Reflections on Communication and Care in Cancer.

2021 
Jake was 20 months old when he was diagnosed with leukemia and began 4 years of chemotherapy. In this article, his mother (Mrs Erwin Neu) reflects on her family’s experiences caring for a child with cancer, from diagnosis through treatment. A pediatric oncologist and communication researcher not involved in Jake’s care (Dr Sisk) provides additional reflections on the basis of his experiences. Mrs Erwin Neu met Dr Sisk when she participated in his communication study. Together, they developed this article to highlight the dynamic care and communication needs of families afflicted by pediatric cancer. ### Mother In just 8 hours, my husband and I went from relief to a real-life nightmare. Our 20-month-old son had been experiencing fevers and fatigue for months. After another visit to the doctor’s office, we thought we finally had a relatively benign diagnosis for Jake’s illness. Our pediatrician suspected mononucleosis, a common infection in children. But a blood test proved otherwise, and suddenly, we were the parents of a child with leukemia. It was the beginning of the most mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging time of our lives. I had always believed in science and medicine, but I found myself in disbelief after his diagnosis, questioning his new oncologists. What made them sure it was leukemia? Having dealt with his fevers for months, I had questioned everything to figure out what was wrong. Had he swallowed the fridge magnet that was missing? Was there something wrong with our water at home? I needed to know that it wasn’t something else, and I needed to know that he wasn’t going to die. The doctors did the best they could, providing a simplified version of terminology that would soon become familiar and reassuring me that his cancer was treatable. But as my husband and I walked onto the hospital … Address correspondence to Bryan A. Sisk, MD, MSCI, School of Medicine, Washington University, 4523 Clayton Ave, Campus Box 8005, St Louis, MO 63110. E-mail: siskb{at}wustl.edu
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