My neighbor at the clinic this past visit was a young person (with her mom). It’s hard to tell how old someone really is behind their mask, but between her youthful couture and the shows she was watching on the TV in her cubicle, she seemed like a young teenager (I think she's the youngest person that I have seen; there are no pediatric patients treated at this facility). I encounter a lot of folks at the clinic, many with cancers or blood-borne diseases other than my Multiple Myeloma. Young or old, declining or recovering, alone or supported - this particular girl at this particular age in this particular moment really made me sad.
Honestly, I have no idea what her medical situation is. But if she is coming to an infusion center, it has to be some kind of intravenous therapy which generally goes beyond the standard pills and potions. It didn't seem like her very first time, and the nurse gave her a print out of her next infusion session (later this coming week), so it's not a condition with a quick cure. Yet more calmly than you can imagine a teen would handle it, she told the nurse that whatever was being infused was giving her an uncomfortable burning sensation (something the nurse was actually asking about in anticipation of that possible side effect), which was immediately stopped and flushed. What a trooper already. So, it all feels like the beginning trial-and-error portion of finding the right dosing tolerability.
This young woman has her whole life ahead of her, and now it has to be lived with the extra challenge of being a person with cancer. It’s hard enough just growing up in this day and age (social media, life pressures, fitting in, etc), but the yoke of this medical burden seems grossly unfair. Of all the things that I’ve seen over the years - this makes me sad. She, and her parents, have a long road ahead. I wish I could just give them a hug and tell them it’s going to be ok. I’m nowhere near the end of my “story,” but now hers will include multiple chapters about her diagnosis, treatments, fears and tears - and cheers.
I find no solace in being able to measure my circumstance against someone who is worse off than me. Knowing that my situation is under control, gives me the perspective and heightened empathy for those who are just starting their journey and struggling with the unknown of their outcome.
