Abigail

Chapter eight.

Chapter eight.

The next day, I had requested to be on my own. That meant no nurses, no doctors, no family and no friends. They didn't like this request but they respected it. Nobody really understood what I was going through, so I didn't want them to be around.

I had taken the day to read stories about people with a similar condition to me. I wanted to see how they coped and how they dealt with it. One particular story caught my eye;

'Hello, my name is Amy and this is my story.

I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia at the age of four. My parents had become increasingly worried about me, and so the doctors seemed like the only option. As I was only four, it didn't really affect me. I mean, sure I was poorly and I couldn't do normal things like every other child, but to me, this was normal.

They ran numerous of tests on me and I had to stay in the Children's hospital for quite some time. Mum and Dad started to fight. Mum became depressed and Dad was struggling to cope. They fought over silly things, but it was my fault. If I hadn't have become ill, they would still be together and happy. They split up when I was five.

When I was six years old, the doctors told me that I was better again. That meant no hospitals for long periods of time and I was able to go back to school - perfect, right? Not really. Yes, I went back to school and yes, I made friends but things weren't good. The divorce took an even bigger toll on mum. She tried committing suicide on a number of occasions - this I found out later as she didn't want me worrying and knowing.

I relapsed at the age of ten. Mum had passed away due to overdose of drugs - legal drugs. I was now living with my father who drove big Lorries. It was an even harder experience for me, this time. Not only did I miss school and my friends started drifting away, I had cancer and I didn't have a mother. Three months later, dad got in a crash and was killed on impact.

I moved in with my grandmother whom had just turned 73. She struggled to look after me but she tried her best. Once again, I was clear from cancer at the age of fourteen.

But now, at the age of seventeen, I am not sure if I'll make it to Christmas. It's back. And this time, it's terminal.

Contact me if you need to talk. I'll always be here.

Facebook: Amy Iris
Twitter: @AmyBeatCancer'

I took a big breath. That story had truly touched me and I immediately found myself logging in on Facebook. I tapped the search bar and looked for her. After seeing the photo she had posted along with the story, I knew that I had found the right person.
Add friend. Click.

It was only a few moments later that I got a notification telling me that she had accepted my request. I pulled up a new message and began writing;

'Hi Amy, I read your story and it really touched me. I have relapsed again and I'm struggling to cope. I found it amazing how you're still going strong and I just wanted to say hey. -Abby.'

I waited patiently for a reply. Meanwhile, I started to write up a story about my experience. Maybe I could reach out to people. Maybe, just maybe, I could start a group. A group where people could post their experiences and ask for help or advice, or even just make friends. Maybe a group in which nobody would be judged or treated differently.

'Hello Abby! I'm so glad you decided to contact me. How old were you when you first got diagnosed? What's your story? -Amy.'

I thought. Did I really want to tell a stranger about myself? It was only fair. I knew her story and so she should know mine, right? And so I began to tell her. I trusted a complete stranger.

'I was fourteen when I first got diagnosed. I spent about six months in London, going through chemo and I beat it. I was in remission for about a year but I relapsed a few weeks ago. -Abby.'

I didn't want to go into full detail about my life, at least not yet, anyway. I didn't even know this girl, but I wanted help. I wanted to talk to someone that understood. Someone that had been through it before and that someone happened to be Amy. Heck, my life sounds pathetic compared to hers.

'Aw, I'm so sorry :( So that makes you sixteen, right? -Amy.'

'Yeah, and you're seventeen? -Abby.'

'I certainly am. Do you have any brothers and sisters? What about your parents? Do your friends visit? -Amy.'

I sighed at the thought. I've always wanted a sister but it wasn't possible. Dad was too busy with his work and they'd gone through enough stress with me, so another baby wasn't in the equation.

'I have a brother - Noah. My parents are still together. Dad is an Oncologist and mum is a housewife. I have one friend - Ashton. -Abby.'

'That's so cool; I've always wanted a brother! I have a couple friends but they don't come and visit often because they claim that it's not a nice sight. Friendly, huh? -Amy.'

I suddenly realised how lucky I was. Even though I only had one friend, that one friend I had came to visit and he truly cared. I could be like Amy with no real family or friends. I could be going through this completely alone with nobody that cared. But I wasn't.

'What hospital are you in? I'd love to meet you. -Abby.'

Nobody deserved to be alone.

'Manchester, you? -Amy.'

'No way! Me too! -Abby.'

I was practically bouncing on my bed, in excitement. All through my life, I've only really had Ashton as a friend so I was pretty excited to make a new friend. I wasn't going to see her straight away though; I didn't want to take a risk. I was determined to get to know her first.

I waited patiently for a reply but she didn't answer. Maybe I was a little too forward. I contemplated on writing out another message but I stopped once I saw that she had read the message. I didn't think much of it though.

Thirty minutes passed.

'Sorry for a late reply, I was having my bloods taken again so they took my laptop off me. We should meet -Amy.'

Maybe she wasn't ignoring me after all.

'We should. I'm not allowed to leave the ward just yet though -Abby.'

'Let me know when you can. It'll be nice to have a friend -Amy.'

And we carried on messaging back and forth all day. Demi had come in at some point and left some food on my bedside table but I didn't touch it. I didn't have anyone to fuss over me and boss me about, so I was happy enough to leave it where it was.
Ashton had tried texting me to apologise and Noah had too, but I ignored their texts. I replied a simple, 'I'm ok x' to mum but that's about it.

As for the chemotherapy, I'm finishing this cycle off but I don't want to do anymore after this. Like I said before, its fate and you can't mess with fate.
I'll just see what happens.