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This I Believe…

8th grade Drama students at Jefferson Middle School speak about their beliefs.

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This I Believe–Ryanne

Posted by jefferson8 on January 17th, 2008

I believe that there is life after cancer because I am living proof of it. As I fell into being 8 months old I was diagnosed with a cancer called Wimbles Tumor. This type of cancer attacked one of my kidneys and therefore it would have to be removed. I was a small baby but I know that I was a strong one at that. My uncle, who is also a doctor, explained to my mother everything she needed to know about the cancer and what was going to be happening with the surgeries. My mother would tell me stories of how I was in the hospital for about a week and how all of the nurses seemed to love me. After the surgery I was left with one kidney, unlike other people who have two.

Shortly after the surgery I was put on a medicine called chemotherapy. This would kill of the bad cells in my body but it may also kill other cells. My father had bought a drug that would help me not get sicker when I got my treatments. These drugs were very expensive the cost about $200 just for about 10 pills. The chemo treatments were needed every week once a week. So my father and I had to travel to Chicago every Friday and back. The doctors told my mother that my hair may or may not fall out. I went through just about all of my chemo treatment and I still had my hair. It wasn’t until my last treatment that my hair began to fall out. One day my sister just walked up to my mother (she couldn’t have been any older than 2) and she gave her my braid.

Well I was left with a scare on my stomach, and a lot of kids wanted to know where it came from, how I got it, does it hurt. I would always reply as “Oh, I had cancer.” Sometimes kids wouldn’t want to talk to me because they thought that I still had it. Others for a while they would treat me like I was sick but after a while they would just forget about it and just be my friend again. I remember one time that I, my mother, and my older sister, were in the car and we began to talk about people in our family that have gotten sick. Like my grandmother or great auntie. The thing that struck me was that all throughout the conversation not one time did either one talk about me. It was like they didn’t even remember me. You would think that made me really mad but in fact it made me fill special. My family didn’t look at me the way some of the other kids did. No, I was just Ryanne.

The are some restrictions of having this cancer. Sometimes I have to watch what I eat and it probably isn’t the best for me if I smoke or drink, but to me I know that I always live with the risk of getting it again and if I do then I will die if they don’t find a match for me. I don’t really like to think about things like that but it’s just reality. It’s a harsh one but it’s there. I like to try my best and live life to my fullest. I live everyday like it was my last. I’m only 13 and I’m not ready to give up living. I have so much to do in life, I don’t want to go. All I know is that there is life before, during, and after cancer and it is one of the fullest lives you could ever live.

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9 Responses to “This I Believe–Ryanne”

  1. kara Says:

    wow i didnt know you ever had cancer this remminded me of when my aunt got cancer and she was so sad the whole time like there was nothing left to live for i thinks its cool how you can forget all that and live life normally.

  2. Ashleigh Kaye Says:

    Wow this is a strong paper!!! loved it but sound happyer as all of them should not that there is anything wrong with it I mean we are only in middle school But LOVE IT!!! :] :] :]

  3. Ashleigh Kaye Says:

    WOW this is a strong paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Try to sound more happy not that there was anything wrong with it all of you sounded like that but your only in 6th grade and I sound like that when I perform… but still LOVE IT!!!!!!! :] :] :] :]

  4. Da'Lisa Johnson Says:

    also my girl ryanne spoke the truth. for some as strong as her 2 live life as she do thats strength and more ppl need tht power 2 move on throughout life b/c w/o what can u do?

  5. Cody Says:

    Ryanne, You described your cancer unlike any other description I’ve ever heard. I can’t even imagine having to live with it, especially as a baby. Best of luck to you in the future, and STAY HEALTHY!!!

  6. coyne Says:

    hello there well i have never had cancer but i have a reading disability. i know how you about be different because when i was little my friends thought they could get what i had if they touch me. and now a days i can go hours with out help. it is just like cancer because i have to get help and they had to help me all the way up to now. i am just like you i am now just trying to live my life to the fullest.

  7. alex Says:

    hey Ryanne

    That pretty sad that your sick and i hop that you will get better. also i like your speech i this i believe it musted of been vary hard to talk about. but well you where giving the speech you seemed very comfortable giving it.but next time try not to pose and stop at the same time don’t leave a big pose in the middle of your sentence because it dose not sound good and it get confusing for the reader to read.but you did a good job.

  8. amber Says:

    urz iz really solid gold and itz deep gurl

  9. jasmine Says:

    your like my bestfriend and its sad to know you had cancer but you made a point that there is life after cancer because your still alive and you had it.

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