Prayers Needed...

Hello Friends,

The first thought that comes to mind as I type this is "Blogging is Stupid!"

This blog is my own little playpen where I can whine about the current inconvenience or annoyance, share my thoughts about my family, vacations, depression, meals, restaurants, outings, etc. All normal, everyday stuff that, when it's all said and done, doesn't matter a single bit.

Sometimes it's nice to have a place to go where life's "stuff" doesn't matter. A break from all the stuff that does matter; all the stuff we have to deal with - whether we want to or not. But really, right now it feels incredibly insignificant.

So Tonight, I'm taking a break from the "norm," and will focus on something that matters - something that matters very much.

The beautiful young lady you see here with the $1,000,000 smile is Nicole Christine Lehotay. She's 16 (and plenty "sweet!") and is the daughter of my very best friend in the entire world.

She's a wonderful daughter and friend, an honor student with college-level courses and she likes her fun serious. Much of that for the last 12 years has been found on the soccer field. She's been learning to drive and getting ready for her junior year of high school.

But there's a problem...
Three weeks ago she started feeling tired. A week or so later she was grumpy, and still tired. Her mother noticed puffiness around Nicole's eyes. Each day got a little worse and before long there were headaches, nausea, and then spots.

The mysterious spots were caused from her capillaries; they were 'leaking." She was immediately sent to the hospital - the "good" one a little further away. STAT blood work was ordered and what followed has been an emotional trip to hell and back for Nicole, her family, and friends.

Platelet counts that should have been 150,000 - 450,000 was a mere 6,000. Test after test, treatment after treatment, needle after needle, and finally a diagnosis: Evans Syndrome.

Evans Syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which an individual's antibodies attack their own RBCs (red blood cells) as well as their platelets. In other words, her immune system is turning on itself. This is a serious condition and your prayers are needed.

She's also been diagnosed with mono and has enlarged liver and spleen. Nicole's platelet count bottomed out at a level "too low to count." With treatment she has improved and was able to go home once her count reached 11,000. At last count she had reached 20,000. At this level she is still prone to bleeding - nose bleeds, bruising, etc. She's exhausted and suffers with daily headaches.

While showing improvement, she's not out of the woods yet.

So I ask for your prayers...

Please pray for Nicole; for healing and complete recovery. For her count to reach 30,000 quickly and for continued improvement after that with no recurrence.

Mostly, please pray for what you feel in your heart.

My prayers are for her her healing, for her medical team, for her delicate and worn out veins. Prayers, too, for her peace of mind at such a frightening time.

Prayers for her family; for their strength and peace. For their wisdom in dealing in such unfamiliar territory, and for confidence in providing Nicole's care when they feel out of their element and overwhelmed.

Finally, if you would also pray for those of us who love them, that we can be a help and comfort, never a burden. That we will know what to say when we don't know what to say. That we will know when to listen and not say anything at all. Mostly, that our love and concern can span the physical distance involved since so many friends and family members are located in states other than Pennsylvania.

My friend, Dawn, Nicole's mother, is a regular reader of this blog. Please feel free to leave comments here for her and/or Nicole. You can also email comments and prayers to me at SWiren@charter.net and I will forward them.

Thank you...