Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm not worth suing, trust me. :-)
Title: Shocking news
Author: Catgurl83
Summary: What is wrong with Ruthie?
Feedback: I love feedback. It helps me think. :-) My e-mail address is catgurl83@yahoo.com
Rating: PG. Just to be on the safe side.
Author's notes: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Just so you know, I realize that the ages I'm using aren't realistic. I'm fudging a little bit because it fits my story better that way. :-) The information I present in this story on the disease can be found at http:\\www.patientcenters.com. I am not a doctor so most of the information came from the site. However, any mistakes are mine not the sites. :-)
**********
"Where am I?" Ruthie wondered as she slowly came awake. She opened her eyes and stared at the immaculate room she was in. She was in the hospital. Questions flooded her mind. The last thing she remembered was going horseback riding with Patricia.
Had something happened? Did her horse throw her?
She glanced over at the table by the bed. Finally, she found what she was looking for. She pressed the button down.
A few minutes later a nurse walked into the room. She smiled. "I see you finally woke up. How are you feeling?"
"I'm really tired. How long did I sleep?"
"About three and a half hours."
Ruthie frowned. Why would she sleep so long? Had her horse thrown her? Did she have a head injury? "What happened?"
"You passed out earlier this afternoon." The nurse answered.
"I did?" Ruthie asked in confusion. She thought for a few moments and realization dawned on her face. She remembered feeling dizzy all of a sudden. She had seen spots in front of her eyes before everything started to fade. "Why?"
"The doctor will come explain it to you and your family soon." The nurse evaded the question.
"Where is my family?"
"They are in the waiting room." She smiled again to reassure the young girl. "Would you like me to get your parents?"
Ruthie nodded.
*********
Matt looked around the packed waiting room. Everyone was here. The Colonel and Ruth were across the room fussing with Charlie whom they had met for the first time today. Eric and Annie sat together, hands tightly clutching on to each other. The twins were playing Lego's on the floor. Simon was staring out the window silently, as he had been all evening. Mary and Sarah were quietly discussing something. Lucy was trying to study but kept looking up every few minutes. Kevin sat next to his wife in silence.
Each of them had their own way of expressing their concern. But they were all concerned. Each of them was wondering what had happened and what was taking the doctor so long.
Most of them knew in their hearts that it was bad. Whatever the doctor had to say when he finally came in here would devastate them. Shake them to the very core of their being. But they also knew that they were going to need to be strong. Ruthie wasn't going to be able to handle this without them. She was going to need their strength. She was going to need their support. She was going to need their love and their prayers. She was going to need them.
So now, they were quietly gathering their strength as "worst-case scenarios" ran through their minds. However, it was worse for some than others. Matt kept running through every disease that he had learned about. He was desperately trying to find the answers. Once he had the answer to this nagging question, he would know what the treatment was.
It occurred to him that there might not be a cure. Or if there was a cure that Ruthie was beyond the stage where it was possible. He savagely pushed the thought away. That would not be the situation for Ruthie. It couldn't be.
"Reverend and Mrs. Camden?"
Several of them jumped at the sound of the voice. They weren't expecting the intrusion into their quiet solitude, although the intrusion was welcomed.
Eric and Annie both stood up to face the nurse. "How is she?"
She smiled to assuage their fear. "She just woke up. She'd like to see her parents."
Annie smiled for the first time in hours. "She's okay?"
The nurse's smile faded. "I didn't say that Mrs. Camden. Ruthie is still in very serious condition."
"When will you know what is wrong with her?" The Colonel demanded.
"The doctor should be here to talk to all of you very soon." The nurse answered before turning back to her patient's parents. "I'll take you to see her now."
*******
What was wrong with her? She was sure that the nurse knew. She had obviously been evading answering the question. Why?
If it wasn't bad, the nurse would have told her. So, it must be bad. It could even be terminal. Terminal. The word echoed in Ruthie's head over and over again. Deadly. She could die.
