Hello to all;
I want to give a story of encouragement. My oldest son Darrick was diagnosed with colorectal cancer 1 week after his 16th birthday.
Let me back up.... this is to all the YOUNG kids out there.... if you have something going on TELL YOUR PARENTS.......
June of 1987 Darrick had chicken pox and we moved in July and he did alot of work around the new house so that fact that he was pale I just attributed to the fact he was overdoing it. I did notice he was "homesteading" in the bathroom alot but he said he was fine so I left it at that. Well September rolls around and it was the year that the Pope was in Los Angeles, I read something in the paper and wanted to verify it in Darricks bible, it had a reference section. I have 5 kids and all were in school. I know he kept it in his dresser so I went looking for it, well in the bottom drawer I found a horrendous sight.... blood soaked underwear.... lots of pairs..... I panicked. I contacted his school that I would be picking him up in a while, we lived 35 miles from his school. I made arrangements for my other kids and went and got Darrick. He got in my car and I said I was taking him to the doctor... he started to cry and said that God .... I asked him WHY he did not tell me something was wrong... he was SCARED... but did pray the night before for some help and he felt this was his answer. Well this was friday and he had lost 1/2 his blood supply , that is why he was so pale, and as the doctor said a very sick young man. He was admitted that day to the hopsital and they did their test and scheduled surgery for Sunday later postponed to Monday. I was told the worst.... He had 1 tumor 1/2 inch into his colon that they could not send the scope anyfarther, but when there is one there are more I was told. The xrays showed a mishaped liver and they thought it had gotten to there also. The diagnosis was " do surgery, radiation and chemo and they could give him 3 months, he would be gone by Christmas." I remember asking" after all that only 3 months" and they said yes. I don't remember much after that because they sedated me. When I could realize what was happening again my focus was "How do I help my Son die?" Well surgery was 4 hours not 6, when the Doctor came out he looked funny so I was scared. He said and I will never forget" We don't know what happened in there but there was only 1 tumor the size of a silver dollar and nothing else. " They took out 3 feet of colon and the sphinter muscle and his liver is just a weird shape no tumors. " Something happened in there and I don't know what but if you believe in a higher being he had a hand in it" is what the surgeon told us.
It was a struggle for my son to have a colostomy at 16, girls made fun of him, they can be so mean. He is now a wonderful 35 year old healthy man. In fact as I write this he is upstate New York with the Colon Club shotting the 2007 colondar. He is one of the models, he was contacted by someone when they read his article in WebMD Magazine where he thanked his doctors. My son will tell you he knows GOD saved him for something and for years he kept his condition to himself and a few people but now due to the calendar all his co worker know and he is not afraid to let people hear his story. He spoke to his girlfriend lastnight , they live in Corpus Christi, and he said this trip is theraputic, he has never been around people young people with the same condition and he can relate. I thank this organization for the efforts and help. My son is a wonderful person and a positive role model in his community. He will help kids with Cancer anytime they want to talk.
My point of this long post is to say... Don't give up..... I son should be dead but is not... I have been on a emotional rollercoaster ride with him because of this disease. I can not understand what he or you feel or felt but as a parent I can relate there. My other kids can relate to thinking that their brother was dying and how to handle that. Our second son Jason, his comment when he was told his brothers illness...." I always wanted to be the oldest and him to be gone but not to die". I think this is something alot of people can relate to. God Bless all of you. I hope this is a post of encouragement to you.
Ilona