, who still had to work on his dreams and worked hard for the future of his family was worried about his life and all alone.

He met me two weeks ago, he composed himself Infront of me, he only asked me once that “Will I be cured now”?

As he was 17 now, so his treatment was not allowed in Children’s hospital and he had to run for other options as well, but he could not get admission in any of the hospitals due to his disease state and due to lack of facilities in other public hospitals.

His mother had also come, she was depressed and had decided to sell their house and go to Rawalpindi for his treatment, but Shahzad had decided to overcome this crisis. Only after a week we heard the news of his death and we were speechless, we were not able to see each other.

No one knew that 17 years old apparently healthy kid would die silently like this. May be if would he gotten treatment from some place, he could live more. Maybe he could not bear refusal of his treatment.

Here is link of documentary about him produced by some of his friend. Need a strong heart to see 

https://youtu.be/hVd3fjG15XA

He was a bright child, always prominent in hospital events, we can’t forget him. His Instagram page is silent now. I am still crying for him and many other children like him. I wish to meet all of them someday and see how they are living in peace with Allah without any pain and suffering. I wish to see them pain free.

We need more cancer centers not only for children but also for adults with world class treatment facilities. So that no other Shahzad could ever die because of refusal of treatment or lack of facilities.

Prayers for the ease of Shahzad and his family. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity