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I just had a chance to look at this thread, and since I have worked for some years in oncology research with my recent specialization in being in childhood leukemia, lymphoma (and also soft tissue as well as bone cancers in children), I can answer at least the medical question, Shelly.

Colin wants her to have the baby so she can have radiation. Radiation? For leukemia? What are they going to radiate? Leukemia is a blood disease. I didn't think they did radiation for leukemia.

Radiation is indeed a therapy chosen with leukemia. I will let the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website explain the approaches taken more clearly than I can:
Radiation Therapy in Blood Cancers

Hi, Shelly. Here are some specific answers to your questions -
(1) Normally, radiation therapy in leukemia is given in conjunction with stem cell transplantation. It is a whole body radiation procedure, using radiations shields to protect lungs, heart and kidney when radiation is given.
When they use the patient's own stem cells for transplantation, they take out the stem cells and store them while they subject the patient to intensive chemotherapy and/or whole body high intensity radiation. The chemotherapy and radiation are meant to destroy any remaining cancer cells. In the process, they also kill the normal bone marrow cells and cells of the immune system. Then, they re-infuse the patient's own stem cells (this is called autologous transplantation). The stem cells then settle into the patient's bone marrow, start making new blood cells and the patient goes into remission if the therapy is successful.
When they use someone else's stem cells for transplantation (this is called allogeneic transplantation), patients has to be also given other drugs for suppressing graft rejection.
The whole procedure is wrought with lots of dangers as you can well imagine, and yet, many patients do make it.
(2) Sometimes patient may have enlargement of some internal organ, say, spleen for example, that may cause a lot of trouble by pressing against other organs. In this case, they use radiation to shrink the swollen organ.
(3) Sometimes, the patient may be in pain from bone damage due to proliferation of leukemia cells in the bone marrow. In that case too they use radiation to the damaged area of the bone.

It is all very painful when one thinks of it in the context of little children and especially infants. I used to break down and cry a lot when I got home. I still do. Those children are so full of grace and strength, it amazes you sometimes.

In Reva's case, I assume she needs an autologous stem cell transplantation, since we have not heard anything about a donor. Edited to add: therefore, Reva will need whole body radiation. If this is so, you can see why she can't be pregnant while she undergoes therapy.

You are welcome, Shelly.

I too am very thankful for the medical doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who are capable of maintaining their compassion without personally breaking down at all the pain and suffering they see and treat. I don't know how they do it, but I am very grateful that they can; one of my very close friends of very long standing used to be a paediatric oncology nurse. She told me that it was the grace and strength of the children that sustained her. She said that often, the parents will break down, and the child will be the source of strength for self as well as parents!

In my case, since I am a research professional, I need to keep emotionally very cool and train my intellect on the problem at hand. At all times, what sustains me is the hope that whatever work I do will some day help other patients if not this one right now and here, but who knows, may be even right now and here. I also have to tell myself that while I cannot feel as useful in the present as the nurse or the doctor may, I too am a cog in the wheel that will bring about alleviation of pain and suffering some day.

Hugs for your caring about all this, in spite of your own painful memories. You are absolutely special, to me, and also to many of the rest of us here. I hope you know that! Even if you do know, it is time I made a public declaration of my private feelings of how precious you are, I think - so here you go