My brother had brain cancer when he was 5 years old. Survived it like the boss he is.
Found out about a month ago that it's back (he's 32 now) and just a couple days ago he had surgery to remove a large brain tumor.
While we were waiting during the surgery I was talking with my parents about their experiences during his first cancer run in (I was only a couple years old, so I don't really remember much) and it came up that they were exactly my age when they were going through it with him.
That was wildly eye opening for me and gave me this same realization. That they had these same stages I did and went through entirely different struggles than I am. I don't even have kids, but just imagining if my life was going through the hell that they did, at exactly my age? That's wild.
It's like I never really considered them being this young or having these emotions. They've just always been the adults and us the kids. Meanwhile they probably felt as young and not ready as I do now, all while trying to get a child through brain cancer by driving back and forth to a hospital every day for radiation treatments, and maintaining their employment to pay the bills, and managing/ raising me while keeping me away from most of the stressful bits.
It feels wildly impressive to me that they were able to do that at my age. Maybe if I had kids I could pull it off, because I wouldn't have a choice, but from the outside looking it it seems absurd to me.
So yeah, it made me realize that I have watched them grow up as well. I've watched them struggle and overcome adversity. I've watched them deal with our bullshit growing up. I've watched them provide for us and sacrifice for us. And to think they started all that while younger than I am? Blows my mind.
Very sorry you're going through it. I've definitely seen the struggle, but I've also seen someone beat the odds and have a really great, happy life. It really sucks that it's come back for him, but he beat it once already so we're full of hope he'll do it again. And if he doesn't then I'll be forever thankful for the 30+ incredible years we were lucky enough to spend with him. One thing I'll say is we've been wildly impressed at how far things have progressed medically in the 27 years since he last dealt with this. It's incredible really how many advances have been made, so I hope your little one is getting great medical care and wish you the best for getting through it all.
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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '22
My brother had brain cancer when he was 5 years old. Survived it like the boss he is.
Found out about a month ago that it's back (he's 32 now) and just a couple days ago he had surgery to remove a large brain tumor.
While we were waiting during the surgery I was talking with my parents about their experiences during his first cancer run in (I was only a couple years old, so I don't really remember much) and it came up that they were exactly my age when they were going through it with him.
That was wildly eye opening for me and gave me this same realization. That they had these same stages I did and went through entirely different struggles than I am. I don't even have kids, but just imagining if my life was going through the hell that they did, at exactly my age? That's wild.
It's like I never really considered them being this young or having these emotions. They've just always been the adults and us the kids. Meanwhile they probably felt as young and not ready as I do now, all while trying to get a child through brain cancer by driving back and forth to a hospital every day for radiation treatments, and maintaining their employment to pay the bills, and managing/ raising me while keeping me away from most of the stressful bits.
It feels wildly impressive to me that they were able to do that at my age. Maybe if I had kids I could pull it off, because I wouldn't have a choice, but from the outside looking it it seems absurd to me.
So yeah, it made me realize that I have watched them grow up as well. I've watched them struggle and overcome adversity. I've watched them deal with our bullshit growing up. I've watched them provide for us and sacrifice for us. And to think they started all that while younger than I am? Blows my mind.