In memory of Ivan Uspensky: funny stories from the life of cancer patients

This morning at the Department of Hematology, Union Hospital died Ivan Uspensky. We mourn and offer our condolences to his family, wife Kate. Charity Fund “Orthodoxy and the world” thanks to everyone who supported Ivan, who gave him a chance to recover. Three years ago Ivan Uspensky became ill with leukemia and continued to fight for the sake of three sons, and this year published a book.

  • I have cancer and… I’m pregnant
  • Oncologist Natalia Makova: “Cancer is an accident”
  • Oncologist Konstantin Borisov: “Cancer is not a sentence, it should just treat”
  • Oncologist Konstantin Borisov: cancer Treatment should not be worse than the disease
  • Surgeon Mikhail Davydov: We could effortlessly solve all the problems of Oncology

Remove vertebra and it’ll be fine

In the Moscow area, the river Oka, is an urban-type settlement Beloomut. There, in beloomut city hospital, began his career as a surgeon, candidate of medical Sciences Ivan Uspensky. After graduation Ivan was looking for, where the young doctor not only to fill in the medical history, but also to operate – “itching” to save someone’s life.

Surgeon – this is the most interesting profession, and the most effective treatment is surgical. Pills are treated for a very long time, Ivan, for example, for two and a half years. And if to take out the tumor and remove it, as the assumption was once pulled out of the hernia and the cysts. When last summer found changes in the spine, Ivan offered his doctor Vera Alexeevna Vasilieva: “Let’s vertebra remove that, and all will be well.” Agreed.

Disease always divides life into before and after. In the life “to” a young surgeon was wound on the towns and districts in search of practice. Started with a native of the Ryazan region – drafts from cracks, except that tumbleweeds do not chase through the corridors of the Central regional hospitals, in the rest of complete desolation.

Got to Moscow Beloomut, and there it waited. Promised that in two months they operate. Joy, yesterday’s student did not even look, what hospital is going to work. Because if I looked, would see that to operate nowhere: in the intensive care unit and operating stripped tube, which supplied oxygen and nitrogen, that is, normal inhalation anesthesia is not done, equipment is not, the anesthesiologist too.

Six months of the assumption was on duty at the hospital. All Zarechny area is 11-12 thousand people – one doctor and one ambulance.

Brought all: grandparents with diabetic foot, children with allergic edema, pregnant women. Ivan had to think “on the knee” and make emergency small operation under local anesthesia. It was the best practice and the best memories of your favorite business. Maybe the best because there are so few young surgeon had in medicine.

Father, who is not whining

First, Ivan missed work. And now, when meets with fellow classmates who are approaching the flourishing in the profession, it becomes pity for himself, but only slightly. Begin to myself to whine and complain, “Oh, no work, no money, everything is bad”. And then hit the temperature under 40, there will be a serious complications from drugs or chemo, like stomatitis, which is a feeling that in my mouth poured hot lava, then I think: “What whining? Well, after sitting, just sit”.

Actually Ivan whined, just one week after the first diagnosis. Imagined the worst and in the gusts of self-pity, longing. And then decided that with that attitude will definitely die.

Still working as a doctor, Ivan noticed that there are people, it immediately clear: no matter what the trouble, the trauma with them no matter what, the next day they get up and go to work; and there are hypochondriacs that with the most simple sore will lie to the last, and there is nothing they will not heal. Attitude is the main thing.

And Yes, boys do need a father who constantly whines? For them, for Ivan had gathered, and since the hands are not dropped never, even when one after another had a relapse. Of course, the dark thoughts from time to time returning, but then again you need to shake yourself and get down to business. For example, to write.

Until the winter of 2016 Ivan wrote is that histories and essays in school. And when I found out about the leukemia, I realized that for the first the drug money will have to collect my friends. Whether poor, rich people, such a serious illness will befall any material. Just if a person of average income, he will be treated at district hospitals if high – swings in foreign clinics, but funds are still not enough. Because the money is naturally furious.

