The Nastiness that is Leukemia

I haven't provided an update on my little buddy Morgan since her months-long battle with leukemia seemed to have subsided, with medical arts and sciences up 1-0. Much like a building not falling down, an 8-year-old who's life is returning to relative normalcy doesn't make headlines. Well, that'll teach me to take my eye off the ball. Dar sent me a message that Morgan was back in the hospital because so was the leukemia. If I understand things correctly, the cancer wasn't really in remission, just hiding(?). How else to explain Morgan's elevated white cell count?

Anyhow, Ame (Morgan's mom), Morgan, and Dar have been working out this whole thing together. As usual, Morgan's spirit continues to amuse and inspire me. How else do you explain Morgan's notice to her nurses?

Morgan and Ame are not known to me personally; I know them electronically through Dar. I'm not one who's terribly good or comfortable with kids (just ask my sister or cousins about how "well" I deal with family visits). But Dar sent me a picture of Morgan with her daughter that won me over because it just blew my mind....

So there's Morgan, head smooth as a ping pong ball from whatever chemo they're giving her, and she's got a smile on that lights up a room. I keep hard copies of this photo by my computer at work and here at home to remind me of the need for spirit regardless of the situation. I mean, seriously: what the heck do I have to worry about in comparison? As my mother likes to remind me, "It could be worse." And yeah, it always could be. But even if it is worse, that doesn't stop some people from smiling enough to light up the room. I want to be that guy.