Before I Die | Lilo AU

Prologue

leukaemia ~ noun : a cancerous disease of the white blood cells in the body

After months of unbearable joint pain, fatigue, weakness, fever and weight loss, I had eventually persuaded my mother to take me to the hospital.

Now, two weeks later, my mother and I were back at the hospital to receive the results of my tests. Hopefully it was nothing, and it probably was. I mean, I do a lot of sports which could cause the joint pain; I'm always stressed with school: cause of fatigue; weakness could be anything, but the fever and weight loss were unexplainable. It wasn't flu season and I ate like a cow.

"Kristina Cooper?" A nurse called into the waiting room. I nudged my mom and lifted myself to my feet. It took a bit of work, which was what I was concerned about.

I followed the nurse into a small room, dragging my mom behind me. I sat down onto a comfy armchair and never let go of my moms hand. She took a seat beside me and smiled at the doctor in front of us.

"Hello, Dr. Benz," my mother greeted simply.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Cooper, Krissy." Dr. Benz winked at me and I blushed. He was a young, handsome doctor, perhaps in his mid twenties. He had sleek dark hair and a dashing smile.

Dr. Benz began to talk to my mother about the tests and frequently showed her a sheet of paper which I would glance at but never see fully. I tried to listen but couldn't find the energy, so I snoozed in the comfortable armchair.

"Krissy?" I heard a voice say gently. It was the nurse, who offered me a glass of water but I refused. The nurse, Fiona, placed the glass on the table beside me nevertheless.

"Kristina, listen please." My mother told me sincerely. I perked up and listened as best I could to the conversation Dr. Benz and my mom were having. After a minute or two, Dr. Benz turned to me slightly and smiled a small smile that didn't show any teeth, which was unusual for Dr. Benz. I felt like it sympathetic or sorrowful. Oh no.

"Ms. Cooper, Krissy... you have Leukaemia." Dr. Benz chocked painfully.

I sat in a daze. I didn't really know what Leukaemia was. To my right, tears spilled down my mothers cheeks and her head fell into her palms. I looked at her like she was crazy; why was she crying?

"What's that?" I asked Dr. Benz.

"It's a common type of childhood Cancer. You've been showing most of the symptoms for the disease and your tests came back positive." Dr. Benz told me. It was coming clear. As soon as I heard the word Cancer I though about death. For the past few months, I thought I was experiencing dying, but now I truly felt it. I suddenly got weaker and felt helpless. Now that I knew my sickness had a name it was so much worse.

I could feel my cheeks dampen as my eyes welled. Thin arms wrapped around my neck and comforted me. It was my mother. She cried into my hair and jolted as she wheezed.

"Mom, mom, stop." I pushed her off of me lightly and wiped my eyes.

"What's the treatment?" I asked precociously.

"Chemotherapy. We can start straight away if you'd like." Dr. Benz smiled comfortingly.

"Mom, listen. You gotta listen." I told my mother. She wiped her eyes.

"Will it be better if she starts now?" Mom asked Dr. Benz.

"Perhaps. The sooner the better." Dr. Benz nodded.

"Okay. Let's do it," I pronounced.