Nineteen
A/N: This is quite a long chapter and there may be a few things I haven't properly explained. If you don't understand any of it please PM me and I will explain it clearer. Note: This chapter gets scientific and may be a little bit sad.
Alana's POV
Oscar decided to tell me. Tracy left us in private for him to tell me. I was scared. Something was up and it obviously wasn't good.
"Listen Ali, please don't freak out when I tell you. I need your support more than anything," Oscar told me using my pet name. I nodded slowly and swallowed. "When they did blood tests to see what blood type I was. They noticed something. I had abnormal cells in my blood." I watched him intently. He looked at me and smiled weakly. "Alana this is hard to say but they... they were leukaemia cells." I bit my lip not quite understanding.
"Alana, I have leukaemia," he said. I took a sharp intake of breath.
"Isn't that cancer of the blood? Are you going to die? How did you get it? How do you get rid of it?" I asked quickly now terrified he was going to die in front of me.
"Relax. Yes it's cancer of the blood. I'm not likely to die but there is a possibility. I got it... well I'm not sure how. There are lots of ways of getting rid of it," Oscar explained calmly.
He sighed. "you know all those bruises I've been getting recently, really easily? And the tiredness and headaches? And yesterday rapid blood loss through a small cut and fainting? They are all symptoms of acute leukaemia. Acute means it the number of malignant cells rapidly increases and treatment is needed straight away."
I leant back in my chair trying to compose myself. "What options do you have to get rid of it?" I asked, my voice the only thing giving away my emotions. He shrugged.
"I don't know, they haven't told me yet," Oscar replied as a Doctor and Tracy came back in.
No-one's POV
Alana was sat in the chair next to Oscar. He was leaning up in the bed and Tracy was sat on the edge of the bed. The Doctor stood at the end of the bed. "hello Oscar, I'm Dr Williams. I'm here to talk to you about leukaemia and the options you have."
Oscar reached out and grabbed his sister's hand. She squeezed it and smiled at him, supporting him the whole way.
"Now with your case we need to sort it out quickly as there is a very large amount of malignant cells in your body. This can be done by chemotherapy, radiotherapy or physical tablet formed drugs. Now I have heard that you and your sister are very much against tablets, according to your records," Dr Williams said. Oscar nodded. "So in that case chemotherapy or radiotherapy or a mixture of both would be best for you." Oscar nodded again.
"that's fine," he replied. Tracy shook her head.
"that's not all I'm afraid Oscar," Tracy told him.
"Tracy is right. The leukaemia has affected your kidneys and you need a transplant. We are also considering a bone marrow transplant after either the chemotherapy or radiotherapy to increase red blood cells quickly and produce white blood cells. This would also mean the DNA in your blood will be different to the DNA elsewhere on your body," Dr Williams said.
Alana gave the Doctor a hard stare. "I'm sorry sir but he'll need a bone marrow transplant? How does that work?" Dr Williams turned to look at the young determined looking girl.
"Bone marrow is found in the middle of your bone. It produces blood and the cells in the blood. Leukaemia means that the bone marrow is producing abnormal cells as well. A bone marrow transplant means that marrow from a donor will be taking out their hip and placed into your brother's arm. This new bone marrow will change the existing bone marrow into the implanted bone marrow. This will result in no abnormal cells being produced and will reduce the risk of the leukaemia coming back," Dr Williams explained. Alana nodded. "All we need to do is find a suitable match from either a relative or donor." Everyone turned to look at Alana.
"Are we trying to say I've got a match for my brother and that you want one of my kidneys and my bone marrow to implant in him?" Alana asked raising her eyebrows. Oscar burst out laughing at this.
"Yes. I think we are. That's why we asked if you would be prepared to do anything for me," Oscar told her. Realisation hit Alana at that point.
"in that case, I'll do it. If it helps Oscar it's worth it," Alana said.
"Having your bone marrow will reduce the chance of the body rejecting it and trying to kill it because you've got similar bone marrow," Dr Williams said. Alana nodded.
"I know," she said.