Karen - It's good to hear that Alex is feeling more positive and that the kitty has helped. Wherever help comes from, whether it's golf balls or kitties, or everyone at OCF, it really helps to get back the feeling of control in one's life that cancer so brutally takes away from us in so many ways. However, I would totally agree with the above posts re depression and counseling. Even if you were to pass on word for word to a therapist what Alex confides to you it still is no substitute for the interaction that occurs between a qualified therapist and patient. A therapist uses all his senses and his expertise and experience to base his treatment of a patient, asking the right questions and giving qualified answers. That way, your job is easier and less stressful and would give you the confidence that someone with the experience necessary was being consulted in helping Alex get better instead of just worrying and wondering about it. If Alex were to just give it a try, even if he was not in complete agreement with counseling, he might just find out something helpful. And if he still doesn't want counseling, at lease he would have given it a try.

Then, there is the question of Hope. Everyone needs hope, no matter how bad things seem. When my son was in treatment, he only posted on OCF a very few times. He said it depressed him too much to see how difficult it was for so many. But I knew he needed hope, (and I did too) so I posted daily - several times a day getting information and encouragement from others. When I saw someone else's experience and how they handled it, especially if it was similar to Paul's progress, I would tell him about all the positive parts of it, encouraging him to realize his own experience could certainly turn out just as well. (And it did!!) When something sad appeared, I would cut that part out and only printed the positive parts to lay by his bed for him to read (he slept most of the time). Yeah, I know that was sneaky, but it worked. If Alex asks, "What do you think this lump is?" You could reply as so many others have said here, "Sometimes a lump is just a lump" and get it checked out by the doctor. I saw my son go thru the worst kind of stress and suffering and pain that only another survivor could begin to understand. Karen, your Alex deserves the very best of care and options available to him. My hopes are with you and Alex for a continued successful recovery.