November 12, 2007, my brother George, got leukemia. I remember those words coming out of my father’s mouth that Monday morning. My first thoughts were, “Why him? How could this happen?” I never thought my ten year old brother would ever be seen in the hospital, he was the healthiest boy in the family. I couldn’t hold my tears anywhere, when I told my teachers and friends I cried. I just couldn’t believe it. Everyone cried, because no one believed it!
The whole process, was depressing, seeing my brother lose his nice, smooth black hair, cry because he didn’t want to drink his pills and just see his face with sadness. He would come home after each chemotherapy, but it just wasn’t the same. We needed to have hand sanitizers everywhere, limit the visitors, exactly how it had been in the hospital. George couldn’t even enjoy the outdoors because his counts were still low and he can be submitted to any germs around him. I remember one day I was sitting with George on the hospital bed and he was crying because he didn’t want to drink his medicine, because it made him nauseas. I kept telling him to drink it and not think about it and then he told me something I’ve never him ever say, “Demi, why do I have to have leukemia? What did I do? I only had ten good years of my life!” I sat speechless, holding back my tears. I didn’t know what to say at the moment, I just wanted to burst crying but then I told him, “George, this will be all over soon, faster than you think. How about after you get out? You’ll be in prefect condition; it’s going to be okay.” The whole experience was hard, but there were a lot of positive things that happened.
The hospital we stayed in, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York was like family after months of being there. George was considered one of the favorites of almost all the nurses of his floor, the nurses used to say that George’s energy, personality; everything was like no other patient. Even the front desk downstairs already knew George because George received so many visitors. The first few months, George had boxes and boxes full of gifts. In addition, George received gifts almost everyday, he got a bike, Nintendo DS, DVDs etc. He also met famous people like Emma Roberts, Ray Negron, American Idol Winner David Cook and most of the other American Idol Contestants. With the hospitality of the staff in that hospital, we all felt at home.
Even though my brother had this life-threatening disease, I became to accept and had faith that he would get better. On June 9th, 2008 George finally came home, not having to give him his last chemotherapy treatment because he was all better. I was happier than ever before to finally have him home. All those people who prayed and had faith in us, I thank you. This problem I overcame is definitely one that change my life completely, I learned that even the worst things in life have their good side, I’m glad George is home and he is too.