Guest guest Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Wow! This is so amazing..thank you for sharing this! > > His battle was hers In his fight with cancer, Roth was never > alone. Even when he was. > > > > SAN ANTONIO -- Roth had a simple Christmas; at home with his mom > and dad and his older brother who flew in from New Jersey, sharing good > food, playing outside with his golden retriever, Callie. The Roth home > is set far back off a dirt road in San . It's serene and smells > of burned leaves and earth. , who is 14, likes being outside, > breathing deep under a blue sky. It's pure, he says. > > He doesn't want people stressed over the holidays. There will be burned > turkeys. There will be casseroles that slip and crash to the floor. > There will be old anger, old resentment. > > None of that really matters. > > " It's all just noise, " says. > > is about 5 feet tall and weighs less than a hundred pounds. He has > thick, wavy brown hair, a dimple in his chin and blue eyes that look at > you in a way a psychologist many years his senior would: piercing, > studying, patient. He listens. He expresses his thoughts sincerely and > with eloquence beyond his age. He feels very old. > > When was 9, he went to the doctor because of an aching leg. He was > diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a cancer that invades one child out of > 50,000. He spent a year in and out of St. ph's Children's Hospital > in Tampa, an hour's drive from home. During that year, he learned of > pain and God and love. > > He had six different types of chemotherapy, injected into him once every > three weeks. He had several surgeries. He threw up so much he felt like > he had a callus on his throat. The chemo gave him mouth sores that > burned. He had trouble remembering things. A few good friends kept in > touch, but life went on without him. was frail and lost his hair. > He made new friends in the cancer ward and at a camp just for kids with > cancer. He learned not all kids survive. > > Between treatments, could go home for a few days. But if he had a > fever, his parents had to race him back to the hospital, which happened > often as the poisonous chemotherapy stripped his immune system. 's > dog, Callie, knew in advance when a fever was coming. She would put her > head in his lap and follow him and not let him out of her sight. If the > fever came at night, Callie would nudge 's parents, and Lynn, > until they woke up. > > When was at the hospital throwing up, Callie was at home throwing > up. The vet said that some dogs are so attuned with their owners that > they take on their symptoms. When was gone, she dragged her feet, > tail between her legs, head down, and looked awful. 's doctor > prescribed dog visits. > > So, on Sunday afternoons, or Lynn would pack Callie in the car and > take her to the hospital. was wheeled out on a patio and there the > two would embrace. Callie was the only one who never treated > differently, as people did, with pity or hesitant stammers. > > was the one who begged for a dog and, in 2000 when he was 7, his > parents got Callie, who was eight weeks old. He named her and cared for > her. They acted out plays and movie scripts in the acres outside their > house. They are each other's worlds. So it made sense that they did not > fare well being apart. > > has been free of cancer for four years now. He gets checked every > three months. His mom feels like there is a monster locked in a closet, > and you can never rest because that monster might break free any moment. > > Once, when was in the hospital, he talked on the phone with a > friend who chatted about his plans for the summer. was quiet, > listened and then said goodbye. His dad asked him what was wrong. > said, " We think we know what's going to happen tomorrow, but we don't. " > That feeling has become a core of the family - treat people well, don't > let arguments simmer, do the things you want to do TODAY because you > just never know. gets panicky if he has cross words with a friend > and doesn't get it settled that day. He worries he or that friend might > die before they see each other again. > > He can't stand the chatter at school. People get upset about stupid, > tiny things. He is grateful for his perspective. But, sometimes he is > jealous of his classmates. He never feels carefree. > > About two years ago, told his parents that the cancer did more > good things for him than bad. He has empathy. He works with special > needs kids at his school every day. He raises money for cancer research. > > He says he believes in God and that he was never angry with Him because > of the cancer. > > " Never in treatment was there a time when I didn't know there was a > God, " he says. " He gave me challenges, but He always gave me the tools > and equipment to have the capacity to succeed. > > " People do lose the fight and they do die. But there is no doubt in my > mind that God was with them all the way. " > > feels good physically. He's nearly a black belt in karate. The > cancer could come back. He says he's not afraid of dying. Callie sleeps > at his door every night, still watching out for him. > > Sullivan can be reached at esullivan@... > <mailto:esullivan@...> or 813 909-4609. > His battle was hersIn his fight with cancer, Roth was never alone. > Even when he was. > By ERIN SULLIVAN, Times Staff Writer > Published December 30, 2007 > Roth and Callie play in their San yard. The family > gotCallie in 2000, before started to have the pain that turned > outto be Ewing's sarcoma. Through 's cancer battle, Callie would > takeon his symptoms: When he threw up from chemo, the dog did, too. > [photo] > [Zach Boyden-Holmes | Times] ADVERTISEMENT [0] > <http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/3639/3/0/%2a/q%3B155987932%3B0-0\ > %3B1%3B16966267%3B4307-300/250%3B23456740/23474593/1%3B%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fh\ > ttp://clients.tampabay.com/worshipdirectory/index.html> > [photo] [Roth family] Callie would know > when was sick and would even let his parentsknow when he had a > potentially life-threatening fever. [1] > [Zach Boyden-Holmes | Times] Roth has been cancer-free > for four years. He says the cancer gave him a better perspective on > life. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.