# My five year old son has leukemia... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 6, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525 "2011-06-06T18:42:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/41 "2011-06-07T04:55:56Z")
I will add my prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/42 "2011-06-07T06:34:30Z")
Make sure to tell him that some monsters are good monsters. They can scare all the germies away. šŸ˜‰ Iā€™m sorry, but you can only look at his [butt](http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/255743_746180022512_42111580_38008260_7692956_n.jpg)\* for now. Heā€™s not perfect, but was made with love. Should arrive by Friday! take care, JoyAnn \*Sorry, my sewing table had fuzzies on it. I used a lint brush, so Mr. Monsterā€™s corduroy rear end is clean now. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/43 "2011-06-07T08:24:23Z")
OMG Woeg, Iā€™m just so sorry to hear this. It makes my blood run cold thinking of it. Medical science is a wonderful thing though, just let the doctors do their jobs, and hound them if needed. Your job is to keep his spirits up, and make sure he knows he is loved every moment of every day. The caringbridge site is a fantastic idea. Some friends of mine went through a similar problem, and just returning calls and giving updates to friends and loved ones became really overwhelming for them. The times you will be most exhausted, and most want to just be with your child, are the very times theyā€™ll be on the edge of their seats waiting for info. A central spot, where you can update once and they can just check in without waking you or interrupting your dinner will be a huge benefit. Also, if youā€™re not familiar with e-mail ā€œGroupsā€ learn now, and set one up. There may be some info you donā€™t want to put on the 'net. Remember to eat and sleep. This will be a marathon not a sprint. Remind his Mom of this occasionally as well. Let us know how we can help. {{{{Woeg}}}} ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/44 "2011-06-07T09:30:22Z")
Iā€™m tearing up just reading about this. I canā€™t imagine how hard it is to see your little boy go through all this and sit by helplessly. As a parent of a little boy myself, my heart breaks for you and your whole family. I pray for good news and swift healing for him. And a big hug for you and his mom. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/45 "2011-06-07T09:51:16Z")
Hi **Woeg**. Iā€™m sorry to hear your news. You and your family must be feeling shell shocked right now. Iā€™m a paediatric oncology nurse and, sadly, I see families like yours every day. Itā€™s hard to look on the bright side but childhood leukaemia has much better outcomes now than ever, even in quite recent years. I hope your hospital has support networks for the parents and the siblings (if any, in your case) of the child with cancer. Friends and family are worth their weight in gold but other families, going through the same thing, can understand in the way that no one else can. > [@j66](#): > > OP: > Well that sucks. I, and most of my friends and family, are [HERE](http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Myths_%26_Facts_about_Marrow_Don/index.html) for you. > Everyone else: > Check out the link. > > Consider registering as a bone marrow donor, especially if you are young and of mixed ethnicity. > > Consider donating your umbilical cords if youā€™re pregnant. > > Consider donating your platelets. > > You might get lucky and be a hero. The Bone Marrow Register is one way people (friends and family) can feel that theyā€™re doing _something_ to help but giving blood is an immediate thing which can also help and is one I suggest to new families who have people wanting to help. Itā€™s not possible to donate blood for a particular individual (at least where I live) but it is a practical help to many, many people in a similar situation. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/46 "2011-06-07T10:13:08Z")
Iā€™m so sorry to hear this news. Do the best job you can taking care of yourself, they need you to be okay to take care of them. My cousin Sherry was diagnosed at age 6. Weā€™re forty now and her eldest child just graduated from high school this year. Doesnā€™t get much better than that! ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/47 "2011-06-07T10:57:06Z")
I wish you and the little guy all the best. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/48 "2011-06-07T11:03:23Z")
Iā€™m so sorry your family and your little one has to go through this. Sounds like you have some terrific friends around you- let them help you so you can help your boy. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/49 "2011-06-07T11:38:08Z")
Sending more good thoughts your way. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/50 "2011-06-08T02:23:07Z")
He sounds like a brave little guy. Iā€™m wishing the best to all of you. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/51 "2011-06-08T03:07:01Z")
