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Subject: Oh please God don't let my son die..
Time: 02:09:00 o'clock BST
Author: abicequeen
Mood: Sad
Papa, Grandson and Tj on Merry-Go-Round
After going up to the Cancer Clinic in Edmonton several x-rays were taken (thought it quite ironic because the original GP did not want to take one and expose my son to rays)
As you sit there and see all ages walk by your heart is heavy and although you are thinking of your own particular valley I can still see this little girl of about 2 with tuffs of hair holding a teddy bear in one hand and her fathers' in the other..THAT day I lost it there in the waiting room and sobbed.
The consensus of opinion for Tj was to remove his spleen which for whatever reason I was not in favour of but Hubby said if that is what they need to do I guess it will be done. NOW a particular twist to the story was our nurses were on strike at this time and so therefore only emergency surgery was able to be done...like heart attacks....
We had debated about taking him to another province to have this procedure done and after his check-up on a Weds. that weekend TJ said he thought he would die because there was not air coming so I called the Dr. and he said get Todd up to the clinic ASAP and there he sat on a chair with about 20 Dr. around looking at x-rays taken from that Weds. to that Monday and the tumour had grown so much they had no choice but to start chemotherapy immediately. One of the female Doctors kept shaking her head in disbelief that TJ was still playing sports as this tumour now was about the size of a pie plate.
Different tests were done concerning the bone marrow but the bottom line was ,"Mrs. Johnson we believe Todd's cancer is in the fourth and final stage and we MUST start an agressive treatment NOW...I remember we went for the bone marrow test at a "teaching" University and here were all these cute youngs nurses not much older than TJ and standing around to observe. I stood on the other side of the curtain and heard the Dr. said "oh Todd I am so sorry I have to go back in as I have not got enough for an adequate test.
My son's comment after the fact was "just like the town staff, one guy doing the job while the rest stand around and watch."
So away I go to the Pharmacy to pick up his pills (AND YES MR. McCain as much as you slam my health care system which is not perfect but not bad) I was dispensed enough for the week. I asked a friend who was a Pharmacist back home what this Rx would have been and he said $600.00 a week and that was back in 1981. (to no cost for me!!)
Home we go, not much is talked about but heck how much do any teenagers say. All TJ was concerned about was IF he had to get this spleen out he better be able to play hockey as we were hosting an International tournament with teams all over the world.
Rather than babysit him I put out the 14 pills he had to take and just left them there believing he would take them.
NOW on that Saturday night my husband proclaims, "I am going to church in the am if anyone wants to come." After I nearly fell off the chair I told the girls to get their clothes ready and we headed off the next day.
As we walked by so many in our church, people that had kept this family in prayer for a long time but very specifically NOW because of TJ's cancer were so happy to see us.
....continued...
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What a sad story...I will be watching for more.
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Oh Lori, I'm so very sorry that things seem to be so much worse for TJ. He will remain in my daily prayers....as will you. Bless you friend.
Love & Pooh Hugs,
Linda -
I bet those people at church were saying "thank you Lord" for answers to prayers by having your family at church; such a moving story; I can't wait to read the next part; I would have sobbed too!
betty -
Lori, I'm so sorry to hear your son's condition seems to have worsened. I'll keep him and the family in my prayers. Keep looking up <<^>> Linda in Washington state http://journals.aol.com/lsfp1
960/LindasWorld/
09/04/08 02:44