Little Angel

This last year was full of surprises, tragedies, happy and not so happy moments. But there was a big lesson I learned that I want to share with you.  I have a big family, with aunts and uncles in different countries. As any other family, even though we are apart from each other, we try to keep contact and call each other frequently.

I remember that it all started about six months ago. One afternoon I was watching TV with my dad when suddenly the phone started to ring. I picked it up as always and heard my uncle Andres´ voice. He lives with his family on the USA and so I talk a little with him. I asked how he has been, for the family and if everything was good; he say yes but there was something in his voice that make me doubt. He asked for his brother so I give the phone to my dad who was just thrill to hear from him.

After a while, as they talk, I saw my dad´s smile vanish and immediately knew that something was wrong, with not even a  warning my father’s eyes suddenly fill up with tears that he could not held back. By that time my two sisters and my mother were aware of the conversation and we all just could not wait. We wanted to know what was happening.

At last my dad hung up and told us what was going on. My uncle was calling to let us know about a difficult situation that was taking place. One of my three cousins was very sick on the hospital; he had a rare type of anemia and it was killing him. The only hope left was to find a bone marrow donor, make a transplant and pray for it to work. I couldn´t believe my ears. How can this happen to a twelve year old?

We were all very nervous the following days, my uncle told us the doctors will run some tests on my other cousins to see if they were compatible with his or her brother. As for us, they had told us that uncles and cousins could also be compatible in some amount so we started to make tests to see witch of us could be a possible donor.  After a week my uncle let us know that the tests were over and that my little cousin, a beautiful four year old girl was compatible. The doctors were just shocked about the fact that there were 100% compatibles; they had the exact DNA the kind of situation that is seen only on twins.

To make sure that everything went right with the transplant, my little cousin Valeria which will be the donor, had to run even more tests, donate blood, have a special diet and a strict routine for a while. The doctors pinch her over and over again, she gave blood almost every day and she could not do the things she liked like play, dance or been with other people. This little angel didn’t complain, not even once. Many times she just wanted to cry because she couldn’t understand why the doctors were so mean, but she did know that if she did this, his brother will be all right; he will leave the hospital and return home. ­­Valeria told the doctors that she will do whatever it toked to save his brother, that they could have all her blood if necessary.

After all, the transplant was made and the treatment is working very well. My cousin is getting better every day, still he will be on the hospital for another couple of months but he is strong and very gratefully. His little sister showed a love that is beyond everything and an immense bravery.

This little girl attitude towards her brother make me think of my own sisters. How many times a day do I fight with them for the stupidest things? How many times had I preferred talking to my friends rather than to my sisters? This and many other questions came to my mind and after a while I realized that it doesn’t matter how much your friend loves you, only your brother or sister will give their lives for you. At the end of the day, who will stick to you no matter how awful the situation is, is your family and a love like that will not be ever found nether compered.