My 3 year old has cancer, and what I'm going to do about it

[Mrbez]

A beautiful boy you have.

My sister was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was 11, 3 days before her 12th birthday.

She actually passed her 10 years of treatment 18 months ago and is going strong.

I have made a donation, and I wish you all the best to William and your family in these times.

Regards, Craig.

 

[Nigeyy]

Yes, very true -a lot stress involved with something like this. My wife and I have a son with a major health issues, don't forget to stay strong together as corny as that sounds.

Best wishes.

All good wishes for your wee man. Aye, and for you and his mum too - an important time to be strong together.

 

[Big Jim]

A beautiful boy you have.

My sister was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was 11, 3 days before her 12th birthday.

She actually passed her 10 years of treatment 18 months ago and is going strong.

I have made a donation, and I wish you all the best to William and your family in these times.

Regards, Craig.

Thanks Craig. 10 years is really good and i'm sure a big relief to all the family. Do you know if she had ALL or AML? WIth ALL the treatment is over 3 years I think for a girl (I may have got tha the wrong way round and be 2 years for a girl, three for a boy). ALL is more common in children.

AML is treated in 6 month and is more common in adults.

William has AML.

thanks for the donation and best wishes.

 

[Big Jim]

Yes, very true -a lot stress involved with something like this. My wife and I have a son with a major health issues, don't forget to stay strong together as corny as that sounds.

Best wishes.

Thanks Nigeyy. I'm sorry to hear about your son. It's a real drain on the whole family when your child is ill - just seems so unfair and wrong. We just have to get through it the best we can I suppose.

Thanks for the donation and best wishes

 

[Mrbez]

Hi Jim, I think it was ALL, as I'm sure the initial treatment lasted for 2 years.

How is William holding up?

 

[Big Jim]

Hi Jim, I think it was ALL, as I'm sure the initial treatment lasted for 2 years.

How is William holding up?

I don't understand why they are treated so differently as they're both Leukaemias and why one has so much better an outlook. Maybe this is a question I should ask the Dr's at the Marsden when I see them.
If you look at the blood production tree, ALL relates to the disease being in the Lymphoid side, AML relates to the disease being in the Myeloid side. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_blood_cell

For some reason ALL is more common in children, AML is more common in Adults.

William is ok at the moment. He was due to start the BMT last week, but somehow contacted FLU. I've no idea how, as he was in isolation in the house. A few trips to the local could have been the reason, or his older sister. So the BMT has been delayed. He's also got/ had Shingles and a super bug called CDiff. But I'm actually sure he's quite a tough cookie as he seems quite well at the moment.
Certainly considering he couldn't straighten his legs for 6 weeks even with a Morphine background and Morphine bonus's, from New Year until I think Feb time, it's quite incredible how he can now stand and walk, be it in a disabled kind of way. Children can get ill quickly, but can also recover amazingly well compared to adults. I suppose if you're going to get Cancer in life, to an extent you have a better chance of getting through it as a child. Though it's cruel for Children and I think particularly teenagers.

 

[Big Jim]

Ohe thing I heard that is quite an eye opener is that 1 in 100 children are born with the ability to get Leukaemia - i.e. it's in them when they're born. Out of them, only 1 in 100 go on to develop it. So it's sitting as a potential time bomb for 1 in 100 children. I think this relates to ALL.

 

[Randochap]

As a 2-time cancer survivor, saved first by high-dose radiation, then surgery for the recurrence 4-years later, I have a bit of insight into what it's like to battle the crab. What I can't fathom is how these little guys handle the agonies involved. They really are heroic.
It's possible that my cancer will return, though I'm now 5-years free. I've had a good run, but it's so heartbreaking to see kids struck by the disease.
The idea that I'd get back on my bike helped keep me focussed on survival. I send your little guy and your family all my best. Keep believing.

 

[Big Jim]

As a 2-time cancer survivor, saved first by high-dose radiation, then surgery for the recurrence 4-years later, I have a bit of insight into what it's like to battle the crab. What I can't fathom is how these little guys handle the agonies involved. They really are heroic.
It's possible that my cancer will return, though I'm now 5-years free. I've had a good run, but it's so heartbreaking to see kids struck by the disease.
The idea that I'd get back on my bike helped keep me focussed on survival. I send your little guy and your family all my best. Keep believing.

I'm sorry to hear that Randochap. One thing that was very harrowing was seeing WIlliam in so much pain,and he just didn't understand why. Certainly it took him many months to be able to straighten his legs again this year, and needed a morphine background and plenty of bonus's to change his nappy.

It is truely a horrible thing, and I just hope that the BMT will cure WIlliam - though he'll be infertile.

Thanks for sharing your story, and it's good that the desire to get back on the bike helped focus you. Funnily enough I bought WIlliam a Giant trike from Wiggle for last Xmas, but then he was struck down with the relapse and couldn't use it. So I suppose also the desire to see him on it also kept us strong. Thankfully William will avoid Radiotheraphy as he doesn't have CNS disease (which can happen with a relapse I've heard).

Best of luck again

 

[Big Jim]

Currently sitting at 296%

 

[pubrunner]

Currently sitting at 296%

That's really good news - hope you get shed loads more !

 

[Big Jim]

That's really good news - hope you get shed loads more !

Hope so. So close to £3K now.

 

[Fubar]

Hi Jim, just donated (you're over £3k now!) - all the best to William and your family, and good luck on your cycle challenge. Kind regards, Mark

 

[Big Jim]

Hi Jim, just donated (you're over £3k now!) - all the best to William and your family, and good luck on your cycle challenge. Kind regards, Mark

Thanks Mark. I was over the moon when I saw we are now over 3K before Williams BMT. That's a decent total to make a difference I think.

Thanks for the best wishes and donation. It's very much appreciated.

 

[Stephen13]

Guys all the best with William, stay strong, not easy but keep it together, I lost my first wife to cancer back in 2006 she was only 30 and left me and our 3 and 5 year old. It takes it out of you but keep going.