For the child with cancer and his or her parents there are two basic choices. They can choose the pessimistic road, which goes downhill and expects that the cancer will cause the child to die. They can choose the optimistic road, an admittedly uphill road leading to the top of a mountain.
The curves in the mountain road are many. They are the many problems that have to be handled during treatment, which may include:
• Recurrent admission to the hospital for fevers and infections requiring intravenous antibiotics.
• Side effects of chemotherapy such as hair loss, nausea, vomiting, mouth ulcers, stomach ulcers, blood in the urine and rectal ulcers.
• Side effects of radiation therapy such as hair loss, skin irritation, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.
• Side effects of surgery including discomfort and organs that do not work in a normal way.
• Allergic reactions to blood, blood products or antibiotics.
• Changes in plans to attend school or social functions or to go on family trips.
• Therapies that are only partially successful.
• Special kinds of treatment such as investigational protocols or bone marrow transplantation.
