Last week my 4 yr old son was dx with pre-B cell ALL, but has an excellent prognosis from all of the oncology doctors (they said he'd live to be an old man and that they wouldn't tell me that unless they felt certain). Our world has been turned upside down, but we are getting better each day. Tomorrow (Monday) he will be coming home after his 3rd treatment with chemotherapy (vincristine) and I am so excited. He's handling his treatments beautifully, by the way. After he leaves the hospital tomorrow all of his treatments will be outpatient. The children's hospital is located 2 hours away from our hometown and my husband made me go home to care for our 3 other kids and to start school. I am to graduate in December from my ADN program, but was reluctant to go back considering. The doctors, nurses and councelers have all encouraged me to return and I did on Friday after missing 4 days, but my heart and mind just wasn't there. I am slowly getting my spirits up and am focusing on the outcome, which will be good, I just know it. I guess I posted because I need some support and perhaps someone else here may understand or have been through something similar? I don't want medical advice, just some words of encouragement. I have been given so much info that my head is swimming at this point.
Friday, Andrew Baldwin from last season's The Bachelor came to visit Aidan...the day I went to school...and he made Aidan an honorary sailor with the US Navy. It was really sweet. If you want to visit my blog you can see the photos and video by clicking on my profile. Sigh....I'm just overwhelmed...has anyone else been through something so trying while in nursing school? My final is on Halloween, if I can just get through that... 2 months...2 months.
I was so touched to read your post and I am so glad your son is home with you now. I have not been through anything like what you and your family have gone through however we did have many health issues with our son in his first year of life.
I started nursing school when Remy was 6 months old, his older brother was 3. When he was born his head was very misshapen, they kept telling me it would go away as they did xray it and it looked fine. It did not go away and finally they agreed that we should see a plastic surgeon. I got an appointment at the childrens hospital here however that was 3 months away. We were told he probably had craniosynostosis. The plastic surgeon confirmed that his saggital suture was fused together and he would need surgery however they also suspected that he had Crouzons syndrome which would require many surgeries over his lifetime and also included a chance of vision and hearing loss. So I had to get him into the genetics counselor which was another 2 months away, his cranio surgery was scheduled for May 8th, which was 6 months away from the diagnosis and one week before my finals in my first semster of nursing school. The long awaited genetics appointment came and again we of course had to wait a month for results. The first negative (woohoo) results came and then we had to wait for the second round which would be another month. Seriously I was losing my mind. Finally the results came back and he did not have the syndrome (woohoo). Finally May 8th came and his reconstruction surgery was a great success, it lasted 5 hours and he did amazing he was 10 months old and so strong. We were in the hospital for 5 days and within 2 weeks you could barely tell anything had gone on well besides the swelling and the ear to ear suture :). He bounced back so fast and has just developed so quickly since then. So the reason why I am sharing this is nursing school is a very stressful period and then to have anything with your childrens health going on is just awful and I honestly expected to feel so relieved when Remy was well and home and everything was over however I did not. I felt shell shocked even a bit traumatized and I had a ton of anxiety. So please don't have expectations of yourself understand that you are human and that you may feel like you can't unwind even after you get the word that your is in remission. Take time out to be very kind to yourself right now and try to do little things for you that may remind you of normalcy and just know that this is all so much for you and your family. I also wanted to say that Remy and I have a very special relationship one that I know is different as a result of all that he has gone through - he knows that he was never alone that me or his daddy or uncles and grandma were always there. He is so loving and trusting and such a mamas boy. I am so grateful for him and truly treasure him and look at things differently as a result. Oh and I did somehow pass my finals. :)
Take care, you and your family will be in my prayers.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Nursing school can be hard enough with just regular daily life. I truly admire those of you that can/are doing it with all these other things going on around you. To be able to persevere despite sometimes massive tribulations, well, I am just in awe of you guys. We're all pulling for you!
Nursing school is very stressful. I think the other posters are right, you may be able to finish school, however I think it is a good idea to talk to your instructors to find out what their policy is should you need some time off so you are prepared, just in case. I actually missed too much school due to illness and had to come back and finish my final semester with the next class. It wasn't too bad, not that long a break really and I still finished. Whatever happens you, and your son are in my thoughts and prayers!
4jen
92 Posts
Long Post...
I was so touched to read your post and I am so glad your son is home with you now. I have not been through anything like what you and your family have gone through however we did have many health issues with our son in his first year of life.
I started nursing school when Remy was 6 months old, his older brother was 3. When he was born his head was very misshapen, they kept telling me it would go away as they did xray it and it looked fine. It did not go away and finally they agreed that we should see a plastic surgeon. I got an appointment at the childrens hospital here however that was 3 months away. We were told he probably had craniosynostosis. The plastic surgeon confirmed that his saggital suture was fused together and he would need surgery however they also suspected that he had Crouzons syndrome which would require many surgeries over his lifetime and also included a chance of vision and hearing loss. So I had to get him into the genetics counselor which was another 2 months away, his cranio surgery was scheduled for May 8th, which was 6 months away from the diagnosis and one week before my finals in my first semster of nursing school. The long awaited genetics appointment came and again we of course had to wait a month for results. The first negative (woohoo) results came and then we had to wait for the second round which would be another month. Seriously I was losing my mind. Finally the results came back and he did not have the syndrome (woohoo). Finally May 8th came and his reconstruction surgery was a great success, it lasted 5 hours and he did amazing he was 10 months old and so strong. We were in the hospital for 5 days and within 2 weeks you could barely tell anything had gone on well besides the swelling and the ear to ear suture :). He bounced back so fast and has just developed so quickly since then. So the reason why I am sharing this is nursing school is a very stressful period and then to have anything with your childrens health going on is just awful and I honestly expected to feel so relieved when Remy was well and home and everything was over however I did not. I felt shell shocked even a bit traumatized and I had a ton of anxiety. So please don't have expectations of yourself understand that you are human and that you may feel like you can't unwind even after you get the word that your is in remission. Take time out to be very kind to yourself right now and try to do little things for you that may remind you of normalcy and just know that this is all so much for you and your family. I also wanted to say that Remy and I have a very special relationship one that I know is different as a result of all that he has gone through - he knows that he was never alone that me or his daddy or uncles and grandma were always there. He is so loving and trusting and such a mamas boy. I am so grateful for him and truly treasure him and look at things differently as a result. Oh and I did somehow pass my finals. :)
Take care, you and your family will be in my prayers.