Leukemia - You are not alone

When going through a crisis it is very normal to feel alone. Since Jemma began treatment I have been contacted by several families with relatives receiving Leukemia treatment. Although they are scattered around the world and Leukemia is a rare illness, illness and sickness is unfortunately all too common.

When one person goes through a long-term illness, it can effect several others. There are many people who have a family member who has gone through cancer treatment, been through bed rest with a pregnancy, born a premature infant, suffered a stroke, been faced with kidney disease or recovered from a heart attack. I can personally name friends who have dealt with each of the medical issues I mentioned above.

Although the medical issues and treatments are quite different, they all can have similar effects on family members. We worry about how everything will turn out, struggle to keep up with housework, and accept help caring for children. No medical emergency is easy to deal with, and it's hard to cope when life is out of our control. But so many people have been through tough times and they do understand. Some people are good listeners, some good cooks, some good friends and some are just all things good. Many people offer help because they have had difficult times in their own past and remember those who helped them. Accepting help can be very difficult. It is for me, but accepting help does make things easier.

If you are going through a family crisis just remember, you are quite the opposite of alone.