Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2008. Three months before Mattie was diagnosed with cancer. If I had to give this photo a title, it would be, "our little engineer." Mattie had an early fascinating with taking things apart and putting them back together. He was actually quite amazing and working together, I can't tell you how many objects around the house we dissected!
Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.
- number of people who have been diagnosed with the virus: 933,050
- number of people who have died from the virus: 53,391
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Childhood cancer is a family disease. As such there are long term psychosocial consequences that affect everyone in the family. Research shows that adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and frequently report posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). With up to 50% of AYA survivors reporting intrusive (recurrent and unwanted memories, flashbacks, physical reaction to a memory of the trauma), avoidant (avoiding places and thoughts), and arousal (irritability, trouble concentrating, trouble sleeping, startle easily) symptoms. However, there are also long-term psychological effects on parents of childhood cancer survivors which include anxiety and depression (20–30%), post-traumatic stress (21–44%), worry (33–75%), disease-related thoughts and feelings (13%) and decreased quality of life.
As we face the Coronavirus Pandemic on a global level, childhood cancer survivors and their families may find that they are re-experiencing many of the same feelings they thought they had already addressed, managed, or overcome. Yet, the Pandemic evokes some of these same feelings, thoughts, and behaviors we had when our child was diagnosed and in treatment. Causing us once again to live with health anxiety, fear about the future, worrying about finances, and forced to make difficult health decisions for our child and family. Childhood cancer families must never forget that we are resilient, resourceful, and we have learned under the worst of circumstances how to manage and cope with a health care crisis. This is important for us to remember as is the fact that you have built up a network over the days, months, and years since your child was diagnosed that you can tap into for support.
Resources:
https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/center-pediatric-traumatic-stress
https://www.healthcaretoolbox.org/tools-and-resources/14-health-care-toolbox/tools-and-resources/602-covid19-children-and-families.html
https://www.healthcaretoolbox.org/tools-and-resources/surviving-cancer-competently-intervention-program.html
https://www.nctsn.org/
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