She felt the tears prick her closed eyelids. She closed her eyes tighter, trying to smother the unbidden tears. The unbidden emotion. She couldn't. The emotions inside her were too strong to be tamped down.
Did everyone feel this way in her situation? Did all patients waiting for their diagnosis feel this helpless? Were they all terrified? Did they remember every good event in their lives? And the bad events too?
The question that kept reverberating throughout her skull was, "Am I dying?"
Her head snapped up when she heard the door open. Her parents both stood in the doorway. Forced smiles were plastered across their faces. That made her want to cry even more.
Annie and Eric both stepped into the room silently. They had no idea what to say to Ruthie. Eric had visited countless people in similar situations and had never had a problem. But none of those people had been his daughter. His youngest baby girl.
Annie went right up to the bed. Ruthie sat up and before she knew it, she was in her mother's arms. Tears were streaming down both faces. Eric stepped up beside them and took one of their hands in each of his.
That is how Dr. Richards found them fifteen minutes later when he stepped into the room. All three of them turned to stare at the doctor.
Dr. Richards motioned to the three chairs near the bed. "Let's sit down." He watched the expressions on Annie and Eric's faces as they took their seats. They were terrified. He hated this part of his job. He really hated it. "We did some blood tests but I have some questions for you Ruthie."
Ruthie just nodded.
"Have you lost any weight lately?"
Ruthie nodded mutely.
"Do you know how much?"
"About ten pounds in the last couple of months." Ruthie mumbled.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Annie asked.
Ruthie shrugged.
"Headaches?" The doctor asked. He was writing her answers down. They weren't surprising him so far.
"Almost all of the time now." Ruthie answered softly.
"Any fevers?"
"I don't think so."
"Okay. Have you been tired a lot lately?"
"Yeah."
He just nodded as he wrote it down. "I am a bit surprised about the lack of fevers. I expected all of your other answers." He finally said.
"Do you know what is wrong with Ruthie?" Annie asked softly.
"Yes. Do to her blood count and her spleen being very enlarged. I know what is wrong with her. Ruthie has Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. CML for short."
Eric closed his eyes as he said a brief prayer. Annie gasped as she grabbed her husband's hand. Ruthie had no outward reaction. Inside she was reeling though.
Dr. Richards waited a few minutes before continuing. "CML is the rarest form of childhood leukemia. Less then 5% of children with childhood leukemia suffers from CML."
"So why Ruthie?" Annie whispered.
He shook his head. "There really isn't an answer for that question. Sometimes it just happens. We will be checking to see if she has the Philidelphia Chromosome. 90% of CML patients have the chromosome."
Eric swallowed. "So, what now?"
"We have to lower her white count. We also need to reduce the size of her spleen. If we can't shrink the size of Ruthie's spleen it will have to be removed."
"How?" Ruthie asked. "Do I have to have Chemo?"
Dr. Richards shook his head. "At least not at this point," he clarified. "For now I am putting you on an oral medication called Hydroxyurea."
"Will that cure her?" Annie asked even though she instinctively knew the answer.
"No. Ruthie's best chance of a cure is a bone marrow transplant."
"How?" Ruthie asked.
"After we find a match and extract the marrow it will be dripped into you through an IV." Dr. Richards explained.
"You'll want to test all of us to find a match?" Eric more stated it then asked it.
"Yes. Do you have any other questions?"
Annie looked at her husband and daughter. Neither spoke. "Probably but not at this moment."
He gave them a brief smile. "Okay. I'll be back by later tonight."
"Thank you." Eric said distractedly.
"We are going to have to tell the others." Annie stated.
"No."
Eric and Annie both turned startled eyes on Ruthie. "What?" Eric asked.
"I want to tell them." Ruthie whispered her plea.
Annie studied her daughter for a few moments. "Okay." She finally agreed. She knew that Ruthie needed to do this herself. "How?"
"Can you send them in one or two at a time?"
"Of course Honey." Annie answered as she and Eric both stood. "Are you ready to do this now?"
Ruthie just nodded. She needed to do this now.
