Denial

In the first few days after diagnosis, many parents use denial to shield themselves
from the terrifying situation. They simply cannot believe that their child has a life-
threatening illness. Denial may serve as a useful method to survive the first few days
after diagnosis, but a gradual acceptance must occur so that the family can begin to
make the necessary adjustments to cancer treatment. Life has dramatically changed.
Once parents accept the doctor’s prognosis, push their fears into the background, and
begin to believe that their child will survive, they will be better able to advocate for
their child and family.
After our daughter’s diagnosis, we had to drive two hours to the
hospital. My husband and I talked about leukemia the entire trip and,
I felt, started to come to grips with the illness. However, after the IV, the
x-rays, and the blood transfusions, he became extremely upset that they
were going to admit her. He thought that we could just go home and it
would be finished. I had to say, “This will be our life for years.”
• • • • •
My husband and I sat and waited in silence until the doctor came back
with the test results. The next thing I knew we were in his office with a
primary nurse, a social worker, and a resident listening to the sickening
news that our son had leukemia. I couldn’t stop crying, and just wanted
to grab my 2-year-old son and run far, far away.