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Early December 2011 after spending 4 weeks with two of my sons in Western Australia I went home to Victoria to be with the rest of the family. Arriving home in time for my daughter’s end of year party at school. Everything was going along ok and I was settled back into my routine of what I usually do at home. My youngest son at that time let me know that he had a small infection but otherwise everything was ok. The 19th December 2011 he was driven home from work as work were worried about him. The next day my world was about to change for ever.

My son was admitted to one hospital and when I rang there as no answer at his home they said he had been discharged so thought everything was ok. How wrong I was the person I spoke should had added he had been admitted to a bigger hospital in the city. My son was diagnosed with AML ( Acute Myeloid Leukemia) along with the infection he was in danger but luckily because he was so sick they thought he had a chance with treatment.

New Year Eve I was told that infection was not going away as his body was having to fight too much, That night he was taken to Surgery and was given a colostomy. I did not find this out as I was flying over to WA to see my son as I was told he was close to death. I arrived at the hospital at 2.30pm New Year Day to see him at ICU and he was in an isolated room. A room which meant he had his own nurse, double gloves to be worn, masks and gown. I was told my son would not know I was there, they were wrong. He was able to grip my hand very well that needed two nurses to get his grip off. I spent 5 hours with him before he had to be taken off to surgery where they could change his dressings. He was in that room for 5 days having chemo for the AML. The next problem was the chemo was making it hard for his wound to heal plus the place it was, was not a good place. The decision to stop chemo was made as he was in danger of becoming septicemic. .After my being there nearly two weeks I was having to go home. I was glad to see him get back on the ward before I left.

He was finally released late February 2012, as my husband and I had decided to sell up and move back to WA to be close to him. It was hard to sell up but at times you have to put your children first. His chemo finally finished in July 2012, he is on a maintenance program to hopefully July 2014 when he stops taking poisons into his body. Good poison as it is keeping him alive and hopefully making him better. He has had his medications increased at times as his white blood count is low. With luck with the medications finish he can have a reversal of his colostomy and learn how to use that part again.

He will never be free of this but he and others like him are lucky that in late 1990’s a cure was found of sorts before this it was a death sentence. Last year for his 26th birthday he became a big brother again as the twins decided to make it their birthday too. Everyday I give thanks that my children are safe, as they say it does not matter how old your children are you will never stop worrying about them .

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Posted by youngoldlady, 23rd November 2013