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| Me, Kathy, a cousin, Bobby and Billy |
Here is some interesting trivia:
There are over 7 billion
people on the planet. Of the 10 to 20 million people in the world thought to
have HTLV-1, only 1-4% will go on to develop HAM/TSP (Tropical Spastic
Paraparesis). As we know, I am one of them.
So, I calculated this:
· 800,000 is 4% of 20 million
out of 7 billion people
· 400,000 is 4% of 10 million
In other words, you can be
a carrier of the virus and never experience any symptoms. I saw a leading
virologist at Johns Hopkins in 1997. I had already known that both my parents
carried a particularRh factor. Their doctor told them not to have children.
The Rhythm system failed my
parents. Mom gave birth to four of us.
My body exhibited hints of
each symptom from the onset. My virologist said bad luck and an inherited gene
contributed to the rapid exacerbation.
However, it’s a blessing. I’m lucky that’s all that happened to me. My captors could have easily
killed and disposed of me, or I might have overdosed from drugs, died from
cutting my wrists, or contracted AIDS as well.
Instead, I lived
and since this disease is so rare, people remember me, especially those in the
medical field. It helps me maintain and develop relationships. It sets me apart
from a limited pack. (Of course, there are many other rare diseases in the
world).
Still, my
goodness, what are the odds?
Beyond that, I’m the eldest
child, born in 1951 – my brother, Bobby, 1952 – my brother, Billy, 1959 – and
my baby sister, Kathy, born in 1960 – all are dead.
Bobby died at the age of 41
in 1993 from complication of AIDS and cancer. Billy died in his sleep, at the
age of 46, in May 2005 from heart failure. My precious sister, Kathy, died
peacefully in her sleep at the age of 52, November 2014, after a long and
painful battle with Stage 4 lung cancer. They all suffered immensely from
various conditions prior to their deaths.
Poor Dad and Mom, both long
gone, suffered losing child after child. But, my world would not have been
complete without my siblings. I'm thankful for the time we had together.
“Mystery
creates wonder and wonder is
the
basis of man's desire to understand.” Neil Armstrong
“God
asks no man whether he will accept life. That is not the choice.
You
must accept it. The only choice is how.” Henry Ward
