Everything happened just so fast…
Sure, our two-year-old son Nicky looked pale (but he had fair skin), he had dark bruises everywhere (but so does every other two-year-old boy we knew), he was tired a lot (but he has always really loved his naps).
It was only when he became lethargic when I thought there might be a chance, he was anemic because I know how tired I feel when my iron is low. A simple trip to the doctor’s office for an iron supplement would do the trick and he would be as good as new in no time! A few hours later I was at the hospital being told my son had leukemia and we would have to leave Sudbury for treatment at Sick Kid’s in Toronto immediately.
On top of the shock, the absolute devastation, the worry and anxiety, we had to deal with so many other questions; What are his chances? What treatment will he receive? Where will we stay? How long will we be there? How are we going to afford this? No one had answers for me. I had two more little boys at home ages 4 and 1. We didn’t even get to say goodbye to them. The last thing I said to them was “you go get a haircut and we’ll see you when you get home” thinking Nicky and I would only be an hour. Are they going to think Mommy abandoned them? Are they going to think Mommy loves Nicky more than them because she left with him? Oh the heartache.
We were in Toronto for about 6 weeks. During that time, not only dealing with taking care of an absolutely sick and deteriorating child, all the hospital appointments, all the chemo, all the unknowns, the loneliness, the stress, the heartache, I also had to worry about our financial situation. No one should have to worry about money in a time of crisis. Sure, we had supportive families but the guilt of being a burden on them just added to the 1000lbs of weight I already had on my heart. See, my maternity leave had ended just 8 days before Nicky was diagnosed, and since I hadn’t worked in a year, the government declined my application for the Parents With Critically Ill Children Benefit. I had no sick leave, no stress leave, no vacation time to tie us over until we came up with a plan.
In stepped the NOFCC like a ray of sunshine. I hadn’t even heard of the NOFCC before. Who are they? What do they do? How are they supposed to help us? It soon all became clear. Words cannot describe the relief, the support, the love that was felt by us because of this charity. Not only has the NOFCC helped with the costs of every single visit to Sick Kids and the Northeast Cancer Centre, including parking, accommodations, and EMLA patches, they have helped support Nicky’s education with tutors and speech pathologists. They have lifted the spirits of our entire family with summer and Christmas parties meant specifically for past and present cancer patients and their families. They offer support groups and have made a community out of cancer-stricken families who would otherwise feel isolated from the rest of the world.
Their ongoing support has never wavered over the three years during Nicky’s treatment, and it still continues now that his treatment is complete.
Our family will be forever grateful to Dayna and the NOFCC for their financial and emotional support during the hardest journey I pray Nicky will ever have to endure.
With much love and gratitude,
The Steinke Family
