Moved by Rikako Ikee’s words during her battle with leukemia, the author—who was hospitalized for seven months with the same illness in 2001—writes about the depth of that suffering and the sure path toward recovery.
This piece records the severity of the phase when chemotherapy side effects are at their worst, while also pointing to the hope of remission ahead, drawing on both personal experience and the explanation of a hematologist.
It also stands as a heartfelt testimony and message of encouragement to all those fighting leukemia.

2019-03-07
In May 2001, I suddenly fell ill with exactly the same disease as Ms. Ikee and spent seven full months in the hospital, so I understand all of her time and all of her symptoms.

“It is tens, hundreds, thousands of times harder than I had imagined.
Days have continued when I have not been able to eat for more than three days.
But I do not want to lose.”

Everyone who watched NHK’s 7 p.m. news last night must have seen the above tweet by Rikako Ikee.
In May 2001, I suddenly fell ill with exactly the same disease as Ms. Ikee and spent seven full months in the hospital, so I understand all of her time and all of her symptoms.

In my case, unlike Ms. Ikee, the medicine truly worked poorly the first time.
As a result, the side effects were very slight.
But for that very reason, my hospital stay became longer.

In her case, it is working powerfully from the very first round.
As a result, the side effects are also appearing powerfully.
That means that although she is going through the hardest stage now, her complete remission should come much sooner than mine did.

Ms. Ikee, not only are you the greatest swimmer in the world, but all of Japan, no, the whole world knows that your humanity is also the finest in the world.

Dr. Yukitsugu Nakamura, a hematologist, has responded to her tweet on behalf of the Japanese people.

I did not write this in my previous article, but around ten days after anticancer drugs are administered for several days, both the leukemia cells and the normal white blood cells disappear from the body.
The details of the treatment are unknown, so this too is speculation, but is the regimen HyperCVAD?
At present, about twenty days after the start of treatment, this is the period generally called the nadir, the time when side effects are most likely to appear.
Severe side effects such as fever accompanying infection, loss of appetite including nausea, and pain caused by stomatitis are likely to appear during this time, and because of the pain, there are times when even drinking water becomes difficult.
Since for some people almost no side effects appear, I intentionally did not write this last time, but unfortunately it seems that they have appeared in Ms. Ikee’s case.
However, once this period is passed, the normal cells begin to recover, and the body enters an almost healthy condition, a state of remission.
Her attending physician has probably explained this as well, but this is the bottom, and in a few more days she will begin to regain her strength.
It is painful, but you will surely get better, so please endure it.
I believe your heart may be on the verge of breaking, but your body will not lose, and your leukemia will get better.

And to other leukemia patients as well.
There are times when one is tormented by painful side effects like these, but those side effects will certainly disappear, and by overcoming that condition, one moves toward remission and then toward cure.
Do not be afraid, and let us keep facing forward.