Melia's story (english)

Chapter 3 : the doctor

Chapter 3

The doctor

A new day just rises. I smell coffee! I might not like the taste but I love the smell. What can I say, I'm odd. And I hear movement in the kitchen. My mum must have her day off! But that means we are meeting my doctor today. She works long hours in order to take care of me and my new needs. She is a nurse and takes as many shifts at the hospital as she can find. I hardly ever see her anymore. Usually it is just for a few minutes before she leaves for her shift or some times before she goes to sleep. It feels like I'm leaving on my own.

Ιt has always been the two of us. I don't remember my father and I never was curious to learn anything about him. He left. He didn't care for us and that was everything I needed to know about him. I had just graduated from high school and I was getting ready to go on vacations with my best friend Sara before we move to college. But as I did my annual checkup, the test results showed high numbers of abnormal white cells which is translated in cancer and more specifically leukemia.

Immediately my plans were cancelled. My mother and I were frantically looking for the best cancer institute that we could afford. That search led us to London and at Royal Marsden Hospital. My mother quickly arranged our moving and she got a new job at a hospital near my treatment center. Today is my first appointment with Dr. Reeves. He is the doctor we hope to take on my treatment.

"Good morning mum!"

"Good morning Melia. How are you today?"

"Fine mum, like always" I'm trying not to stress her more than necessary so when I can get away without her noticing my growing tiredness I don't tell her. But today I really feel fine.

"Your breakfast is ready darling. Eat quick so we can leave".

The doctor who looked at my test results warned me that most of the time I'm going to feel normal and that is because we found out about it in its early stage. My illness will start with tiredness, weakness, pain, bruises, lack of appetite, dizziness and sometimes high fever but all that symptoms can easily be mistaken for a flu or my anxiety towards college. I was really lucky that I did my annual checkup or else it might be too late. The doctor also said that I must eat healthy and a lot so my mother has prepared breakfast for an entire army! I don't want to upset her but there is no way I'm going to eat all that food on my own.

Later, while I change from my nightgown to a blue T-shirt, jeans and my worn all stars I notice a large bruise at my left hand. I wonder where I got that but then I remember Kyran's unexpected visit yesterday and his hand grabbing my arm while the strange man was knocking on the door. I don't remember hurting at all so it must be cancer's symptom. I sigh.

My mother keeps complaining all the way to the hospital, because I ate only my cereals. I can't change in one day. I was an athlete after all, I never ate much. I can't eat like a pig because she says so. I just tune her out and try to suppress my anxiety about the doctor's opinion. I pretend the brave one since the beginning but even though everyone says I'm going to be fine because it is in an early stage I can't help it but feel scared. I've got cancer for Christ's sake not a cold!

That's why as soon as we get to the hospital I ask to see my doctor alone. She got hurt I can see that by the look she gave me but I need to know the full state of my condition and I think she keeps things hidden from me. I'm the sick one and almost an adult, I have the right to know!

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Dr.Reeves is a very good doctor. He explained everything to me and answered all my questions, even the silly ones. My condition is pretty serious but not incurable. I have Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). He gave me some examples of people he treated in later stages than me and they cured. There is no guarantee about such things but he doesn't see a reason why I won't. He told me that we will run some tests first and then we will choose the right treatment approach for me and my body. He assured me that we will do whatever is necessary to win but there is no need for me to change anything in my daily life for now and he thinks that I won't have to in the future. I asked him about exercise and he said that it won't do any harm and that it will actually help me keep my strength, endurance and my high spirit.

Being positive he said is the first step towards being cured. But he warned me that I must not press my body for performance. We scheduled most of the tests for this afternoon and then I was free to go.

In our drive home my mother wasn't talking to me so I was thinking what sport I could do without being tempted to perform highly. I remembered a sign I saw when we were driving to the hospital earlier this morning. It was a sign of a swimming center. This could be perfect! Many years have passed since my last swimming practice, but how difficult could it be?

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This chapter is updated 20/7/15