Life Can Be So Fragile; Please Protect It

A couple of weeks ago I saw a post on Facebook about a new measles strain making an appearance in Canada.  Since then, immunity, or lack there of, has been on my mind more and more. 

When a child (or anyone for that matter) has cancer and undergoes chemotherapy treatments their immunity is compromised.  It is a constant worry, as the mother of a child with cancer, that my child will catch something when his defences are down.  Everything, from the common cold to strep throat, poses a potential risk to my child's life.  These illness are rampant, especially this time of year, and there is really nothing anyone can do, outside of proper hand washing, to prevent these infections.  So we send him to school when he is well enough to go and hope for the best.  What strikes a greater fear within me is the fact that there are far more dangerous diseases out there now making a comeback.  These diseases were pretty much non-existent due to widespread vaccination of children.  Seemingly simple childhood diseases like measles and chicken pox can cause huge problems and can even be fatal.  And that's for a 'healthy' child.  Add into the mix a child who has undergone months of chemotherapy, has had their immunization wiped out and has no white blood cells to speak of to fight off these infections and it scares me to death what the outcome may be. 

These types of diseases didn't have to come back.  They could have stayed dormant with no one to infect if so many people had not decided to opt out of immunizing their children.  I'm not normally a 'soap box' type of person but I'm standing on one today because I am fighting for my child's life and the lives of other children out there who were unlucky enough to be diagnosed with cancer and are forced to deal with all that goes along with it.  We did our part, as parents, and had all of our children vaccinated.  Unfortunately, Justin most likely has none of those immunities left.  If I could keep him in a bubble I would.  I am a mother and my child's greatest advocate and would do anything to protect him.  I'm not suggesting that those who choose not to immunize their children don't feel that same instinct to protect.  I'm sure you had your reasons and I'm not judging anyone.  My only hope is that the diseases that you chose not to vaccinate against never make their way into my son's body.  It would be a tragedy for him, or any immuno-compromised child, to have to suffer needlessly when they have so much else to deal with.  The consequences could be deadly.  Plain and simple.

As I write this today,  Justin is at home.  After today's Cancer Care appointment, he was advised not to return to school.  His counts are in the ditch.  He needs to return to Cancer Care tomorrow for a blood transfusion.  So, though my last entry speaks of forgetting sometimes that Justin has cancer, these are the in-your-face reminders that he does.  He looks good, but looks can be deceiving.  Within his veins a different story is told.  And it is that story that runs through my head incessantly as I pray that he doesn't get sick.