The Talk

MOMMY:

Before this week, doctors were there to help make Luis feel better. Now his experiences with doctors include surgeries, pokes, tubes, monitors, sore tummies, and now vomiting. You can imagine how confused he must be.

After Luis vomited for the first time this evening, he said "I don't like being sick". His daddy and I looked at each other, and we agreed it was time for 'the talk'. It was time that we introduced him to words like 'cancer' and 'tumour' to describe things that were happening in his body. It was time he understood that he has more than just a cough.

When we told him he has something worse than a cold, he asked "What is it called?" Our response: "Cancer". We started by telling him about the billions and trillions of cells in his body like Cat in the Hat talked about on Treehouse. With the use of our before and after X-ray, we explained how there was a ball in chest last week. It was made up of bad cells and it was called a ‘tumour’. We explained the importance of taking his medicine without a fight, washing his hands and being careful about catching germs, and sometimes wearing a ‘doctor’ mask when we’re out. We told him that he needs his medicine to keep the bad cells away. He will need to take his medicine for a long time…when he is 5 years old and then 6 years old. I think he is starting to understand a little. It will become more clear as time passes.

On the brighter side, with Luis’ chest tube removed he is more mobile. The Child Life Specialist reserved a room for him to play. Unfortunately, all the fun play rooms were loaded with kids, and thus germs, so we went to the Teen Lounge. Surrounded by computers and a big screen TV, Luis enjoyed painting pictures and the Dino Eggs that Daddy dodged yesterday. One perk of the hospital is someone else is paid to clean your mess.



Our first play time out of the hospital room, painting in the Teen Lounge



Luis also had an opportunity to talk with some of his best friends at day care. Luis was excited to talk to Laveesh about his new movie, Iron Man, but Laveesh seemed a little phone shy. He said “Hi”, but not much else. When Miss Rosalba came back on the phone, Luis said “I don’t want to talk to her”. I think it hurt her feelings, but please don’t take it personal. He didn’t want to talk to Papa today either and Luis LOVES Papa. Luis also got to talk with his buddy Timothy. He was a bit more talkative. Timothy asked “Are you feeling better, Luis?” to which Luis responded “No…yes”. The kids are so cute. Luis’ class is preparing something special for him. Papa is going to bring it this weekend. I know he is going to love it. 

Mommy and Luis