Rosie

Most of you probably remember my friend "Rosie" - a warm, wonderful black woman who missed her calling as a stand-up comedian. We get together when we can, but her poor health often gets in the way.

A week ago, she was rushed to a hospital with acute bronchitis. Her asthma was so affected that she could barely breathe. She has been on oxygen and antibiotics and has been stuck in that hospital for over a week now. I had left her alone, knowing that she would call me when she felt like it.

Yesterday I picked up the phone to hear a cracked, hesitant whisper. At first I thought it was my friend (Jack) pranking me. But it was Rosie. She was almost in tears. All she wanted from me was a little of my time and a hug.

Because work sometimes must come first, I had to delay my visit for a couple hours. Then I rushed out and bought her a dogbone pillow (hospital pillows are so uncomfortable), an electric waterfountain (for relaxation), and a sketchpad with pencils. As you can see from my drawing below, I like to sketch when I'm stressed and I knew she does, too.

When I got there, I was happy to see that she looks better than she sounds right now. She's hoping to be released in a couple more days. As we talked, I drew a couple pictures for her and we chatted about what's going on inside her body.

Although it seems unfortunate that she ended up in the hospital, she may actually be quite lucky. During routine testing, they found a growth on her thyroid. It's very possible it may be cancer. With any luck, they've caught it in time. They'll be biopsying the tumor when she's better (next week sometime).

Rosie's already had cancer and chemotheraphy, and the cancer went into remission. Then she had a stroke last year, and an inexplicable swelling of the brain which leaves experts baffled. Now this. She's only 40 years old.

Rosie is a positive, happy person and even at her worst, she remains optimistic. She's a fighter. If anyone can beat this, she can. But we all need prayer, and she needs yours now. Please keep her in your prayers.