On Tuesday I awoke to a long-awaited email about the birth of my sister's fourth child. A boy! I had been hoping and hoping for a boy (she has 2 girls and a boy already, and every boy needs a brother), and hoping and hoping her delivery would be all she wanted it to be (natural), and it was! I smiled all day, thinking about baby Miles.
On Tuesday as I was going to sleep, Ben got a message from his twin sister. Her beautiful 22 month old daughter is in the Phoenix Children's Hospital, just diagnosed with ALL Leukemia.
This beautiful baby, much longed for after 3 long years of infertility.
Talk about emotional extremes.
I'm going to go see my newest nephew next week, and I can't wait. But I also can't get little Josie and my sweet sister-in-law (really, a sister) out of my heart. Angee has had more than her share of sadness in her life, and I just ache for her.
Of course, all the memories of my own baby brother's cancer diagnosis, all those years ago, come flooding back. He left a hole in our family that has never been filled.
I keep telling myself, "If a child has to get cancer, leukemia is the kind to get," since it has a very promising remission and long-term survival rate, but somehow that's not much comfort right now.
9 comments:
Oh my. That is painful to read about, and not even knowing the beautiful little 22-month-old. I'm so sorry for your roller coaster of emotions. How sad that you lost your little brother to cancer a long time ago. Is that picture of the two of you?
Congratulations, on the other hand, on the birth of your sister's new baby.
You stated that beautifully. We are struggling here too with the diagnosis. We want to be of help so badly, but not quite sure how to help. This is such unchartered territory. I keep asking questions that nobody has the answers to (as I am sure Angee does). Anyway, if you have any ideas of how we can be of help, please let me know.
I saw Angee as she was carrying Josie into the ER and it was a heartbreaking sight. I kept it together as well I could since Lilly was climbing into the backseat of my car, but quickly lost it once I got home and the diagnosis was finalized.
Hard times for the Turner family. I hope you are doing well.
Congratulations on your sister's baby. That is happy news!
Kelly,
No, that's not me with Jacob, that's his twin sister Rachel (the one who got married this last summer). Rachel's life probably changed the most as she went from the close identity of a twin to a lone child.
Raegan, if I come up with any ideas of ways for making things even marginally better for Angee and Dave, I will surely let you know. I'm floundering, too. Prayer is probably the best we can do right now.
What a beautiful little girl -- just offered a prayer for her and her family -- including you.
I didn't realize you'd lost your brother -- some of those losses and heartaches don't completely heal in this life, but I believe there will be healing in the next.
My heart aches for you and for your sister-in-law. I can't imagine anything harder than having a child with a serious illness. My younger brother was diagnosed with cancer at age 11 and underwent treatment for more than 2 years. He was lucky and survived the ordeal, but that was a tough time for our family. I do remember feeling an outpouring of love from ward members and friends. Just feeling that love and knowing people were praying for us was probably the most helpful thing.
I remember that difficult time when Jacob was going through his valiant fight. I can't imagine the fear your SIL must be experiencing. My heart and prayers go out to them.
Congratulations on your new little nephew!
It is a strange kind of life that is filled with the ups and downs of such extremes. What a beautiful and precious thing it is to have a new baby enter into this world, and a tragic thing to be in a situation where we are so helpless in caring for a sick child.
Our prayers are with you and your family at this time. And it is a comfort to know that the Lord knows of our struggles and heartaches and is ready and waiting to comfort us.
Oh Gabby. :`( I am so sorry. I wish there were words that could make it all less painful. This is a hug from me.
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