Rhelyn Harder
- John was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- He stayed positive despite the pain the felt
- His family and friends showed undying support throughout his fight
A Facebook user named Kim Perez shared a heartbreaking yet inspiring story of a young man who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and faced his trials together with his friends and family.
Twenty-one-year-old John Carl Castaños was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in May 2019. It was hard for his family to deal with his disease but despite all of that he never lost hope. “Laban lang,” he said.
“May 7, 2019, ng madiagnose ka na may sakit na ‘Acute Myeloid Leukemia’ sobrang saket at bigat sa pakiramdam ng malaman namin lahat na may ganyan kang saket 😥 pero kahit gulong gulo ka sa mga nangyayare sobrang lakas ng loob mo. at sabi mo ‘Laban lang 💪'”
By the following day, he needed to be admitted at the hospital, the place that he hates the most.
“May 8, 2019 kailangan mo ng iadmit kase umpisa n ng pakikipaglaban💪 sabi mo pa nga nun paghintayin kana s kahit anong lugar wag lang s ospital.. 😔 pero heto ka ngyon at nakaupo nakadextros..naghihintay s pinakaayaw mong lugar.. pero sabi mo kailangan mo yan kase kailangan mo magpagaling😊”
By May 14, he started chemotherapy.
“May 14, 2019, first chemo.. fight fight! lang 😁nandto kmi lahat para sayo 😁💪”
Because of the chemotherapy, his hair started to fall out his head but he stayed positive and even took a video of it.
“May 26, 2019 umpisa na ng paglalagas…nagawa mo pang videohan yan ih.. ayaw mo sana mangyare yan kase alam kong mahal na mahal mo yung buhok mo😁 kaso wala tayong magawa 😥”
After a few days, he decided to shave his head because he knew that his hair would slowly fall off.
“tadaahh… may 29 2019 hnd mo na hinintay na malagas sila ng kusa. . ikaw na mismo umubos 😂pero alam mo naubos man ang mga buhok mo para sa amin ang gwapo gwapo mo pa din jan juan 😍❤”
Later on, someone had given him a wig to wear. He was so happy at that moment and even joked around that they shouldn’t be deceived by his looks.
“June 2, 2019 may nagbigay sayo ng wig 😍 ang saya mo jan kase may instant hair kana.! 😁 sabi mo pa nga ‘wag palinlang kase lalake ka’ 😂 ang ganda mo kase jan eh para kang babae. mas maganda kapa saken 😂😘”
John happened to be skilled in drawing so he drew his hand with an IV attached and posted it to a Facebook page “Guhit Pinas” which he belonged to.
“June 6, 2019 ng iguhit mo ang iyong kamay.. ❤pinost mo pa yan s ‘Guhit Pinas’ sobrang galing mo gumuhit juan, sana may ganyang talent dn ang kuya mo 😂 pero kahit walang talent kuya mo mahal n mahal ko kuya mo 😍😂 anyway wala akong masabe s husay mong gumuhit napakatalento mong bata😊 pinapakita mo tlgang napakatapang mo para harapin ang ganitong pagsubok.. sobrang proud kmi sayo juan ❤🤘”
He also developed red spots on different parts of his body.
“eto ung nagkaka red spot kna s ibat ibang parte ng katawan mo.. alam nmin napakahirap para sayo pero sabi mo laban lang💪”
On Independence Day, he was visited by his friends which really made him so happy.
“June 12, 2019 holiday unang pagbisita ko sayo kasama cla ipis 😂ang saya saya mo jan kase nabisita ka nmin tatlo tawa ka ng tawa kase ang lalakas ng boses at tawanan natin jan abot s kabilang kwarto 😂🤣 napakalambing mong bata ❤”
Members of Guhit Pinas visited him at the hospital and even gave him a shirt with a print of his drawing on it.
“June 26 2019 ng bisitahin ka ng mga kaguhit mo s ‘Guhit Pinas’❤ sobra sobrang saya mo jan juan kase hnd mo akalain na bibisitahin ka nila 😁 nakita kase nila ung post mo at sobra silang nainspire sayo.. naniniwala kaming lahat s katatagan ng loob mo 😁 binigyan ka pa nila ng tshirt n drawing mo mismo ung pinrint nila ❤ sobrang pasasalamat po namin sa inyo ‘Guhit pinas’ sobrang napasaya nyo po c juan.. ❤ ”
On August 3, 2019, he celebrated his 21st birthday.