Oh, Woeg, Iā€™m so sorry that your little guy is going through this. Itā€™s a hard battle. Sending healing thoughts your way. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/52 "2011-06-08T03:15:54Z")
Oh, what an awful time for you; my thoughts are with you and yours. FWIW, I had a boyfriend who, at 35, was supposed to have been dead by 10 of leukemia. He was diagnosed about the same age as your boy. He was healthy as can be, with no ongoing treatments that I am aware of; I think it went into remission when he was about 11. Hereā€™s hoping your son has the same good fortune. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/53 "2011-06-08T13:47:30Z")
Thinking of your family and sending healing thoughts, wishes ( and, if you donā€™t object, prayers). ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/54 "2011-06-08T14:16:35Z")
Best wishes for him and his speedy recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/55 "2011-06-08T16:01:22Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > I am so sorry. > > If at all possible, take your son to St Judes in Memphis. This is who they are, this is what they do. Seconded!!! I mean, I donā€™t specifically know St. Judeā€™s, but you do want to go with a place that handles a lot of these cases. What an awful, frightening thing to have to face :(. You and your son and the rest of the family will be in my thoughts. Let us Dopers know if thereā€™s anything we can do. ---
**Author:** ![Woeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Woeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woeg)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/56 "2011-06-08T16:03:49Z")
Hereā€™s the latest news: We got back the bone marrow test, and it is confirmed as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, type Pre B - and from what the doc says, this is the absolute best news we could get in light of the circumstances. He said that this is by far the easiest type to treat, and that there is a 98% chance of remission -awesome, awesome news. He will, of course, still have to have chemo for the next 2.5 to 3 yrs, but the doc is already really positive about the way he has responded to the chemo, so yay! I called up my health care insurance provider today, and good news on that front too - the boatload of money I spend per month for the best possible health insurance that my work offers was a really good investment. I have a manageable deductible, and a maximum out of pocket expense of $3000 a year (all in network, of course, but thankfully his docs and everything are all in network!) The insurance company is also going to look into getting us a private case manager, who can hand hold us through any questions or doubts we have. I did end up quitting my second job last night. It was pizza delivery, nothing bigā€¦helped make ends meet, but I think weā€™ll be ok with a little belt tightening, and frankly, I really need my nights and weekends free again so I can be with Riley as much as I can. And I am overwhelmed with the amount of support my friends here, my friends in real life, and on another forum have given - I know it may seem silly, but you all have been a rock to cling to, one Iā€™ve desperately needed. I feel so much better now - from the very positive diagnosis from the doc and the incredible outpouring of love and support from all of my friends. I actually feel a little more in control, and the urge to go crazy has pretty much passed. Thank you all, so much. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/57 "2011-06-08T16:08:17Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > A+. I registered on Be the Match a year or so ago and I invited all my friends to do the same. Seriously. Do it. Thirded. I had been rejected many years ago at a marrow drive because back then, asthma was an instant disqualifier. Since then the standards have changed, which I hadnā€™t realized until an earlier Dope threadā€¦ as a result, I was qualified and joined the registry. If anyone here wants to join but doesnā€™t have the cash (or a coupon code or whatever) to pay for the testing, Iā€™m good for a couple of you - PM me. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/58 "2011-06-08T17:20:41Z")
Yay! _fist pump_ Fuck you, leukemia! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/59 "2011-06-08T17:40:17Z")
Very best wishes for a speedy recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525/60 "2011-06-08T18:24:19Z")
Great news! Itā€™s still going to be very hard to go through the chemo and everything, but at least we now know that heā€™s almost surely going to survive. Whew! Iā€™m so glad! Please let us know if you need anything at all- the things said here in support are not just lip service. Dopers really do care and help! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-five-year-old-son-has-leukemia/584525.md?page=4)