Both Daughters Diagnosed with Leukemia: A Mother's Story

Anna Kuzovleva«s story is familiar to NN.RU — for many years, she shared her feelings and important life events on our forum. She spoke about her daughter»s illness, treatment, and the victories they achieved. Last year, the woman faced a new misfortune — a leukemia diagnosis for her eldest daughter. We visited Anna and learned about her difficult fate.

«It Can»t Happen to Us«

18 December 2014 divided the life of the Kuzovlev family into before and after. On this day, they learned about the diagnosis of six-year-old Olya.

Anna noticed the first signs of trouble in autumn. The girl«s temperature occasionally rose, and bruises appeared. At one point, there were so many that relatives asked the parents, »Is someone beating her?« One day, Olya and her older sister Vika were fooling around and bumped feet — the little one»s foot swelled up into a nearly black lump. The mother feared it was a fracture, but Olya didn«t cry; she got up and ran as if nothing had happened. After that, Anna took her daughter for an examination.

— In the evening, I started searching the internet for how to see a hematologist, and I diagnosed myself. I didn«t even consider leukemia, because it couldn»t happen to us. On the morning of 18 December, I took my daughter to kindergarten; she was active, cheerful, and getting ready for the upcoming holiday shows. At 11:00 — a call from a relative at a private clinic. She told me the diagnosis was bad and we needed to go to the hospital immediately. I gathered my things, taking only my medical insurance card, — Anna wrote on the NN.RU forum «My Little One».

Picking up Olya from kindergarten, the woman went to the regional hospital. During the appointment, the doctor looked at the test results and immediately announced the terrible diagnosis — leukemia.

— I burst into tears right there in the office. He said, «Mommy, control yourself.» Then everything started spinning: [they sent Olya] for a repeat blood test and some examinations. We were immediately hospitalized, — recalls the Nizhny Novgorod woman.

In the evening, Anna«s husband arrived, bringing things and taking the car from the parking lot. Olya»s illness was a shock to him and the entire family.

The girl herself did not understand the diagnosis, but seeing her mother«s tears, she sensed that something bad had happened. The child began chemotherapy: »they injected various antibiotics, constantly set up IVs.« In early January, she achieved remission. For further treatment, doctors prescribed Olya the drug »Oncospar.« One vial cost 140,000 rubles (approximately $1,400 at current rates), and nine were required for the course. A fundraising campaign was opened on the website of the Foundation of the Nizhny Novgorod Oncology Scientific Center.

Anna«s relatives, users of the »My Little One« forum, and simply caring people quickly helped close the fundraiser. By then, the family had found the same drug at a lower price — the saved funds went toward purchasing other medications. After completing inpatient treatment, Olya was allowed home. Her weakened immune system imposed restrictions — she needed to take medications and avoid infections.

— In the hospital, everything was very strict; they asked us to maintain sterility, minimize contact with outsiders. I even drove in a mask in my own car, afraid of myself, — Anna shared. — Olya always had «Dezars» (bactericidal irradiators — Editor«s note) turned on. She lived in one room, and the three of us lived in another. We lived like that for about a year, I think.

From first to third grade, Olya studied at home. Three times a week, a teacher came to give lessons. From fourth grade, the girl began attending school. After finishing chemotherapy, the doctors told the Kuzovlevs: «Do whatever you want. Live a normal life.» The girl returned to playing music.

Now Olya is 17, studying at the music department of the Nizhny Novgorod Governor«s College and, as the doctors instructed, living a normal life.

Illness of the Second Daughter

When Olya was hospitalized, Vika was 12.

— I was busy with the younger one; Vika was like a neglected child, — Anna believes. — That period probably lasted the first six months, then we started staying at home. My husband took over some things.

Last year, Vika«s temperature began to rise periodically. Doctors diagnosed pneumonia and admitted her to the hospital. There, a blood test was taken — the results were not good. The girl was referred to a hematologist. Getting the discharge summary, Anna looked at it and understood everything.

Vika underwent treatment while simultaneously preparing for her wedding. Last summer, the Nizhny Novgorod resident got married. Now she continues treatment and studies at university, majoring in State and Municipal Administration.

— Children have short memories, you know: they get their infusions, have a good cry, and forget. Olya practically doesn«t remember lying in the hospital. Vika»s process is harder. She is thin and also eats poorly, — the mother said.

Having been in both the pediatric and adult wards, Anna noticed many differences. In terms of sterility, everything is much stricter for young patients. In the adult ward, not all visitors follow the rules. But the doctors there «also try, they care about each patient with their whole soul.»

What the Mother Felt

— The first time, I really missed psychological support, — Anna admitted. — Plus, it so happened that Olya had contact with chickenpox in kindergarten, so we were placed in a separate isolation room. For three weeks, we lived, so to speak, in an information vacuum. If at that moment they had given me the phone number of a psychologist or a mother who had already gone through this, it would have been much easier and clearer. But you live in some kind of uncertainty.

Anna«s husband was a serious support: his »I love you« and »we love you« helped her push away bad thoughts.

Much has changed in the hematology department in Nizhny Novgorod since then. According to Anna, now there is a staff of psychologists from the Foundation of the Nizhny Novgorod Oncology Scientific Center (NONC) who provide online consultations. Closed groups have been created for parents of children facing cancer.

— We had a project where a mother who had faced the disease shared her experience with other mothers. We went to hospitals, told the mothers about ourselves and some moments. There were two or three such meetings, — said the Nizhny Novgorod woman (Anna has been a volunteer for the NONC Foundation for many years).

Anna stayed home caring for her daughter for eight years. When it was time to return to work, she was 43.

— I felt like nobody needed me, — the woman recalls. — Nobody really responded to my resumes. In the end, through an acquaintance, I got a job at the military enlistment office. And there I gained some confidence that I could work and that I was sort of in demand.

After that, the Nizhny Novgorod woman briefly tried logistics, then moved into electronic document management.

When Anna learned about her eldest daughter«s condition, she acted almost on autopilot. She admitted her to the hospital, returned home, went to bed, and only then broke down in tears. Now the woman tries to stay strong because »a child should see a healthy, adequate mother.«

— I don«t feel like a hero, but, as they say, everyone is given a burden according to their strength. Of course, I would not want to be given such a burden, but since it»s here, what can you do? We«ll get through treatment now, and that»s it, — says Anna.

Earlier, we told the story of Lyudmila Golubeva from Nizhny Novgorod. About 20 years ago, grief came to her family — her mother died of breast cancer. Almost a quarter of a century later, the disease struck the woman herself.