Thomas Andrew Delahunty

On the 19th January 2004 I took Thomas to visit our local GP as he had been complaining for several weeks of what felt like a pulled muscle in his calf. The GP ordered an x-ray and off we went home thinking no more of it.

That evening our whole lives changed, we were ordered back to the doctor ASAP and he then organised for us to see a specialist who immediately admitted Thomas into Princess Margaret Hospital for tests, scans and biopsies. Several days later we were given the results - Osteogenic Sarcoma in Thomas' lower right leg and just above his right knee the cancer has also spread to his lungs.

A nasty intensive course of Chemotherapy was ordered to start immediately.

At the beginning of the Chemo, the doctors informed Thomas that he would most probably have to have a nasal gastric tube as the Chemo he was having would make him very sick. He said "No way am I having one of those" and to his credit he never did. In the whole two years that he was sick Thomas ate like a man possessed. He was focused on keeping his weight on and not having that tube put up his nose.

After many months of intense Chemo, things were starting to look brighter. The lungs were looking clearer, so it was decided that now was the time to discuss Thomas having his leg amputated so as to be rid of the primary tumor. Obviously to a 15 year old this was not on the list of things to do in your lifetime. We gave Thomas the pros and cons to having this operation and allowed him to decide what he felt would be a good option. Right up to the last minute he did not want to lose his leg, but then he just came out and said to myself and his Nanna, "come on lets go and get this over with". To say I am proud of my son is an understatement.

So on 7th September, 2004 Thomas had an above knee amputation of his right leg. The operation was early in the morning and we were told to expect to see him back within a couple of hours. That was the longest couple of hours. Once back in his room we expected to see a very upset young man, but no, as always Thomas was still bright and even gave us one of his big smiles. He had some pain and the dreaded phantom pains which feels like his leg is still there. But all in all Thomas continued to be his happy self and even put a beany and sunglasses on his stump and took a photo of it. We are the hospital for a week where Thomas learnt to dress his stump and to walk on crutches.

And so onto more chemotherapy. But it was not working, so it was decided to remove the nodules from Thomas' lungs. These operations went ahead, seeing Thomas lying in ICU with tubes hanging out of his chest was just horrible.

After the operations Thomas seemed to be doing well, then it came to having more Chemo, the doctors believed that the chemo that they were giving Thomas may be affecting his heart, so it was decided to stop the more toxic of the Chemotherapy.

Then in March of 2005 we were told there was really little much the doctors could do and that we should request that his wish from the Make-A-Wish foundation be bought forward to as soon as possible (we were going to be going in August 2005). This was a set back, but in Thomas' usual way of coping he said, "don't worry it will be ok".

So in May 2005 we jetted off to Manchester UK to watch Thomas' idols, Manchester United. He also got to meet the team before the match, he was in his element. Nothing could have wiped the smile of that boy's face. We also paid a visit to London and visited the sights.

Upon returning the doctors decided to try a course of oral chemo at home. This went along well and Thomas was just a normal healthy teenager with a huge appetite.

Then things changed Thomas seemed to be getting weaker and started to cough up small amounts of blood. Then on the 11th November Thomas cough up a much larger amount of blood and from that day forth he was basically bedridden expect for a couple of incidents one being that we decided to bring Christmas forward and bought him a Scaletrix which we set up and he managed a couple of hours on it.

Thomas fought long and hard to stay with us and continued to make us laugh. I remember two days before his death I told him he could go whenever he liked because he really was weak. He just said to me "I am not ready to anywhere just yet". That was typical of Thomas.

On the 7th December 2005 at 3pm Thomas lost his fight. He took his last breath whilst listening to his favourite band "Oasis" playing "Don't look back in anger".

to be continued....................