The assumption is advised not just put “mournful images”, they say, collect the money Vanya – that would be some kind of hack- and to write interesting texts about how people live with leukemia. In a sense, become a blogger, which is not a pity to sacrifice and “pay” for content. The rhetoric of texts Ivan chose from – humor and self-irony. Says wherever you look, what time did the TV turn on no – hunting or get drunk, or cry, or get drunk and cry. And so, with jokes like fun.

Good chemistry of hair is not fond of, but there is an opportunity to experiment with hair) Plus, bald, I am much more pleasant to drive: the people around immediately became calmer and softer (not otherwise bald head shines rays of goodness).

Funny story

Ivan tried to describe the changes in your body most interesting and at the same time restrained. The fact that the posts I read of his grandmother and mother. If they knew all the details and the risks they would be even more difficult.

For example, now Ivan came to Moscow, to the Hematology center, in the regular course of drug administration “Inotuzumab”. For a while he drove to the editors “Pravmir”, patiently and, as always, with humor, tells a serious story, and tomorrow it will be a tough procedure. He will drip the medicine, which may reject the liver, and then need a treatment cost of 600 thousand a day. But writing about it is impossible. It is in fact not needed, and, mom, crazy, mad wife Kate, then everything will take on Ivan and will Madden him, and he doesn’t want he wants to see serialchik.

Ivan with his family

First, the assumption publish diary entries about current Affairs, then began to remember stories of a dashing young, dug in the childhood, and then decided to gather all in a book. Thinking about children: if something happens, the boys will be at least a book. Sons Ivan and Katya still quite small – 6, 5 and 2 and a half years. It is difficult to understand what is leukemia and what dad wrote a book.

Three or four stories that are appropriate for children reading at night, Ivan had already read, with the rest of the boys will know themselves when they grow up. Dad really wants this moment to be with them.

“Witness of life” is a “funny stories from the life and diaries of a young surgeon struggling with cancer,” written “with ease about the difficult life situations”. Ivan planned to make 20 copies for family and friends. In free publisher Ridero has offered to print a thousand and put on sale.

To earn a “Witness” Ivan did not even dream of: the name of the Book, and he’s only owner. He takes on himself: he would read if the author was not his friend, acquaintance, colleague, and was hypothetical Bob, who is sick with something serious and not the fact that survive? Ivan would probably think that there is a sea of tears, pain, suffering, grief, and said, “No, guys, thanks, I live in Russia, I have enough”. In Vanya’s book, by the way, nothing there, is that a little bit.

Ivan with his family

He’s just like the story about Beloomut. Everything else he looks up and thinks: “As you read this, guys, there’s nothing interesting there?” Beloomut same story and Katya appreciated, and she is the most strict critic. If garbage and say that garbage. She’s not one of those over a sick husband will cry: “Oh, poor thing, you lie, we’ll leave, we will not interfere”. The hands and feet there – go ahead! And in such a fighting spirit Ivan’s wife very grateful.

And in Beloomut was, naturally: and with his bloody axe, and drunken injuries. The man landed on his feet and on the brush like a cat. Broke hands and heel, and a fracture of the calcaneus is a nightmare. Then Ivan went to his supervision, that is, to check home. To open the door, the guy crawled on elbows and knees… Beloomut is a whole world. Peculiarities of national medicine.

Considered if cancer, then the patient is hopeless

Largely because Ivan with these features have time to meet, he was easier to assemble and to be treated. On the one hand, it is convenient that he is a doctor. For example, a complication is developing, and Ivan is already thinking two steps ahead. On the other hand, comes blood, he sees the results and knows what’s coming next will be bad. And it would be better not to know.

It is therefore the medical literature for the leukemia stopped reading. Immediately after diagnosis did not stop, and in my head only added troubling thoughts: “yeah, if the median and the average life expectancy of the patient is 20 months and I am treated for 12, the left 8”. Sat and thought for 8 months can do. Then we decided that we need to think less and do more things, for which, besides him, no one will undertake to arrange admission to constantly pass tests to look for expensive drugs, which may be in Russia.

The drug “Inotuzumab” which Ivan Uspensky drip at the Hematology center in Moscow, is four and a half million for the course. It’s six courses. The drug kind of gives the manufacturer of Vera Alekseevna doing this, honor and praise her. If anything, there is another super revolutionary treatment option: we take the lymphocytes of the patient, they attach receptors to the tumor tissue, run back, and they have this tumor tissue is destroyed.

