jackiedoherty.org

“My son has cancer,” I told a complete stranger yesterday; her face widened in shock as my eyes filled and my voice cracked. “Can I tell you my heart is breaking?” I wanted to add, but didn’t, because it was so inappropriate and awkward. The next months of treatment extend a nightmare that started for my family early this summer when I noticed my son’s neck was slightly swollen on one side. My beautiful, kind, intelligent son—not yet 16 years old—now faces four months of chemotherapy to kill the cancer that has invaded his body. Four months is a blip on the screen of his life because his prognosis is very good. It’s a highly curable cancer (Hodgkins Lymphoma) and we caught it very early (Stage 1A). I know he will survive this and live many more wonderful summers, but first we have to get through the treatment and its side effects. A few hours at the Jimmy Fund Clinic was enough to see that cancer chooses its victims indiscriminately, regardless of age or economic status, and that it is a disease that has become horrifyingly prevalent. (Who doesn’t know someone touched by cancer?) This blog will not be focused on our family’s battle with this disease. However, I will devote a page called Battling Cancer that will be updated regularly, so those interested in our progress can check on us.  A few weeks ago, the Globe ran an article about cancer blogs as a way to help folks deal with this disease, so writing as a form of therapy and to keep friends and family updated makes sense. If you are interested in cancer blogs, check here. In the meantime, we’ll take this battle one day at a time, realizing we’re blessed in so many ways. (Think you have problems? Spend an hour in the Jimmy Fund Clinic and your perspective will change.)