在我10岁的儿子被诊断出患有白血病之前,我在当地一家医院担任糖尿病护理教育人员。我已经做了15年的注册护士,能够平衡家庭生活和工作;我喜欢教病人如何应对糖尿病,也喜欢与同事合作。当大卫抱怨臀部疼痛并开始一瘸一拐时,这一切都戛然而止。不到一个星期,他就因为太疼而不能走路了。几周后,骨髓穿刺确诊为急性淋巴细胞白血病。当我收到这个消息时,我正在儿科肿瘤科医生的办公室里。我丈夫乔在加州出差,我让医生打电话告诉他这个坏消息。医生告诉乔,她对大卫的病情会得到缓解持乐观态度。乔那天飞回家了。 David was immediately admitted into a major metropolitan children’s hospital and started a two-year protocol of chemotherapy. The nurse in me wanted to take charge. I asked questions, checked his IV lines, and observed him. I started reading about leukemia and all that the diagnosis entailed. Emotionally, being a nurse kept me from falling apart and from feeling the sense of uncontrolled fear a cancer diagnosis thrusts upon you. David was in too much discomfort to say anything about my nursing approach to his care. The week he was in the hospital was an utter nightmare — everyone around you is trying to stay calm and trying their best to reassure you, but as a parent of a 10 year old, you see your once-healthy child experience deep, agonizing pain and you can’t do anything except plead for the nurses and doctors to take it away.
大卫终于出院回家了,我们每天都去肿瘤科医生的办公室接受治疗。这次旅行单程各花了一个小时,我们在一起度过了很长时间。我们还了解了我们各自是如何应对各种变化的。在漫长的一天治疗之后,我们很晚才从医生的办公室回到家;大卫筋疲力尽,抱怨自己有多累。我的护士意识一直在干预。我问他我能做些什么让他感觉好点。就在那时,我亲爱的儿子给了我我需要听到的最好的建议。他告诉我他只是想让我们成为一家人。他需要我做他妈妈,而不是护士。 I obliged. My son taught me valuable lessons about life and what true courage is when faced with a serious illness.
大卫15岁就去世了。
罗宾·班纳特·卡纳雷克是总统,卡纳雷克家族基金会.
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