Our Family's Greatest Challenge
While on overseas tour of work in Manila last month, My sister, Abel had a serious case of periodontal infection. She suffered a lot of pain and wasn't able to eat and sleep well because of it. She was treated by a Periodontist who drained the abscess. Her condition improved upon her return here in Sydney.
Two days after her return, she and her family were on their way to San Francisco for a scheduled vacation. On the second day of her stay in the States, she called me complaining of slight fever occurring mostly at bedtime, this was accompanied by slight colds and recurrence of the gum problem. I attributed the fever and colds to a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract and just told her to rest and take analgesics on a "pro re nata" basis.
The fever persisted until finally on her last week of stay in California, she was experiencing chest pains and difficulty of breathing. I told her to see a doctor to rule out the possibility of other disease entities. She was subsequently confined in one of the private hospital in Antioch. Workups were done including a full blood count. Her initial WBC was 27 and on the second day it went up to 32. She was referred to a hematologist who reviewed her peripheral smear. Blast cells were found and she was diagnosed to have Leukaemia.
We were all shocked with the news. I was in the Philippines at that time. My first reaction was, no! it can't be, they must be wrong. So I advised them to go back immediately to Sydney as I was on my way back here as well. I told her not to think of the diagnosis because a bone marrow biopsy is not yet done.
Tomorrow she is scheduled to be admitted at Westmead Hospital for a complete workup, including the bone marrow aspiration biopsy. The initial diagnosis of Leukaemia will be established tomorrow. We are all facing a serious battle here, a battle of survival from a very dangerous illness. I know that with God's help and everybody's prayers, my sister, Abel will triumph against this dreadful disease.
Once again our family is faced with a very difficult challenge. A problem, I know we can carry all together. Please join me and my family in asking for help from the Almighty. I know He is good and kind and He will extend to us once again the blessings He bestowed on us when my mother was on a very serious condition.
Please pray for Abel...
Two days after her return, she and her family were on their way to San Francisco for a scheduled vacation. On the second day of her stay in the States, she called me complaining of slight fever occurring mostly at bedtime, this was accompanied by slight colds and recurrence of the gum problem. I attributed the fever and colds to a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract and just told her to rest and take analgesics on a "pro re nata" basis.
The fever persisted until finally on her last week of stay in California, she was experiencing chest pains and difficulty of breathing. I told her to see a doctor to rule out the possibility of other disease entities. She was subsequently confined in one of the private hospital in Antioch. Workups were done including a full blood count. Her initial WBC was 27 and on the second day it went up to 32. She was referred to a hematologist who reviewed her peripheral smear. Blast cells were found and she was diagnosed to have Leukaemia.
We were all shocked with the news. I was in the Philippines at that time. My first reaction was, no! it can't be, they must be wrong. So I advised them to go back immediately to Sydney as I was on my way back here as well. I told her not to think of the diagnosis because a bone marrow biopsy is not yet done.
Tomorrow she is scheduled to be admitted at Westmead Hospital for a complete workup, including the bone marrow aspiration biopsy. The initial diagnosis of Leukaemia will be established tomorrow. We are all facing a serious battle here, a battle of survival from a very dangerous illness. I know that with God's help and everybody's prayers, my sister, Abel will triumph against this dreadful disease.
Once again our family is faced with a very difficult challenge. A problem, I know we can carry all together. Please join me and my family in asking for help from the Almighty. I know He is good and kind and He will extend to us once again the blessings He bestowed on us when my mother was on a very serious condition.
Please pray for Abel...
posted by Abner M. Hornedo, M.D. at 9:53 PM
3 Comments:
will include your family in my prayers doc... i wish your sister all the best
will pray for her.
thanks to both of you!
ta.
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