I have had a rough life, but I'm still thankful for everything I have. I am 12 years old and in the past 4 years everything has gone down hill . It all started in 4th grade, but before I start my story, let me give you a little background information. My dad is a big person in many ways to start with he is 6’2 and 225 pounds and he loves to hunt and fish. My mother was 5’5 150 pounds and loved to take long boat rides and explore new things. Now onto my story... In 4th grade, my dad and I just got back from a long hunting trip (around 3-6 days.) We both walk in the house and see my mom sitting on the couch reading a book, her face is very yellow, my dad and I went over to her and gave her a hug. Before we could say anything she asked me how it was and if I liked it. This was my first trip with my dad. I leaned over and said I had a lot of fun. Nothing really happened until the next week. My mother told my dad that she had a throbbing pain in her liver, and she went to the doctor. From there, she was diagnosed with liver disease, or it’s common name, fatty liver. At first, my dad tried to protect me, telling me things like she was taking a vacation. He tried to tell me she was taking time to go to work meeting. After 2 weeks, my dad finally broke the news to me that her liver was failing and I went to visit her in the hospital. Her face pale and her legs very very yellow. She told me she was gonna be fine and I believed her for a long time, but after 2 months she was in the ICU (intensive care unit). I went to visit her and she wasn't really talking and I gave her a hug and talked to her with my dad. After an hour we went home, and then about a week later she was better, but still in ICU. At least at this point she was able to talk. We had conversations about school and other things. I came back 2 days later it was Saturday and I told my dad that I wanted to spend the night with her. I did, but I didn't get much sleep. I kept waking up, the doctors in and out, cycling fluids in and out of her along with checking up on her periodically. I left on Sunday and we said our goodbyes. I came back a week later and she was in NCU (normal care unit) and at this time she had been in the hospital for 2 months and if you don't walk for 2 months and just are sitting on a bed you're gonna have a little trouble walking. In NCU she was learning how to walk again. The doctors were 90% sure that she had to have a liver transplant but to make sure they were right they ran a lot of tests. They ran 2 different CAT scans. At this time when they put many fluids in her body, they put a port in her shoulder and they messed up the first one. My mother’s port failed so she had to have it on the other side, after the 5th month my mom was in ICU again and worse than ever. She was bright yellow like the sun. I was not allowed to see her because they said if she was exposed to a lot of germs she could become more ill. I agreed and I went on with my day. I went to visit her 1 week later. She was laying quietly and the nurse next to me yelled out (my mother's name)...Rochelle your son is here. She left and I said, “Mom?” No reply. I started to tear up and I said , I love you. Those were the last words I ever said to her. I walked out of the room, I hugged my Dad and said she’s gone. At this point, I was full of tears. We went home and the next day my Dad said you wanna go see mom? I said no, about 4 days later my grandparents came over. My grandparents live 25 minutes away. I greeted them at the door. They came and sat down with me. My dad and my grandparents told me last night your mother passed away. I actually never saw my dad cry before and he hugged me. He told me and said we should take a walk. We went for a walk in our back yard and we had a conversation.
Two days later, I went back to school. I came home and my aunt was at my house. She lives 8 states North of us. I was really excited to see her, but she told me my dad was at the doctor’s office. She said he had gout in his feet. I later learned that gout was a symptom of cancer. We later learned he had acute leukemia, stage 3. I went to visit him. He was laying on the bed. I went over to him and gave him a big hug and said I don’t want to lose you, like mom.