This treatment is worth 475 thousand dollars or 30 million rubles. Where to take the money, Ivan is not. However, this is too early to say, hopefully, that will work “Inotuzumab”. Of course, there are Russian drugs. For example, “Gleevec” is 70 thousand per pack, for a month, and his Russian counterpart – 11. But from the Russian of Ivan the very bad headache and was nauseous.

Often the assumption in the Facebook write something like this: “Ivan, we got a cure alkaline water, turpentine, dumplings. I am a doctor myself, I have already treated 10 cancer patients hopeless”. And it infuriates Ivan the most.

We also believe that if cancer, then the patient is immediately hopeless. You don’t even have to be treated, to lay down, with a cloth cover and just wait.

Man to be honest, “Man, now even in Russia there are treatment regimens, they are unpleasant, they are a lot of complications, you will be constantly sick, vomit – all the contrary – but if you dare to it, the chance to live longer is great.” Or out of nowhere will come “clever” and promise: “I Have a magic pill, alkaline water that is without any complications will help you”. Of course, many people prefer a magic pill.

The patient experienced Ivan Uspenskiy, as he calls himself, I am sure it was because of people hearing the diagnosis “leukemia” or “malignant tumor”, not just left alone with the disease, he still has to push and fight to get treatment.

One thing Oncohematology. It stands as separate, because all the international protocols. In Ryazan, in Moscow, that Israel is treated equally, except that in Israel, Ivan probably a pillow would be corrected and put in his mouth a straw. With other types of cancer much worse. There are committees which decide who gets treated and who dies in pain. As a surgeon Ivan knows that you can try to remove the metastases, something to do with the original tumor, to have great chemistry, and the man will probably live another ten years. But we can easily tell the patient: “Well, you have a completely running everything, so let’s try to cure someone who is still not quite”.

And queues in clinics dispensaries have you seen? God forbid you get across the queue, you have just destroyed. It’s sad that people have already brought the animals to points, it is necessary to claw her medical care. No money, no equipment, no conditions for normal work of doctors, – says Ivan.

By the way, his book ends with the post about the hematologist Elena Mishurina. Assumption wants to remain in the minds of people that there was such injustice. He can understand when a criminal case against the doctors open in Europe where a normal trade Union. The doctor can work in peace, while the Union and the lawyers in the case. And we have all the individual responsibility of the doctor, there is no concept of “young specialist” and then another comes esemesok this from the Bank about the salary – 20 thousand rubles, and think what to do with it.

Questions “why, why?” Ivan doesn’t ask

The former, who had just heard the diagnosis, “lucky”, who thought it was a cute lymphocytic leukemia – now in two years will do, forget all what it is today Ivan would say, “be strong!” All the complications have lost weight to the condition of the skeleton, to sit and stand could not head two months ached continuously spinning after cerebral puncture, two stomatitis, did not help even narcotic analgesics, is so sick, nesabivaemie 2-3 months temperature, hemoglobin – 47, inflammation of the esophagus, pneumonia, cough for months, photophobia.

Questions, why he was to go through all this Ivan doesn’t ask. It makes no sense. Was he an elderly patient lying with diabetic foot. With diabetes generally are treated for a long time, and my grandmother after a stroke and even paralyzed one side. Ivan looked at her suffering and thought, how ever, for what? And the grandmother replied: “my Dear, you know what they say: Lord, let this Cup pass from me, but as I know Myself.” Today she often recalls those words.

Tomorrow as your present?

Ivan is so used to thinking far to live in the present, that he did not understand the question:

– Tomorrow? Tomorrow at the Hematology center. I need to make a course “Inotuzumab”…

No, I meant in General.

Well, someday when I stop the pills, grow hair, begin to see – even after all the pills vision problems, and it is the most disgusting, very annoying, and they will probably go back to work. And to be honest, hunting with family can go to relax. Two years, we will not chosen. And so… to come back. Not for work, but in General. Back to life. To rid the state of another boarder himself, disabled.

Go to the page collection at the Foundation’s website

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.