Independence Day

Many people throughout this country celebrate, in this month, a day called Independence Day on July 4Th. For the Basyouni family we will be celebrating that day on July 29th, the day Yousuf has gone in Remission! Yousuf's doctor hurried over to the in-patient center of the hospital to deliver to us the good news. We were supposed to discuss the treatment from here and for the next 6 months. Unfortunately, due to the reasons he is in the hospital that conference will take place another day. We have to tackle what is wrong with Yousuf now...which we still are not sure about. Though we have this huge bump in the road we are still in the clear and winning the battle on his leukemia. From here on out it will be more a battle against the very armor that is protecting and healing Yousuf: Chemotherapy.

Yousuf is not moving his left side at all. He refuses out of pain. His shoulder and his hand are swollen and stay in place next to his side. They will be running an MRI tomorrow to check for a blood clot. If it is a blood clot and not just post surgical symptoms then we have an extension to our already long road. For now they have ordered for a physical therapist to assist him in getting back in shape.

We are having our celebration in the hospital, but still happy. They called Yousuf along with all the other patients to the lounge for a puppet show yesterday. I had to literally be forceful and stern about getting this sickly child out of bed. We sat in the room with all the other kids with their "infusion towers" by their sides limiting them to too much movement without caution. As the puppets danced around above the curtain and sang songs I glanced around the room to the other patients. A month ago I would have never suspected that my companions would be hairless babies attached to wires and poles. I saw one little girl 16 months old clapping and singing while on her mother's lap. Just under her jaw and below her ear was a tumor bigger than a softball almost equal to her tiny frail little head. Young parents singing and clapping right along with her. I had a half smile trying to figure out which emotion was heavier. The happiness seeing them happy anyway or sadness for what they were going through. I joined in the chorus with Yousuf singing, "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!" (Clap! Clap!)