“Aug 3 2019 Happy Happy 21st bday! juan.. ❤🎁🎈🎉 sobrang saya mo ng araw na yan juan😁❤binigyan ka kase ng bagong phone n ate kim jan eh😊 sorry kase hnd kmi nakarating ng kuya mo s mismong araw ng bday mo. sobrang sama kase ng panahon nyan at ang lakas ng ulan.. pero alam kong alam mo na babawi kami sayo😊 mahal n mahal ka namin juan.. 😘😘😘”
On August 4, they celebrated his birthday once again.
“tadaaahhh!! Aug 4 2019 icelebrate ulit natin ang birthday mo 😁🎁🎈🎉❤ sabi nga nila huli man dw ang mga matsing nakakahabol parin 🤣 sarap ng kwentuhan natin jn at ang sarap ng tawanan natin jn. dami mong kwento😁 sana s susunod mas mahaba pang kwentuhan at samahan ang pagsasamahan natin ❤
“tuwang tuwa ka s dala ng kuya mo n cake pero hnd xa cake muka lng xang cake n pizza.. 🤣 ang gulo! haha! magpagaling ka juan ❤ malapit na tayong umuwe…. dumaan pa ang mga araw… linggo… ng dumating ang hnd namin inaasahang lahat. .. 😣 sobrang biliiiss juann… 💔”
Then, the day they dreaded finally arrived.
“Aug 21 2019 😣😣😣😣 ang pinakamasaket na araw na tuluyan mo na kaming iniwan juan.. 😭😭😭😭 sobrang saket.. Ang saket saket juaaannnnn😭💔💔💔 hnd mo na kmi nahintay ni kuya mo.. habang nasa byahe kami papunta sayo wala kaming hinhingi s dios kundi sana umabot kami n sana huminto muna ang oras.. na sana okay kna pagdating namin juannn😭😭😭 sobrang nakakapanghina ng makita ka namin n wala ng buhay😣💔😭 sobrang saket…😭😭😭 pero gusto kong malaman mo n sobrang proud kmi sayo alam namin n lumaban ka.. at kitang kita nming lahat na gusto mo tlgang gumaling 😭😭😭 sobrang tapang ng pinakita mo juan hnggang s huling sandali lumaban ka.. 😭😭😣😣💔 pero tlgang hnd n kinaya ng katawan mo. 💔💔 dios ko!…. 😭😭😭😭😭”
“Till When” was written on his hand. His family struggled to cope with his loss.
“nakapagsulat kapa s kamay mo nyan😭 alam nmin n sobra sobrang nahihirapan kna s mga nangyayare sayo.. sobrang pagod n ng isip at ng katawan mo juan💔😭😣 damang dama nmin lahat ng paghihirap mo juan kaya pilit namin tinanggap na tlgang gusto mo ng umaliss at magpahinga.. 😭😭😭😭😭 Mahal n mahal ka namin juan lalong lalo n ng kua mo sana tulungan mo siya n tanggapin ang lahat.. 😣😣😣😭😭 wala xang hinangad kundi ang kagalingan mo. . 😭😭 hanggang nagyon naririnig ko pa rin ung sabi nya na ‘juaannnn!😭😭😭😭 nandto na c kuyaaa dala ko na ung pang platelet mo’ 😭😭😭 baka pede pa💔💔💔💔😭😭😭😭gumising kna😭😭😭”
“Hnd ako makapaniwala n nanjn kna ngayon juann 💔💔😣😭 sobrang hirap tanggapin pero un ang kailangan naming lahat.. alam naming lahat n masaya kana ngayon s piling ng panginoon.. malayang malaya kna ngayon juan.. jan wala ka ng saket n mararamdaman wala ng hirap wala ng bawal😭 magagawa mo ng lahat ng gusto mo.. gabayan mong palage ang mama at papa mo pati n mga kapatid mo… sobrang mamimiss kita juan😭💔 naming lahat… maraming maraming salamat s lahat ng tawanan at kwentuhan na ibinahagi mo saaken 😭 habang buhay kang buhay saaming alaala.. ❤”
As John’s final message, he thanked all those people who had prayed and donated blood for him. He also thanked his family and friends for the support throughout his fight.
“Mula kay juan..
Hi po.. ako po c John Carl Castaños 😁21 years old may sakit na ‘Acute Myeloid Leukemia’ lubos po akong nagpapasalamat…🙏Maraming maraming salamat po sa lahat lahat ng mga taong nagdasal, tumulong at nagdonate ng dugo para saakin. habang buhay ko po kayong pasasalamatan..❤ sa aking mama at papa mga kapatid, kamag anak at kaibgan n walang sawang sumuporta sa laban ko maraming maraming salamat po sainyong lahat.. ❤❤❤❤”