***********
Title: Shocking news
Author: Catgurl83
Summary: What is wrong with Ruthie?
Feedback: I love feedback. It helps me think. :-) My e-mail address is catgurl83@yahoo.com
Rating: PG. Just to be on the safe side.
Author's notes: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Just so you know, I realize that the ages I'm using aren't realistic. I'm fudging a little bit because it fits my story better that way. :-) The information I present in this story on the disease can be found at http:\\www.patientcenters.com. I am not a doctor so most of the information came from the site. However, any mistakes are mine not the sites. :-)
**********
"Where am I?" Ruthie wondered as she slowly came awake. She opened her eyes and stared at the immaculate room she was in. She was in the hospital. Questions flooded her mind. The last thing she remembered was going horseback riding with Patricia.
Had something happened? Did her horse throw her?
She glanced over at the table by the bed. Finally, she found what she was looking for. She pressed the button down.
A few minutes later a nurse walked into the room. She smiled. "I see you finally woke up. How are you feeling?"
"I'm really tired. How long did I sleep?"
"About three and a half hours."
Ruthie frowned. Why would she sleep so long? Had her horse thrown her? Did she have a head injury? "What happened?"
"You passed out earlier this afternoon." The nurse answered.
"I did?" Ruthie asked in confusion. She thought for a few moments and realization dawned on her face. She remembered feeling dizzy all of a sudden. She had seen spots in front of her eyes before everything started to fade. "Why?"
"The doctor will come explain it to you and your family soon." The nurse evaded the question.
"Where is my family?"
"They are in the waiting room." She smiled again to reassure the young girl. "Would you like me to get your parents?"
Ruthie nodded.
*********
Matt looked around the packed waiting room. Everyone was here. The Colonel and Ruth were across the room fussing with Charlie whom they had met for the first time today. Eric and Annie sat together, hands tightly clutching on to each other. The twins were playing Lego's on the floor. Simon was staring out the window silently, as he had been all evening. Mary and Sarah were quietly discussing something. Lucy was trying to study but kept looking up every few minutes. Kevin sat next to his wife in silence.
Each of them had their own way of expressing their concern. But they were all concerned. Each of them was wondering what had happened and what was taking the doctor so long.
Most of them knew in their hearts that it was bad. Whatever the doctor had to say when he finally came in here would devastate them. Shake them to the very core of their being. But they also knew that they were going to need to be strong. Ruthie wasn't going to be able to handle this without them. She was going to need their strength. She was going to need their support. She was going to need their love and their prayers. She was going to need them.
So now, they were quietly gathering their strength as "worst-case scenarios" ran through their minds. However, it was worse for some than others. Matt kept running through every disease that he had learned about. He was desperately trying to find the answers. Once he had the answer to this nagging question, he would know what the treatment was.
It occurred to him that there might not be a cure. Or if there was a cure that Ruthie was beyond the stage where it was possible. He savagely pushed the thought away. That would not be the situation for Ruthie. It couldn't be.
"Reverend and Mrs. Camden?"
Several of them jumped at the sound of the voice. They weren't expecting the intrusion into their quiet solitude, although the intrusion was welcomed.
Eric and Annie both stood up to face the nurse. "How is she?"
She smiled to assuage their fear. "She just woke up. She'd like to see her parents."
Annie smiled for the first time in hours. "She's okay?"
The nurse's smile faded. "I didn't say that Mrs. Camden. Ruthie is still in very serious condition."
"When will you know what is wrong with her?" The Colonel demanded.
"The doctor should be here to talk to all of you very soon." The nurse answered before turning back to her patient's parents. "I'll take you to see her now."
*******
What was wrong with her? She was sure that the nurse knew. She had obviously been evading answering the question. Why?
If it wasn't bad, the nurse would have told her. So, it must be bad. It could even be terminal. Terminal. The word echoed in Ruthie's head over and over again. Deadly. She could die.
