UPDATE: OCTOBER 22, 2007

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Approximately four to five weeks ago (time seems to escape me these days) Rotina's condition was such that I had to almost carry her to the bathroom, undress her and dress her when she finished all the while holding on to her so she did not fall over. I then helped her back to bed. She did not know her name; she would just stare at the ceiling and was, for the most part, unresponsive. As you know, she is staying with her mom as I have to attend to daily activities and I often spend what time I have left at her mom's house. The property we own in Jonesborough ends at a small bridge and the state is ready to replace the bridge. In doing so they contacted me to make arrangements to purchase a very small portion of our land. The lady who came to meet with me to discuss the purchase was named Denise (Rotina's middle name) and she was aware of Rotina's cancer. While there she asked about Rotina. After I told her of Rotina's condition above, she asked if she could share her story. As she talked, she told me she had developed breast cancer approximately three years ago. And... the rest of the story is the fascinating part.She said the first time she went to have her chemo she, while entering the entrance to the building, encountered a six year old, little blond haired, blue eyed girl. She stated the little girl started asking her questions such as, "Do you have cancer? Are you going to take chemo? Do you have a port? Are you scared?" Denise answered all the little girl's questions and they even showed each other their ports. The little girl also removed the blond wig to reveal her head made bald from the chemo. Answering the little girl's last question of being scared, Denise had told her she was scared to which she (the little girl) replied "I was too but I got over it" and they proceeded to the entrance of the chemo room. As they neared the entrance, the little girl started into the room with Denise but her mother told her she could not go in. The adults and children's chemo rooms are separated. The little girl insisted, telling her mom she needed to assist Denise because she was scared and proceeded into the room leaving her mom standing in the hall. Denise said the little girl talked while the nurses prepared Denise for the chemo and walked around the room talking with the other patients. Then, at the insistence of her mother, she said bye and left the room heading down the hall to the children's chemo room.After chemo, Denise said she had been so inspired by this little girl that she wanted to purchase her a gift and went down the hall to inquire of the little girls name. Once there, she described the appearance of the little girl to the staff in the children's chemo room and they told her they had no one there fitting that description. Thinking her mind may have been playing tricks on her, Denise returned to her chemo room asking the nurses if they had seen the little girl and all assured her they had. To this day, Denise has yet to locate this little girl.I relate the story above to tell you this. After the story, both Denise and I cried and hugged; she went back to her work and I went back to visit Rotina. Once back at Rotina's, I sat on the side of the bed and told Rotina the story. In two hours I saw improvement. The next day, Rotina was up on her walker attending her own needs and the next day after that she was moving about without the walker and has since been going to events such as doing her clay and attending some of the festivals in this area. Do not ask me the significance of the little girl because I do not know the answer. I do know God, in his infinite wisdom, can do as he wishes. I do not know what all this means. I just know that Rotina improved after the story. From the onset of this challenge, the doctors have given Rotina two weeks to two months to two years to live. As you know she has surpassed the first two but she is not, as the saying goes, out of the woods. She went to the doctor yesterday to have another round of chemo but they could not do it as her port has become infected. They also told her that they are seeing another tumor and the cancer is again starting to seep from her right chest wall. She also had to have minor surgery yesterday to remove the port. I was allowed to stay in the room and could see the grimace on her face from the injection of the numbing shot prior to the surgery. Through it all she continues to smile and be thankful to God. When we were sitting and talking about a week ago, she told me she looked like an alien with the bald head which made me cry. She is so beautiful in my eyes and it pains my heart to see her suffer. She is to go into surgery again in November to replace her port.Please ask everyone to continue to pray for God's will in our lives and we (Rotina and I) appreciate all the concern, well wishes and prayers. We thank each of you.David