Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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!)

6 comments:

  1. Alhamdulillah! May Allah continue to bless little Yousuf's path to recovery, ameen.

    Every little improvement counts and insha'Allah he'll be much better soon, b'idnillah ta'ala.

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  2. Leslie! Mabrook. May Allah make him better and better with passing time. Ameen. (I was sick today -NOT relatively speaking-and I feel bad that I missed out on hearing the update in person) :(

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  3. REMISSION! Oh Leslie, this is wonderful. I am so sorry to hear about his pain though. I pray that he will be ab;e to be free of pain very soon.

    The puppet show story is great. I am glad you made Yousuf go. It must be really hard to sit there though and witness all the sick little children.

    Hey, I know someone who's fixin' to turn 4!!!!

    Hugs to Super Yousuf and to you.
    -Shannon

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  4. Assalamu Alaykum,

    The first thing that I thought after reading this post was what Allah tells us in the Quran, "For indeed, with hardship will be ease." Alhamdulilah.

    We, from Wasat, hope that your family enjoys the small token of appreciation we can give to your family for the amazing blessings we're recieving from you all. We hope the Wii can be a means of enjoyment for Yousuf and the rest of the family, and the other gifts can bring happiness to Shaykh Waleed and you, Umm Yousuf.

    Wassalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah,
    AbdelRahman and the brothers and sisters from Wasat (Chicago)

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  5. May Allah make all of this easy on Yousuf and your family and give him a fast cure. Mashallah, I hope his body gains back its energy and youth :D

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  6. Assalamu Alaikum

    I just read on the Almaghrib forums one of the instructors making dua for your son, and asking us all to do the same.

    I was just wondering to myself at the impact of that...and hoping for Allah's mercy, and with that hope I came here to hear your latest news.

    May your family continue to be showered by Allah's mercy. Ameen.

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