I think I am like any ordinary dad that will go to battle for my kids and do as much as possible to shield them from harm. What do I say when at the bedside of my son that is diagnosed with a rare cancer in his skull and he asks: “Am I going to die?” I can only hold back the pain and the sadness, be strong, reassure and cry. That is a tough question to answer but especially when your child is close to heaven: “No one really knows when people die. That is in the hands of God.”
Real Life Cancer Story
When Nick was going in for radiation treatment for 28 days, on the first day, it was easy to be re-assuring and tell him that everything will be okay. When he was a week into it, and he knew he would be behind six inches of lead walls all alone, with his head strapped to a table, a gigantic machine that moved around him like a robot, nauseous from the chemotherapy and radiation, smelling his face getting burned, what could I say to comfort him? This is a moment in your child’s life when things are really bad and there is nothing you can do to soften it. This is a moment of truth. As a parent, it is important to protect your children, but it is equally important to tell them exactly what is happening in the world around them. You can’t hide the things that affect your children. You may think it is a good idea because you are trying to protect them, but when your child finally figures out the truth their hurt will be worse. I think parents have an obligation to tell their children the whole truth about little things, big things and not keep any secrets. You may discover that your children are stronger than you think. On our journey, Nick walked farther than all of us! “In the most difficult moment, you can’t protect your children or take away the pain. All you can do is to hold your child’s hand and walk along beside them.”