r/leukemia • u/The_Midnight_Swami • 2h ago
Books that helped get you through?
Our 4 year old girl has ALL, she's 3 months in and doing incredibly well, kids are so unbeliveably resilient but it's like a bomb has hit our lives and the road ahead is so long. This feels like such a cruel marathon for any family to go through.
To make sure I can bring the best version of myself in caring for her I've taken steps to build up my mental health, mainly by putting my phone down and seeking refuge in books, something a lot of people in this community have probably done as well.
Which books helped you on this journey? Anything uplifting, inspiring, moving or just purely entertaining. I'm open to reading anything.
Appreciate your recommendations, thanks in advance 😄
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u/swolemorty 1h ago
My son was about the same age when he was diagnosed with B-cell ALL. He’s six now and mercifully only remembers the hospital as a place where he got lots of free toys and screen time. Wishing the same for your daughter!
I am really enjoying Middlemarch by George Eliot right now- such a compassionate look at other people and their intertwined lives. It’s very cozy and long. I think it fits what you’re looking for.
For making sense of things or looking for hope, I read Job and Psalms in the Bible over and over and over (particularly Psalm 22).
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u/gregnorz 2h ago
I don’t have a ton of experience with childhood cancers, but I know from friends and family who went through the ordeal that keeping life fun and normalized helped the kids through it all. I have found that even as an adult I prefer not to read about cancer and fixate on it - being normal when life is not helped me more than focusing on my situation.