A History of Leukaemia

So if the maternal grandfather was the man who makes me think of transplants, it's the paternal grandfather who makes me think of leukaemia.

He had it at a time when treatments were much less sophisticated though and therefore didn't have anywhere near the chance my generation has.

You'd be forgiven for wondering whether there is a hereditary link between what he had and what I had. Also throw into the equation my cousin Stephen who was diagnosed with leukaemia in his mid teens and it seems perfectly logical. It turns out there isn't though, at least there is no direct link between the three different types we've had.

Mine, for instance is dictated by a mutation so while it's genetic in that it is related to an issue with my genes and their expression and replication, it's not something that is passed on. You could argue that members of this family are predisposed to such mutations but proving that would be difficult I think.

Leukaemia is a broad term for a range of diseases and there are so many types of it that approaches and treatments for each one that even other patients of what look to be similar diseases can be markedly different.

Stephen and I were in the same year at school so it's a very hard thing for those people who were in our classes to understand that the two diseases aren't connected. It's simply easier to think that the two things must be related than to think about the intricacies of it all.

We have lots of things that we can each relate to and compare from our assorted travails but equally there's many things from his treatment that I have no frame of reference for and he has none for a decent amount of mine as well. For instance he had to have very aggressive chemotherapy where I only had a two day, intense course; He had localised radiotherapy where moulds were made to ensure localised radiation to where it was needed and I had total body irradiation; he didn't have a donor and so couldn't get a bone marrow transplant and I was lucky enough to have a match and to get one.

It's always interesting to talk to him about the various aspects of it all, especially the differences. Talking about the similar aspects only gleans a little understanding but talking about the areas that differ is where I developed a greater understanding of the treatments and processes I was receiving.

So when I do explain to people that it was sheer, blind chance that two kids from the same family in the same class at school both ended up with leukaemia they never fail to comment about how bad luck it is.

Strangely perhaps I find more solace in thinking that it's blind chance rather than the plan of some creator. Contracting leukaemia didn't stop me going to mass because I felt like God had forsaken me or anything as grandiose as that. It was initially because I wasn't allowed to for fear of infection but mostly because I found that I had developed a greater faith in people than in religion so didn't need it anymore.

I understand why other people may and don't think any less of them for it but it's simply not for me anymore. I don't half miss the hymn singing though even that has lost something since my dad died. We used to stand and just belt them out, caring not a jot. All the other pageantry I can live without.