chapter 3

Hot shot and his friends were in the hospital getting cancer treatment. They had been there for almost 3 weeks and they were getting used to it. They got their feeding tubes taken out today and they were glad for that. They were being taken to different part of the hospital for a special scan to decide what kind of radiation therapy they were going to need.

Hot shot got a special cast made of stretchy special mesh made of his leg. Medix had a special mask of his face made out of the same mesh. Hoist had a special cushion made for him because his cancer was in his belly. While Wedge and Whirl had to stay very still for the scan with a mask or cushion to get rid of the cancer. The techs made marks on Hot shot's cast and Medix's mask, and made marks on Hoist's belly.

Things were going okay. They were getting chemo again today and it was getting easier. They got to do things while getting their chemo treatment. It didn't bother them much when the nurses hooked them up and they also pretended to hook up their stuffed animals when doing it. It made them smiled when the nurses did that.

They also had hats their families ordered when their hair fell out. They were a bit worried about the hair loss it made them a bit nervous they were hoping it wasn't going to hurt and such. The nurses told them everyone's experience was different and not to worry.

Soon they noticed their hair falling a couple of days later. They saw hair on their pillows, in the hair brushes and falling out even when they just sat there. They were shocked about this. Even though they knew it was going to happen. They were a bit worried what others would say or think. So it was a bit nerve-wracking.

Then the rest of their hair had fallen out a day or so later and they even lost their eyebrows and eyelashes. They were very shocked at this, but they knew it was going to happen. They got to see all the hats their families had ordered for them when the hair fell out. They saw their were many different chemo hats. They had many different colors, and patterns.

It was pretty cool. Their families told them the orange, yellow, lilac, and grey were special because it represented the fight against their types of cancer. They said the golden ones were also special because it represents the fight against childhood cancer.

They each chose a hat to wear that day before they went to the play room. The hats were soft and comfortable. It was pretty cool. They went to the playroom and saw each other and they talked.

"I can't believe I lost all my hair," Hot shot said.

"I lost my eyebrows and eyelashes along with my hair," Whirl said.

"Same here," the others said.

They met other kids with cancer at the hospital some had just started their treatment and were very nervous about the side effects and such. Some were starting to lose their hair, while others just lost all their hair like them.

These kids had different types of cancer and some them had the same cancer as them. But most of them had leukemia. "How come most of the cancer patients here have Leukemia?" Wedge asked.

"It's because Leukemia is the most common of the childhood cancers, along with brain cancers, lymphoma and bone cancers," the nurse explained.

There was still things to do to get better. They were starting their radiation treatment and they were worried if it was going to hurt. But the radiologist assured them it wasn't going to hurt.

They met other kids with cancer getting radiation in that area. Some of them were just like them and starting the treatment for the first time, while others had been doing it for a while.

They got to use the mask and cast and cushions made for their treatment to help keep them still and get the treatment in the right spot. During their treatments they didn't feel a thing. They saw bright lights and smelled a strange smell though. But it wasn't so bad.

The hospital had many things to do while they were getting treatment to get better. There was TV, movies, games, music, and art. They saw child life specialists regularly. These special people at the hospital did special play and therapy, sometimes a therapy dog was brought into cheer them up and they really enjoyed that.

There was room service too so they can order snacks and meals.

They still had to take lots of different medicines.

It had been few weeks and they still were in the hospital they really missed their homes.

They had days in the hospital where they felt good, they also had days where they felt sad, scared, lonely, angry, or sick. They cried at times but that was normal.

Their family sometimes visited them and brought them things, like books, hats, and toys. But they really enjoyed their families company.

Side swipe decided to have his head shaved to support his older brother and his parents were proud of it. Hot shot was glad his little brother was supporting him.

Heavyload, Gridlock and Hightower had their heads shaved to support their younger brother. Wedge felt pretty happy and special his brothers were supporting him.

The doctors and nurses did lots of tests, like blood tests, biopsies, and scans while they were there to check on things. They also got lots of people to talk to about how they felt about what was going on.

They knew there was still cancer to fight and they were going to beat the cancer and get better.

To be continued.