I, unfortunately, do not have happy thoughts to share right now. My nineteen-year-old brother was diagnosed with leukemia yesterday at Yale-New Haven hospital, where he will spend the next month kicking cancer ass and taking nurses' names and numbers. It requires six months of hard-core treatments, along with all the usual side effects, including hair loss. Anyone who's seen my brother's lustrous "flowing golden locks" as he puts it knows to be glad that he's been sporting a buzz cut as of late. He's mourning the loss of his beard and eyebrows. I told him I'd cut up a clown wig for him and glue some fake eyebrows on.
The family is hanging in there. He's been set up in a very anti-germ room (which is why I'm not up there right now--my cold could hit his system extremely hard right now). It has wi-fi so that he and my parents can remain connected to the outside world while he goes through the vanguard of his treatments. Everyone's doing what they can. The oncologist called me to explain the whys and wherefores of this freak accident of life. In essence, the docs at Yale have set their phasers to kill and are aiming to cure him. Rob's doctor did use the words "cure" and "possible" in the sentence, though it will be very hard.
I gave my teachers the heads-up that I might need to disappear at any given moment. My friends have stepped up where needed and I, too, am hanging in there. I can't tell if it's harder or easier to be at school. On the one hand, I can't be there for the kid whenever he needs me and even if he doesn't need me at all and I'm not there to at least freak out in the company of my family. That's definitely tough. On the other hand, I have a hefty support system here and freaking out in the company of other freaked out people really doesn't do anything productive. I can't physically do anything for him right now, so I'm enlisting all of you:
If you are so inclined to do a favor for a bored, sick kid, send your favorite joke to penguin_bergerAThotmailDOTcom. Send funny pictures, stupid anecdotes, great YouTube links, whatever comes to mind. I have other surprises planned for him, but I want this initial one to be big. Give him whatever you've got.
Thank you.
Monday, January 21, 2008
In Which She Announces
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4 comments:
Oh my goodness, Kate, I'm so sorry. This really sucks. I will hunt down something funny to send him - and please let me know if I can do anything else.
Oh, Kate! I just sent him a note, and thank you for letting us know. I sent him my blog (hey why not) and told him to look icanhascheezburger.com. Everybody needs silly cat pictures in their lives.
Hi Kate,
If I know Robby, he'll be magnificient. I'm got some great youtube ammo up my sleeve, hopefully he'll enjoy it. My thoughts are with Rob and your family. Lots of love.
you're a great sister. my sister has borderline personality disorder and i can never think of anything i can do for her. i hope your brother does kick ass and take names.
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