Onceupon a time... Storiesofchildren (co)existingwithrecurrenceofcancerandtheirsteachingsaboutcare
child; cancer; hospitalization; relapse; humanizedcare.
Walkthehallwaysof a pediatric hospital specializing in oncologyis, undoubtedly, a challenge for childrenfacingthetrajectoryoftreatment, as well as for thosewhoexperiencecancer as familyor professional caregivers.The factisthatthousandsofchildrenrunalongthisrouteeverydayaroundthe world andtheexpectationisthat, in Brazil, new cases ariseeachyear, constituting a major publichealth problem.Despitethealarming figures, thereis a shortageofresearchwithchildren in cancertreatment, especially in relapse.In thisscenario, weconducted a qualitativeresearchaimedatunderstandingtheexperienceofillness for children in cancerrecurrence.The studywasconducted in a pediatricreferral hospital in oncology, located in thecityof Natal / RN.As a methodologicalstrategyusedthenarrative interview mediatedbyprojectiveresources: hospital design andpuppet-character, for whomthechildrentoldtheirstories, beyondtheresearcher'sfielddiary.For theanalysisandinterpretationofnarrativeswe resort toGadamer’sHermeneutics. Participantswerefivechildrenhospitalized for cancerrecurrence, ofbothsexes, agedseventotenyearsold.Webeganourjourneybringingthefirstchapter, Childhoodisconstructionandchildhoodcanceris no joke, in whichweconducted a historical tour aboutchildhood in thewestgoingfrominvisibilitytocarefulchild, followingwithconsiderationsaboutchildhoodcancerandendingwiththepresentationofourchildren. Then, fromthe dialogue withthechildren'snarrativeswehavethreechapters: 1) Onceupon a time ... the hospital andmyillness. Weapproached a briefhistoryoftheemergenceofthe hospital andthemeaningsattributedtothe hospital andillness.Theyrevealthat, initially, the hospital is a strangeplace, wheretheyexperiencedifferentpain (physical, social andemotional), andbecomes a warmandcaringplacethatenablesthe light ofhealing.Aboutsickening, childrenrelyontheworld'slossofthere: separationofschool, jokes, friendsandfamily, andthephysicalpainthattogethergiverisetoemotionalpaincausedbysomanylimitations.In dealingwiththepain comes theabilityorlearningresilience. 2) Onceupon a time... takecarebecauseshe came back.In thiswemake a theoreticalcourseoncancerrecurrence, followingtheimpactontheneedtostart all over again: thereturnoftheworld'slossesofthereandexperiencedpain in previoustreatments;fearsbefore new procedures, theuncertaintiesoftreatment, fearofdeath, faithandhope in healing, endingwith a briefstatementofthefearsreportedbytheirmothers.3) Onceupon a time ... humanizedcare, addressingthecategoryofcare in healthhumanizationpractices, andtheimportanceofclear communication tothe establishment ofthetherapeuticrelationshipbetweenthechild-family-doctor. Thenthekids show whatthey do toward off sadness: the games; theaffectionaterelationshipwithfamilymembersand professional caregiversandthefaiththatpromotehope in betterdays.Throughtheteachingsofthesechildren, weglimpseshed light whichallows new insights toexistingworktosubsidizebestpracticesofhumanizedcaretochildrenundergoingcancertreatment.
Walkthehallwaysof a pediatric hospital specializing in oncologyis, undoubtedly, a challenge for childrenfacingthetrajectoryoftreatment, as well as for thosewhoexperiencecancer as familyor professional caregivers.The factisthatthousandsofchildrenrunalongthisrouteeverydayaroundthe world andtheexpectationisthat, in Brazil, new cases ariseeachyear, constituting a major publichealth problem.Despitethealarming figures, thereis a shortageofresearchwithchildren in cancertreatment, especially in relapse.In thisscenario, weconducted a qualitativeresearchaimedatunderstandingtheexperienceofillness for children in cancerrecurrence.The studywasconducted in a pediatricreferral hospital in oncology, located in thecityof Natal / RN.As a methodologicalstrategyusedthenarrative interview mediatedbyprojectiveresources: hospital design andpuppet-character, for whomthechildrentoldtheirstories, beyondtheresearcher'sfielddiary.For theanalysisandinterpretationofnarrativeswe resort toGadamer’sHermeneutics. Participantswerefivechildrenhospitalized for cancerrecurrence, ofbothsexes, agedseventotenyearsold.Webeganourjourneybringingthefirstchapter, Childhoodisconstructionandchildhoodcanceris no joke, in whichweconducted a historical tour aboutchildhood in thewestgoingfrominvisibilitytocarefulchild, followingwithconsiderationsaboutchildhoodcancerandendingwiththepresentationofourchildren. Then, fromthe dialogue withthechildren'snarrativeswehavethreechapters: 1) Onceupon a time ... the hospital andmyillness. Weapproached a briefhistoryoftheemergenceofthe hospital andthemeaningsattributedtothe hospital andillness.Theyrevealthat, initially, the hospital is a strangeplace, wheretheyexperiencedifferentpain (physical, social andemotional), andbecomes a warmandcaringplacethatenablesthe light ofhealing.Aboutsickening, childrenrelyontheworld'slossofthere: separationofschool, jokes, friendsandfamily, andthephysicalpainthattogethergiverisetoemotionalpaincausedbysomanylimitations.In dealingwiththepain comes theabilityorlearningresilience. 2) Onceupon a time... takecarebecauseshe came back.In thiswemake a theoreticalcourseoncancerrecurrence, followingtheimpactontheneedtostart all over again: thereturnoftheworld'slossesofthereandexperiencedpain in previoustreatments;fearsbefore new procedures, theuncertaintiesoftreatment, fearofdeath, faithandhope in healing, endingwith a briefstatementofthefearsreportedbytheirmothers.3) Onceupon a time ... humanizedcare, addressingthecategoryofcare in healthhumanizationpractices, andtheimportanceofclear communication tothe establishment ofthetherapeuticrelationshipbetweenthechild-family-doctor. Thenthekids show whatthey do toward off sadness: the games; theaffectionaterelationshipwithfamilymembersand professional caregiversandthefaiththatpromotehope in betterdays.Throughtheteachingsofthesechildren, weglimpseshed light whichallows new insights toexistingworktosubsidizebestpracticesofhumanizedcaretochildrenundergoingcancertreatment.