hgkj

by Joan Fleitas, Ed.D., R.N.


Me and my great doctor


Part 3

I learned a bunch of new words
Once leukemia appeared.
Like chemo, blast and lymph gland.
Don't they all sound awfully weird?

I learned about the grand scheme
To destroy these bully cells,
And I took strong medications
'Til the bullies really yelled.

These meds made me feel tired.
They made my mouth feel raw.
My hair covered the pillow,
And left my head quite bald.

I didn't like these feelings,
But I figured this was true-
If I felt bad, the bullies felt worse,
And would melt into a goo.

You might think that I'm different.
You might think I have changed.
But I'm the me I used to be,
Just somewhat rearranged.

You might think that leukemia,
A cancer I was told,
Is something you could catch from me
As if it were a cold.

But that's not true, it's not that smart,
It doesn't have a clue.
Traveling between us
Is a trick it cannot do.

There's more about this cancer-
Something else that it can't do.
It can't destroy my laughter,
Or change me through and through.

I'm better now than ever
Since the bullies went away.
My bones don't hurt, my hair's grown back,
I feel great every day.

So that's my bully story.
It's pretty long but true.
I'm glad you came to visit,
I hope that you are, too.



To the poem in Spanish!
Read  Anthony's story
Read Thomas's story
Read Ashely's story
To the site map

To the frog ponds
To send me a poem
To the site map

Joan Fleitas, Ed.D., R.N.
Associate Professor of Nursing, Lehman College, CUNY
Bronx, New York 10468

Last updated: September 10, 2008