The Blog Posts No One Likes to Read or Think About
There comes a time in most bloggers postings that they have to report potentially unsettling and disturbing news. This is one of those times.

Its not as dire as it may seem but its a difficult time for my family and that means its a difficult time for me as well, even given my 3500 mile emotional cushion.

A short background update.
Several weeks ago, my sister gave birth to her second child, another little boy. Born a little early but otherwise in pretty good shape.
He had some seizures and other medical issues that caused the doctors to put a shunt into his head to drain off the bad blood (sorry, that's about all I really know or need to know of this whole process) instead of letting it accumulate.

The baby, Nicolas, is doing reasonably well, has had to have the shunt replaced at least once and is currently in a wait and see mode to find out if the shunt will need to be permanent or not. There's a chance of some brain damage and we're all hoping that hasn't happened.

I didn't think it would be this hard to write about because I'm not obsessing over his health although he is very much on my mind. And perhaps my short temper lately is somewhat tied to this pending angst, the stress of the unknown. Knowing the emotional roller coaster my sister is riding with her baby and her husband's illness as well. And just so I don't leave any dangling story lines, he's sick but not bedridden or anything like that. At this point he is bring treated and is doing just fine with a decent chance of a full recovery. But the emotional toll on them all must be overwhelming at times.

So, Baby Nicolas, get well or get better. You've got a big family that wants nothing than for you to be a happy and healthy little boy.

It sucks because he didn't do anything to deserve this, he's hurt no one, can hurt no one. He's a sweet little tiny baby who's already had the deck stacked against him. And the whole Life's-Not-Fair bullshit just serves to irritate me. Life may not be fair but so what? Does that make it okay? Does disclosure of unfair rules make the game valid?