2007/11/11 22:41
And Now for Something Completely Depressing
We all cheered when Lourdess went into remission from her leukemia last year. Cancer isn't fun, least of all for a kid, but she kept smiling the whole time, and it paid off because she beat it. Her father (a staunch born-again Christian) was, of course, quick to credit God for seeing fit to deliver his little girl from the disease.
I don't know about God, but someone has a perverted sense of humor, because she recently relapsed.
None of us can quite believe it. (That's why I haven't written about it before now -- denial, hoping that if I don't acknowledge it that it will go away.) Last time she was sick -- coughing, wan, tired. She was running around happily the day she was re-diagnosed. It doesn't seem real, but she's already finished her first week of chemotherapy. And if she wasn't sick before, she sure is now.
It's times like this when you're tempted to question the faith of the believers. If there is a God, and if he actually cares what his little human minions do running around on Earth, then why would he inflict such a terrible disease on a good little girl who does whatever her father tells her, worships in his house without fail and never misbehaves? But using such a horrible situation as a religious attack is dirty. We're all in the same boat, after all, and we don't need to be clobbering each other over the head with the oars.
Now I'm learning a relapse is even more desparate than the initial diagnosis. The first time, she had a 50% chance of beating it. But now -- if she goes back into remission after the first round of chemo, and if they can find a suitable bone marrow donor for a half-Anglo half-Filipino girl with what's apparently a rather rare blood type, then she has a one in three chance of survival.
Pretty shitty odds for someone who hasn't seen her tenth birthday yet.
Please keep Lourdess in your thoughts again. And if you know anyone who might be able to fill that role of donor, let me know -- I'm working with the family on harvesting potential donors that we could fly to Vancouver if they type appropriately. Watch this space for more information about that.
God or Lourdess or whoever is actually in charge of it willing, she'll make it through this time too.
I don't know about God, but someone has a perverted sense of humor, because she recently relapsed.
None of us can quite believe it. (That's why I haven't written about it before now -- denial, hoping that if I don't acknowledge it that it will go away.) Last time she was sick -- coughing, wan, tired. She was running around happily the day she was re-diagnosed. It doesn't seem real, but she's already finished her first week of chemotherapy. And if she wasn't sick before, she sure is now.
It's times like this when you're tempted to question the faith of the believers. If there is a God, and if he actually cares what his little human minions do running around on Earth, then why would he inflict such a terrible disease on a good little girl who does whatever her father tells her, worships in his house without fail and never misbehaves? But using such a horrible situation as a religious attack is dirty. We're all in the same boat, after all, and we don't need to be clobbering each other over the head with the oars.
Now I'm learning a relapse is even more desparate than the initial diagnosis. The first time, she had a 50% chance of beating it. But now -- if she goes back into remission after the first round of chemo, and if they can find a suitable bone marrow donor for a half-Anglo half-Filipino girl with what's apparently a rather rare blood type, then she has a one in three chance of survival.
Pretty shitty odds for someone who hasn't seen her tenth birthday yet.
Please keep Lourdess in your thoughts again. And if you know anyone who might be able to fill that role of donor, let me know -- I'm working with the family on harvesting potential donors that we could fly to Vancouver if they type appropriately. Watch this space for more information about that.
God or Lourdess or whoever is actually in charge of it willing, she'll make it through this time too.
Rick-
I am so sorry to hear about LJ. I will definitely keep her and all of you in my thoughts and prayers.
Life can certainly be a bitch sometimes-particularly to those who least deserve it.
I am so sorry to hear about LJ. I will definitely keep her and all of you in my thoughts and prayers.
Life can certainly be a bitch sometimes-particularly to those who least deserve it.
Wow. I don't know what to say. I'm sorry to hear this news, but I will definitely be keeping everyone in my thoughts.
Oh man, this is not what I wanted to hear at all. I'll definitely be keeping all of you guys in my thoughts ... she seems like a good, strong kid, so I know she'll put up another tough battle!
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