Dealing with Childhood Cancer

Almost ten years ago, my son was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma. What is Medulloblastoma, you may ask? It is a malignant brain tumor that usually forms in the fourth ventricle, between the brain stem and the cerebellum and this was exactly where my son's tumor was. He had a golf ball size tumor directly covering but not attached to his brain stem.

As a mother, this is the scariest thing you can ever hear in your life. I can still remember the day that I was told of his diagnosis, it was like a bad dream and I was just hoping I would wake up. Unfortunately though, it was real. Once the reality hits you that you are now fighting for your child's life, your motherly instincts just kick in and you know that it is up to you to stay calm, hold it together and do what you have to do to take care of your child.

At first, it can all seem a little overwhelming because there is a lot going on at once and everyone is moving so quickly. With aggressive tumors, the doctor's try to move quickly in order to help from the spread to another part of the body. What I found was helpful when going through this situation was to ask questions. Do not be afraid to ask "What's next?" or "What will this medicine do?". I always found comfort in knowing as much as I could about my son's condition and treatments. It helped me feel a little bit more in control of an out of control situation.

I also kept a binder full of my son's important medical information. It contained his Oncologist number, Neurologist number, hospital department numbers, family member's number, his medication list, dates of procedures, a calendar, and any other much needed information. I will say that this was one of the most helpful things during this time and would recommend it to anybody going through a similar situation. There is so much to remember during this time that it is impossible to do it all alone, so the binder will become an important part of your routine.

I will admit, although it is your job to stay strong and together, there are times when you may break down and loss it. Do not feel bad, it is expected and it is healthy to vent a little and cry when you need to. Remember, it is all about fighting for your child but how can you fight if you are a mess? You must step away for a minute and go eat lunch or just go take a hot relaxing shower. If this is what it takes to give you some piece of mind, than do not feel guilty for doing it, just give yourself some time also.

One of the most important parts of being a mother in general, is to take care of yourself so that you have the strength to take care of your children.