She felt the tears prick her closed eyelids. She closed her eyes tighter, trying to smother the unbidden tears. The unbidden emotion. She couldn't. The emotions inside her were too strong to be tamped down.
Did everyone feel this way in her situation? Did all patients waiting for their diagnosis feel this helpless? Were they all terrified? Did they remember every good event in their lives? And the bad events too?
The question that kept reverberating throughout her skull was, "Am I dying?"
Her head snapped up when she heard the door open. Her parents both stood in the doorway. Forced smiles were plastered across their faces. That made her want to cry even more.
Annie and Eric both stepped into the room silently. They had no idea what to say to Ruthie. Eric had visited countless people in similar situations and had never had a problem. But none of those people had been his daughter. His youngest baby girl.
Annie went right up to the bed. Ruthie sat up and before she knew it, she was in her mother's arms. Tears were streaming down both faces. Eric stepped up beside them and took one of their hands in each of his.
That is how Dr. Richards found them fifteen minutes later when he stepped into the room. All three of them turned to stare at the doctor.
Dr. Richards motioned to the three chairs near the bed. "Let's sit down." He watched the expressions on Annie and Eric's faces as they took their seats. They were terrified. He hated this part of his job. He really hated it. "We did some blood tests but I have some questions for you Ruthie."
Ruthie just nodded.
"Have you lost any weight lately?"
Ruthie nodded mutely.
"Do you know how much?"
"About ten pounds in the last couple of months." Ruthie mumbled.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Annie asked.
Ruthie shrugged.
"Headaches?" The doctor asked. He was writing her answers down. They weren't surprising him so far.
"Almost all of the time now." Ruthie answered softly.
"Any fevers?"
"I don't think so."
"Okay. Have you been tired a lot lately?"
"Yeah."
He just nodded as he wrote it down. "I am a bit surprised about the lack of fevers. I expected all of your other answers." He finally said.
"Do you know what is wrong with Ruthie?" Annie asked softly.
"Yes. Do to her blood count and her spleen being very enlarged. I know what is wrong with her. Ruthie has Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. CML for short."
Eric closed his eyes as he said a brief prayer. Annie gasped as she grabbed her husband's hand. Ruthie had no outward reaction. Inside she was reeling though.
Dr. Richards waited a few minutes before continuing. "CML is the rarest form of childhood leukemia. Less then 5% of children with childhood leukemia suffers from CML."
"So why Ruthie?" Annie whispered.
He shook his head. "There really isn't an answer for that question. Sometimes it just happens. We will be checking to see if she has the Philidelphia Chromosome. 90% of CML patients have the chromosome."
Eric swallowed. "So, what now?"
"We have to lower her white count. We also need to reduce the size of her spleen. If we can't shrink the size of Ruthie's spleen it will have to be removed."
"How?" Ruthie asked. "Do I have to have Chemo?"
Dr. Richards shook his head. "At least not at this point," he clarified. "For now I am putting you on an oral medication called Hydroxyurea."
"Will that cure her?" Annie asked even though she instinctively knew the answer.
"No. Ruthie's best chance of a cure is a bone marrow transplant."
"How?" Ruthie asked.
"After we find a match and extract the marrow it will be dripped into you through an IV." Dr. Richards explained.
"You'll want to test all of us to find a match?" Eric more stated it then asked it.
"Yes. Do you have any other questions?"
Annie looked at her husband and daughter. Neither spoke. "Probably but not at this moment."
He gave them a brief smile. "Okay. I'll be back by later tonight."
"Thank you." Eric said distractedly.
"We are going to have to tell the others." Annie stated.
"No."
Eric and Annie both turned startled eyes on Ruthie. "What?" Eric asked.
"I want to tell them." Ruthie whispered her plea.
Annie studied her daughter for a few moments. "Okay." She finally agreed. She knew that Ruthie needed to do this herself. "How?"
"Can you send them in one or two at a time?"
"Of course Honey." Annie answered as she and Eric both stood. "Are you ready to do this now?"
Ruthie just nodded. She needed to do this now.
***********
