Thursday, April 8, 2010

Sweet Brin Brin

See this sweet angel face?  That's Brinley.  Sweet Brin Brin.
She is about 6 months older than Sissy and they used to be in nursery at church together.  Then the end of the year came and Brinley moved up to big girl Primary, and Sissy is still hanging with the little ones.

Brinley, as you can see, is a beautiful brown eyed, dark haired, sweet and patient little girl.
She also has Acute Lymphyblastic Leukemia.
That's cancer if you didn't realize.

From her Mom's blog:
"Yes, Brinley is in remission. They got her in remission within the first month, which is what they hope to achieve. I was warned to be very careful with throwing around the word "remission" because it gives the false notion that treatment is over and all is hunky-dory. So while I will say my daughter "has" leukemia, I say that because she is still in treatment for it, however, there is no evidence of cancer in her marrow right now. What they have found is that if they don't continue to treat the cancer as if it was still there it will come back, guaranteed. Brinley's particular diagnosis, Acute Lymphyblastic Leukemia, has a 2 1/2 year treatment for girls, standard risk, and a 3 1/2 year treatment for boys. So she will be in treatment during the entire treatment protocol, regardless of remission. So yes, she is in remission, and no, life is not back to normal for her."

I wish I could say her family is new in our neighborhood so I just haven't had the chance to get to know them better.  That would be a lie.  Instead, I have been wrapped up in my own pathetic little life, and while I have admired their family from afar and knew names, I have not had the blessing of getting to know them very well.  That will change.

I stumbled on Brinley's blog through Facebook and sat entranced reading for over an hour.  I bawled.  The UGLY GIRL cry.  The one where you have snot bubbles and stuff.  Here they have been dealing with all this, and I'm worried about whether or not I have enough diet coke in the house.  Sure I noticed when Brinley's hair fell out.  I noticed when they missed church.  I noticed her sad eyes when she was there.  But I think I let the word cancer scare me.  It's one thing to go through it with an adult.  I've done that (not me, a bestie).  But a sweet, tiny girl?  I think rather than be brave and face it with them, I took the coward's way by saying and doing nothing. SHAME ON ME!

I'm out to rectify it.  I've already warned Kristin that I want to be friends.  And if I want to be friends, LOOK OUT MAMA - THE TRAIN IS COMING!

But, really the purpose of this post?
1.  Raise awareness.  You all know my love for Ethan and our efforts to find a cure, adding Brinley to my  list of children that I would really like to see cured was easy.
2.  In hopes that you might stop by her blog Sweet Brin Brin , read her story, get inspired and perhaps make a donation, leave a kind or encouraging word and then be motivated to do something good for someone else.
She'll be on my side bar, over there------------> too.  Just as a reminder that she is in my thoughts and prayers every.single.day.

And to Brin and the entire T family?  Love your freakin guts!  I hope one day, I will be as brave and strong as you all are.
xoxoxox
M-Cat

9 comments:

wendy said...

It is always so sad to hear of little children who suffer. I think the Lord gets tired of me asking WHY WHY WHY.

I have been lucky with healthy children and grandchildren --knock on wood, or my big fat butt

and I also loved your post below. I am such a work in progress ---
but despite my heathen ways....I'll take on anyone and smack them in their big fat self righteous faces if they want to challenge ME on MY relationship with my Father in Heaven.
NO---don't go there.
No one knows what that is but ME and my SAVIOR.

Lindsey Buck said...

I have a very good friend whose younger brother has been going through treatments for leukemia for a long time. It's really rough. I'll check out that blog. Thanks for the link. :)

Pedaling said...

i will click over to her site.
so sad, such trials in the lives of those around us--and us too, sometimes.
it's good to be aware, to help and pray and to change our direction into helping any way we can.
thanks.

Erin said...

I will go over and check it out. Thanks for sharing.

tammy said...

What an adorable little girl. I hate when trials in life involve your child being sick. Breaks my heart every single time.

Mae Rae said...

:-(

very very sad

tiburon said...

That breaks my heart. I love that you have room in your heart for both kids. :)

Off to read her story and give some love.

The Blanchard Family said...

You are so cute and fun! Love reading your blog. My heart just breaks when I read stories about little children who are suffering. I want to take away their pain. I am still dealing with some grief and sadness from my own ordeal, but I can't help but feel gratitude when I realize that my sweet Angel Ava doesn't have to suffer with only half a heart. There are so many beautiful little angels who do have to endure through so much pain and suffering. I will pray for Sweet Brin Brin!

kado! said...

oh, you are such a sweet person and friend. I know Kristin will be very blessed to count you as her friend now.

I hate to hear about any child suffering and I am on my way over to see how I can help...