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Powered By: Blogger | || Wednesday, September 20, 2006 || OVERWHELMED BY STRANGERS' KINDNESSUpdates first. Pyro has been discharged already from the hospital last Monday at past 5 PM. He still has to take several medications for his magnesium-potassium levels but at least he was declared well enough to be discharged. His hair has started falling off, so instead of letting the falling ones irritate him, his parents had his head shaved yet again. My sister visited him yesterday and told me our nephew was sporting a bald head again. I clutched at my heart (ok, chest) and asked if he was depressed. And he wasn't. Because Kuya Lot (a cousin that's 2 yrs older) also got his head shaved. Awww. (reminds me of those Chicken Soup for the Soul stories i've cried over before... and I thank God that Pyro's blessed with loving cousins, even if he bosses them around sometimes) Pyro's chemo (1 week) cost his parents (and my parents) some P30k. But his 2-week confinement for being stricken with E. Coli (and stripped of important nutrients) immediately after his chemo cost them P80k. And I really can't help but be staggered by the lack of guarantees still for such an expense. *~* My SIL knows I blog about Pyro. But she hasn't really seen this site yet. And my brother is no internet person. So they don't know the movement being taken on by friends and family alike for Py. There have been whispers encouraging hopefulness... because friends and friends of friends were kind enough to forward the e-mails and blog posts to others who might know someone. So the movement has reached many people, from many companies. Thus, the whispers. It's always a "no promises" thing but I am overwhelmed by the kind response of strangers. Many have called friends and my husband to ask if this is all a hoax... because not everyone who gets the e-mail blogs... and because aren't we all annoyed by those forwarded "Please pass and help this cancer-ridden child" e-mails already? And weirdly enough, we'd give everything for Pyro's illness to be fake... and gone... and ended. But it's still here. His last X-ray still showed a lump on his chest bone, which his oncologist is praying to be just rotten mass (my brother has forgotten to ask if, it turns out to be just rotten mass, will it require surgery again?). The waiting game begins anew for us... for check-ups and chemo and results of lab tests. But you know the really great miracle? In the US, people have died from E. Coli. And yet here is Py, fresh from chemotherapy, only 3 years old, and he has survived again. Sigh. *~* Special thanks to all those who have been forwarding the e-mails, which I can't really track anymore. And all those people who have taken up the BLOG BRIGADE for Py... these were the only ones I could google... but really, thank you. I should call them... PYRO'S ANGELS i think :) Batjay, Jet, Yuga, Brownpau, Bugsy, Tito Rolly, Resty O, Ricky, Cat, Jaypee Online, Angelica Villoria, Toni, Linnor, Leah, Vespinoy, and Retzwerx, Mike Abundo. || Sunday, September 17, 2006 || MAKING THINGS BETTERMy blogfriends and other bloggers have rallied yet again for my nephew. Batjay, Jet, Yuga, Brownpau, Busgy, TiT Rolly, Resty O, and Rickey. My husband started the e-mail movement for this cause and blogberk Cat thought to augment it by starting a blog movement as well. And my family and I are humbled with more gratitude to these people who have their own lives to lead, and problems to worry over... but who thought to spare a moment and some space for my nephew. Tomorrow will mark his 3rd week in the hospital. Reminds all of us of October last year, when doctors were taking their time making the diagnosis. He missed a family reunion today... because he's still stuck at PCMC. But you know what's priceless? Py getting his appetite back and eating voraciously... and even complaining very early in the morning why his munchkins didn't have fillings :) *~* I can never really repay the kindness being bestowed on my nephew, my family and me. But I know Life will take care of what kindness we cannot repay. And I hope the lesson of graciousness here would stay with us forever, something we'd also pay forward. || Tuesday, September 12, 2006 || STRICKEN ONCE MORE,BUT HE'S STILL STANDINGPyro was stricken with the E. Coli bacteria, thus the low levels of white blood cells. E. Coli causes hemorrhaging, and therefore, blood loss. But I was informed that Py's bowel movement is showing signs that he's on his way to recovery already... that he's beaten this one... that he's still responding to medication. He's still fighting. And we're just so, so proud of him. *~* I think because I was crying all the time for the past few days, my husband thought to start an e-mail movement to get in touch with whoever CAN make Pyro's wish happen: to be visited, or to meet Batista. Personally, I don't really think Pyro would mind if it was Undertaker or John Cena who he meets (and actually, he might be too tongue-tied or scared if he does meet one of his wrestler idols) so long as he meets one of them. It's a cute wish really, made by a 3-year old... and it's not like he spends all his waking moments asking for his wish to be granted (because right now, all he does is eat boiled eggs and rest). It's a long shot. So far, we've gotten e-mails telling us that they have forwarded the e-mail to someone who CAN help (sports writer for Inquirer, and someone who works for GMA's Wish Ko Lang). Ask and you shall receive... :) And we really hope Py will be rewarded somehow by something... to inspire him to fight some more. *~* Friends can be found in the most unexpected of places, in the most unexpected of ways. My Blogberks have all sacrificed something to pool their money and give it as a belated birthday gift to Py. They were my friends, but now they are also Pyro's friends... I've said it before, but I will say it again... cancer, for all the pain it causes, also inspires such love and kindness in people. And you discover that no matter how personal the battle, you're not alone in the world. There IS always a helping hand, somewhere. There IS always a ready smile. Love IS really just around. And you hope some more, and believe some more, because your spirit is reminded of a reason to. *~* Pyro, at 5 months old (Dec 2003) || Monday, September 11, 2006 || DON'T GIVE UP ON US, BABYAs of this writing, Pyro has been confined in PCMC for over two weeks now. A more aggressive chemo treatment resulted in dehydration for him, since he couldn't stop from vomiting. Around Wednesday last week, he started getting high fevers and convulsions. Last weekend, he required platelet transfusion because his white-blood cells level were low. June = 2nd surgery July and August = radiation treatments September = chemo No wonder the poor child's body couldn't take it anymore. We don't even know yet if he can be discharged soon. He's also had to undergo several other tests to rule out other complications... And what broke his heart wasn't really the long hospital stay... but being chained to his hospital bed when all the other kids got to flock in malls and meet Batista in person. Yes, Pyro loves his wrestlers. Pyro immitating Undertaker *~* I know there is a God. I know that the human spirit triumphs. I just hope Pyro doesn't give up. Please, pray for him. *~* My SIL recorded him singing TULOG NA... my sister had me listen to it and all I could do was cry and cry and cry. He's only 3 years old to have gone through so much. And I don't know what else I could do for him. *~* You can listen to Pyro sing... Pyro's version of TULOG NA. |