Tom's Story Part II

Over the next few days we learned that Tom did in fact, have ALL, or childhood leukemia. I began to thank the Lord for that. I was then presented with a very difficult choice to make. I was told if I took the conservative route of treatment for him, he would most likely relapse within two years. There was a new, very aggressive protocol. Complications might ensue but without a sibling for a bone marrow transplant, this was by far his best hope. The doctor then told me that he only had a 35% chance of survival for five years. That was so devastating. Again, I told the doctor Tom was not to know how poor his prognosis was. Because he was a teen in puberty his risk was DOUBLE. All the while, I told Tom that he would be fine, just as I was. He met many other children on the cancer ward, some babies and he was overwhelmed at times. He then began to say how grateful he was to have lived sixteen years and experienced life because some of these kids were so very young with poor prognosises. I was so proud of how he handled it all. We were told that if he went into remission after a week, things would look much better. Despite the aggressive protocol and bone pain he was now experiencing, he did not achieve remission. The second week he was still not in remission. His doctor became very concerned. He called a special meeting and insisted his father be present. He told us that if Tom were not in remission by the end of the month the prognosis was even grimmer than he had thought. My husband ran out of the room, out of the hospital and went home. I was left there to digest this and then put on my brave face. I needed a minute and I went down to my car in the parking lot. I began to pray, actually I began to loudly call out to God. WHERE ARE YOU????How can this be happening???? Why did you let me live to see my only child go through this???? Then I began to pull myself together and draw upon my faith. I began to thank the Lord for the fact that on day 30 Tom WOULD BE in remission. I then called my parents and had them call everyone to pray and believe that we would get his answered prayer. My Dad began to fast and he came and prayed with Tom at the hospital. He told him that he knew he would be in remission. It seemed forever but on that last bone marrow day 30 our doctor was in Hawaii on vacation. Another doctor called him on the beach. God answered our prayers and Tom was in remission. We all cried when we got that call from Hawaii. I knew in my heart that God would deliver him. I never thought it would be easy but God would teach us many lessons along the road to his recovery. We just had to be patient and endure another night of weeping and know that our joy would come.