[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – In the final days before his last surgery on November 12, Raphael Lee, a 12-year-old cancer patient, had begun to think about his own death.
Feeling that “something was not quite right,” she asked her mother, Ms. Winnie Lee, 45, what would happen if her only son died before her. If he did, he hoped that she would donate his body to scientific research.
On the day of the surgery, she was crying softly outside the operating room. “I don’t think I’ve seen him in such fear before,” she said.
“Just when he was sedated to start the operation, he said, ‘Mom, I don’t want to lie down, I want to sit down. I want you to hold me.’ That’s how he went into deep sleep, and that was the last time we saw him, alert and awake. ”, He added.
In that poignant moment, Ms. Lee said, no words were shared, but the bond between mother and child was strong and heartfelt.
On the operating table, Raphael suffered excessive blood loss, resulting in brain damage. He died the next day.
Rafael had faced several cancers since he was born, as he had Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a genetic disorder that predisposed him to a wide range of rare cancers.
Her father, William Lee, 47, a course director for the humanitarian non-profit organization St John Singapore, also has the same syndrome and was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in August.
Despite being so ill for the last third of his life, Raphael was a curious and determined boy who read about his condition, truly loved learning, and joined various clubs at school, where he had many friends.
After collecting his son’s PSLE results last Wednesday (November 25), Mr. Lee briefly regretted not putting off Raphael’s surgery so that he could see the results for himself.
But the results of Raphael’s biopsy, which also came in that day, showed that there was a possibility that the cancer had spread to other parts of his body.
“So with that, I think his departure was timely. It would have been more difficult for him to receive happy news of his results, only to fight another wave of cancer, to which he could end up succumbing,” Lee said. .
Raphael’s first operation was at eight months of age for rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue cancer in 2008. After a year of treatment, the disease went into remission, but resurfaced in 2016.
That required a second operation in Primary 2 for osteosarcoma, or bone cancer, on his left forearm. He would lose that arm the following year to stop the spread of cancer.
After his cancer returned, and despite being so young, Raphael read about cancer, the side effects of his frequent chemotherapy treatments, and asked his doctors and nurses about the medications they gave him.
His parents said his inquisitive mind and genuine interest in learning led him to persevere during the final elementary school exams (PSLE) in October, in which elementary school student Alexandra scored 220 points, with an Ace in math and science, and Bs in English and mother. language.
“Math and science were his favorite subjects in school and he enjoyed challenging himself with mind-blowing math problems in his spare time,” said Ms Lee, a child care teacher who quit her job last year to babysit. your son. He was also an avid online gamer and joined various co-curricular activities at school, such as the chess club, the speech and drama club, and the robotics club.
“Robotics was something he really enjoyed as it allowed him to be creative. He hoped to build something that might be useful to him in the future, like a prosthetic arm,” he added.
Raphael’s fighting spirit and enthusiasm for life inspired his classmates and other cancer patients at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH).
“He was going to cheer on the other cancer patients in his ward, which also earned him the 2020 KKH Inspiring Patient and Caregiver Award,” said Ms Lee.
His colleagues remember his bravery.
“I was paired up with Raphael for an adventure camp in Primary 5 and I remembered how determined I was to complete the obstacle course despite having his left arm amputated,” said Hugo Tang, 12, Raphael’s classmate of six years .
“I supported him throughout the course, and the whole class watched and encouraged him.”
Another classmate, 12-year-old Jeston Teo, said he missed his friend a lot and wished he could talk on the phone again, like they used to for hours on end, sharing jokes with each other.
No matter how sick Raphael was, he always thought of his loved ones.
In the days leading up to her final operation, Ms. Lee cooked some of her favorite dishes, but the boy was so ill that he had lost most of his appetite.
“However, she would still calm me down and say, ‘Mom, I’m sorry I couldn’t finish the meal; it’s not that it’s not nice, it’s just that I’m very full,” she said.
One of Raphael’s gifts that Ms. Lee holds closest to her heart is a “message in a bottle.” Inside the bottle is a simple note that says “I love you mom”, with strokes of green, her favorite color, on the back.
He had been given it before an operation in December last year to remove his right clavicle, as the operation was going to be challenging.
“The message was so simple, but very thoughtful,” he added.
“He was a child of few words, but it was always his desire to inspire others with his story. During his wake, many attendees came, some of whom we did not even know. But they all said he was very brave and strong. “
Explaining why the couple had accepted media interviews and shared Raphael’s life with people, Lee said: “Now that he’s gone, maybe it should be me (to carry on his legacy) and inspire others in his Name”.
Rafael’s cancer journey
2008
Diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue cancer, when Raphael is eight months old. You have chemotherapy for a year.
2009
The disease goes into remission.
2016
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma or bone cancer, which begins with swelling in the left forearm.
You have your first operation, which uses liquid nitrogen cryotherapy to kill cancer cells.
2017
Another swelling near the left wrist. The arm is amputated to prevent the cancer from spreading further.
December 2019
Another tumor is found on his right clavicle, surprising the medical team.
He removes his collarbone and Raphael tells him to be careful not to put too much weight on his shoulders.
March 2020
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows that the cancer has spread to Raphael’s lungs.
April, May 2020
He undergoes operations to remove tumors in his right and left lung respectively.
The operations are successful.
August 2020
Two months before the PSLE, doctors find that the lung cancer has returned.
Nov 12 From 2020
He undergoes a second operation, but experiences complications during the surgery.
November 13, 2020
Rafael this.
[ad_2]
