As the school year continued John and I were getting more and more frustrated with David for walking so slowly on the way home from school. We knew better than try to run ahead of him but were annoyed that he made it impossible for us to walk with our friends.
Mom and Daddy were getting concerned that something must be wrong with him, because he was constantly fatigued. They made an appointment with a doctor for the afternoon of the last day of school. It seemed a little funny to start summer vacation having to go to Grandpa Masts, while Mom and Daddy took David to the doctor.
When they came home, we were hoping that the doctor had given something to David to make him less tired, but when we saw Mom and Daddy we knew something was troubling them. The doctor had done a few tests that they were waiting on the results, but they were pretty sure he had cancer in his lymph nodes.
When all the results came in their fears were confirmed David had cancer. They told John and me about it but warned us to not tell David that he has cancer, they wanted him to be as happy as possible as they made plans to take him to a clinic in Idaho.
John, Mahlon and I stayed at Grandpa Masts while Mom and Daddy took David for his treatments. I enjoyed staying with Grandpas. There was so many fun things to do and Vernie was there to keep it from ever getting boring, but often we would wonder what is happening with David. I wished we would have been more patient with him and I was so afraid that he was going to die.
After what seemed like a long time they came home. David had lost a lot of weight, but the doctors were pleased with how the cancer seemed to be shrinking. They had sent a lot of medicine along home and a strict diet that he had to follow for a while. They also suggested that he should be home-schooled because school would probably be too strenuous for his weakened condition.
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What a tough time for all of you to go through.I can appreciate how bad you say you felt when you realised about David's condition,but with hind's sight, as children and as adults we all feel bad for saying or doing something we shouldn't have done.I hope David made a full recovery and good luck with your "big changes".Have a good day.
ReplyDeleteChildren don't have the experience or capacity to see beyond surface feelings, sometimes. Of course, as a child, you wanted to walk with your friends and had absolutely no idea your brother was ill, not just dawdling. I can remember being very impatient with a playmate when I was around age 8, because he was always just stepping on our mudpies and knocking things over and such -- I would roll my eyes when I saw him coming to our dirt pile to play -- then it was discovered he had a terrible inoperable brain tumor. I still wake up at night and feel sick that I was so uncaring and couldn't see that he wasn't just "clumsy" but had something wrong with him. Rest In Peace, Brian, it's been over 40 years now, gone, never forgotten.
ReplyDeletethat had to be really scarey! I hope things turned out ok?
ReplyDeleteAnother moving story.....
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing it.
I have just started following your blog and I think I have read every entry. Thank you for sharing your life with others.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Claudia
That must have been very scary. Love reading your stories. How do the Amish pay for treatments like Chemo or Radiation since they don't have health insurance?
ReplyDeleteI sure hope everything turned out well for your brother.
ReplyDeleteSuch a scary time for you, your brother and your parents.
ReplyDeleteWhat a scary time for you and your family. I hope and pray David was cured.
ReplyDelete"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as child...." 1 Cor 13:11.
ReplyDeleteAll of life's experiences can teach us something useful.
I pray your brother was totally healed.
Hugs.
It's so hard to try and understand something like that at such a young age. Thank goodness for your parents getting him the help he needed and for the good Lord helping you all through it!! ♥
ReplyDeleteIsn't it odd how we sometimes act when we don't understand things. Or maybe it's just that we don't understand how to deal with our feelings. That is what happens to me. I get so confused and frustrated. I am glad you enjoyed staying with your grandparents and have good memories of that. I am sure it brought you much sanity and peace through a difficult time. Enjoyed the read. Hugs!
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