“His doctors were hopeful we could take him out of the house for the first time EVER this summer. We could introduce him to his family members and friends. We could let him play on a playground, like a normal toddler. However, now our future is unknown again as the pandemic has erupted.”
‘He can never leave the house.’ We have not seen our family or friends in over a year.’: Mom of severely immunocompromised son says ‘I am tired of headlines saying only the vulnerable will die’
‘I feel hideous and weak. I want it to end.’ Chemo was killing me.’: Stage 3 breast cancer survivor encourages others during pandemic, ‘You can find beauty, laughter, and joy’
“I don’t know how else to say it. I never once imagined my biggest life lessons would come while being bald and sick as my breast was slowly consumed by cancer. There will be life before and after the pandemic, and I believe the after will be sweeter.”
‘I wish I could hold her one more time. I’d give anything in the world to just be quarantined with her.’: Widows urges not to take quarantine for granted, ‘This is a season to take time for the ones we love’
“Don’t take this time for granted. There probably won’t be another season in our lives with so much time to be with the ones we love. We don’t know how this will end. We don’t know when this will end. But we do know that eventually, it will end. I’d give anything for Rachel to be here annoying the heck out of me. I’d give anything for her to be here loving me.”
‘We’d like to speak with your mom alone for a few minutes.’ At 11, I had to make the decision. ‘If I get rid of it, I’ll never have to go through this again?’: Childhood osteogenic sarcoma survivor amputates leg, ‘I couldn’t let cancer win’
“I was told it was just ‘growing pains.’ Hours passed. I heard people crying around me about a ‘missing leg’ and tried to open my eyes. I had to figure out what was going on! I was 11, hooked up to a monitored morphine drip. The pain is so vivid. My parents came over to greet me. ‘Dad, I did it!’ I didn’t quite understand what it all meant. I was determined to not die.”
‘I love you, and I promise I will be back.’ My son looked up in terror as they carried me out. I came to the horrifying realization I made a bold promise.’: Woman survives Ewing’s Sarcoma, leg amputation, ‘Life is too short to not do what makes you happy’
“I was crying and screaming as they carried me out. ‘You’re exaggerating and pain pill seeking.’ I only had a week to get my affairs in order. I made sure my son would remember me.”
‘She is simply too complicated.’ They didn’t see me as a little girl anymore. I was nothing but a body.’: Childhood leukemia survivor’s most important lesson, ‘Emotions are meant to be felt’
“I made a promise to myself. If I was cleared from having the chance of developing a second cancer, I’d get a tattoo. I met a lady who asked me a question that changed my life and perspective forever. ‘Why are you the way that you are?’ she asked. From then on, we became connected by the heart. We were able to help heal each other.”
‘5 months after my daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, I felt a soft lump in one breast. ‘It’s not cancer,’ the doctor assured me. I believed her.’: Mom diagnosed with breast cancer 5 months after daughter’s leukemia
“All throughout her treatment, I asked, ‘Why her and not me?’ Well, someone was listening. It wasn’t until she finished treatment, I took some time for myself. I felt a soft lump in my breast. I knew it was cancer. ‘Whatever happens, please stay positive.’ My daughter with leukemia was ready to take the lead and help me.”
‘Doctor…please believe us. Our son is not OK.’ He looked at us like we were crazy. ‘He looks perfectly fine to me!’: Mom urges ‘trust your gut’ after son’s Stage 4 Neuroblastoma misdiagnosed, cancer cells detected during ‘cancer-free hospital party’
“Pepe let out the most painful cry I’d ever heard. Cries of, ‘Mommy, I’m hurting.’ Days passed. He developed an uncontrollable cough. It was written off. The doctor looked at us like we were the sick ones. ‘Are you SURE this is the baby you describe as so sick?’ The next afternoon, I had a voicemail. ‘Hello, Ms. Zapien. Please get a hold of me ASAP!’ I felt the blood drain from my body. A mass the size of my fist was pushing down on Pepe’s left lung, and they were forming all over his little body.”
‘Doctors told me it was ‘a blocked milk duct.’ It felt like a lemon seed under my skin, close to my areola, and hadn’t hurt at all.’: Woman with breast cancer stays positive, ‘I’ve got this. Everything will be okay.’
“My diagnosis came when I was a 48-year-old, post-menopausal woman with no biological children. I told myself, ‘I have to get my sh*t together quick!’ Things were progressing well until a few days after we moved into a new home. I was experiencing severe shortness of breath, which I’d mistakenly attributed to chemo side effects. Long story short, 840 gallons of propane leaked into our home. By the time the leak was discovered, my treatment plan had been modified.”
‘It’s okay for you to go now. You did such a good job fighting,’ I whispered. He nodded his head. As the sun went down, he stopped breathing.’: Hospice nurse shares touching last moments with dad diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
“On his last day, I helped my dad pull off his last-minute wishes. He insisted on changing all the light bulbs in the house so my mom wouldn’t have to worry. This was his absolute priority. During a slow, quiet, final walk through Home Depot, my chest felt so heavy for him. I was holding my breath. Alone with him, I whispered, ‘You did such a good job fighting.’ Time was running out.”
