“He had been rushed to the ER. I was confused. Dylan was as fit as a fiddle. Something about seeing Dylan morph into a completely different character sent fear and doubt through my body. The agony of waiting was almost unbearable. What if the transplant doesn’t work?”
‘He doesn’t have much time.’ Dylan was as fit as a fiddle. ‘What if I never get to see my brother again?’: Woman becomes perfect match for brother’s bone marrow transplant, ‘It was my turn to repay him’
‘This pair I worked doggedly to keep together until the end, will be separated, condemned to die alone, and cared for by strangers.’: Social worker urges medical planning, ‘Your loved ones are worth it’
“I watched in horror as the Leviathan of our legal and healthcare system grabbed this couple and sucked them into the abyss, pulling them out of my hands. I fought with everything I had to secure this couple a happy ending. As one patient said to me, ‘Getting old is not for the weak or poor.”
‘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.”
‘You need to have it looked at, and quickly!’ My heart dropped. I went from a ‘normal’ person to being disabled.’: Young woman survives rare bone cancer twice, ‘Cancer taught me to live each day like it’s my last’
“’How could I have bone cancer at age 25?!’ I called my mom immediately after, sobbing in my car. She was shocked. I was finally able to get married after delaying my wedding, but I still had persistent pain. The surgeon said, ‘We cannot be sure if some cancer was left behind.’. It taught me to cherish every day I have on this earth. Things can change in a blink of an eye.”
‘The doctor blinked at my lab results and said, ‘Go lose some weight.’ I knew in my gut something else was wrong.’: New mom with bone marrow cancer misdiagnosed with obesity
“I was familiar with this move by medical professionals. The old ‘lose weight’ diagnosis. She asked me a question about breastfeeding and literally didn’t even listen to the answer. She responded as though I said the exact opposite thing. Not listening. Not present. ‘Yes. Go lose some weight. Then come see me again in 4 months.’ I had all the warning signs.”
‘I went home after my son’s transplant, only to receive an angry letter about the ‘eyesore’ exterior of my home.’: Woman’s son diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, community unites to clean her home in wake of insensitive complaint
“My son kept holding his right side and screaming. They told me he was ‘just constipated’. ‘Constipation shouldn’t be making him scream.’ They thought I was some crazy helicopter mom. The doctor’s response? ‘Well, if it was real pain, you holding and consoling him wouldn’t be making him feel better like it is now.’ Boy, was she wrong. I could feel in my spirit something was wrong with my baby boy.”
‘I hadn’t even held my baby yet when the doctor came in. ‘We’ve found a growth. You need to come back in 2 weeks.’ I lost it! The happiest day of my life quickly turned into the worst.’ Cancerous growth found on woman’s labor day
“I remember my husband crying. He never cries, so I knew it was serious. I had a new baby and two small children at home. All I could think was, ‘I’m gonna die. I’m not gonna see my kids grow up.’ I’d started bleeding at 6 weeks pregnant. I had 20 ultrasounds and everyone said the baby was fine. But I knew something else was going on.”
‘Your oncologist never mentioned it? It’s been showing in your blood tests for over 2 years.’ All I could think of is, ‘If the life expectancy is 5 years, I have 3 left.’: Woman shares Multiple Myeloma diagnosis journey
“I snapped. He thought I was going to rough him up. I wanted to. Then, I did the one thing you should never, ever do. For two weeks straight, I was afraid I wouldn’t wake up. I could tell he was scared.”
‘I woke up with the worst pain. ‘They’re just headaches,’ I said. Something in my mom’s heart kept pushing. ‘There’s something in your brain,’ the doctor said. I was 11, and so confused.’
“I was rushed to the PICU. I tried to stay calm, but I was terrified. I couldn’t help but think, ‘How could I have done anything wrong to deserve this?’ I hid everything behind a smile, but I knew my life would never be ‘normal’ again.”
‘I was married. John was my PATIENT. I looked at him. ‘Do you want to get married?’: Woman falls in love with patient with Metastatic Melanoma
“Do you believe in love at first sight? I didn’t either. Until I met John. Now I’m not some creeper who goes full Izzy/Denny and preys upon handsome young men I am caring for. As I called him back to the exam room, I couldn’t help but notice his sparkling eyes.”
