The second week in the hospital I developed a ferocious sore throat, runny nose, and bad cough. Her counts were on the way down, and they ordered me out of the hospital until I was well. It was agony. I also had almost uncontrollable diarrhea. Thank God this faded away after a few weeks.
Parental illness is a very common event.
To attempt to prevent its occurrence, it is helpful to try to eat nutritious meals, get a break from your child's bedside to take a walk outdoors, and find time to sleep. Care needs to be taken not to overuse drugs or alcohol. Whereas physical illnesses usually end after a period of adjustment, emotional effects continue throughout treatment. The shock of diagnosis results in an overwhelming number of intense emotions for the child and the parents. The length of time people experience each of these feelings differs greatly, depending on pre-existing emotional issues and coping ability.