misAdventures of Workmonkey 3.0

Most of you know I almost never use this blog for family issues. In this case, however, my sister Lisa has asked for as many positive thoughts as possible, so I wanted to put it out there.

About ten days ago, my sister Lisa gave birth to a baby daughter, via emergency c-section. Unfortunately, due to several complications, Katelyn was born about four months premature, and is facing a number of difficulties. As many of you have heard me explain over the years, Lisa always seems to have to face challenges that most of us don't. This is one more example of many. Luckily, she's ten times mentally stronger than my bitch-ass, who can't even ride a water slide without a total breakdown, and thus she's faced this as well as can be imagined. But there are still a ton of potential pitfalls. If you aren't the anti-religion agnostic most of us are, feel free to say a prayer. Everyone else, please just think something positive on her behalf.

You can get the full story, read Katelyn's daily journal, and see pictures here. Hearing from Lisa how many supportive services and people there are for both her and her baby make me feel fully guilty at how little I do for the earth (unless you consider advertising the newest rate for a Capital One credit card or drinking beer to be a real contribution). The Ronald McDonald house has given Lisa a comfortable room close to the hospital, so she can stay by Katelyn for the four months she'll need to be there (Because Lisa lives in Montana, she had to go to Minnesota for a hospital that could handle her case). The hospital itself provides around-the-clock treatment for Katelyn by countless specialists. Even the website that hosts the journal is donated by a non-profit group. The list is endless ... It's good for the world there's a lot of people more generous with their time and money than I am. Maybe this will motivate me to get off my ass and actually do something for someone other than myself one day. I probably don't because I've had it so easy always - I don't realize how essential this help is to people. People like my sister, who aren't nearly as lucky or blessed as I've been, don't make that mistake.

In any event, feel free to browse around the website and follow the story, sign the guest book on the website so Lisa knows you're out there, or just think something positive. I'll keep you updated about little Katelyn along the way.

(Soon after her birth, Katelyn was baptized, and Lisa asked Jill and I to be her godparents, which adds another esteemed title to my growing list: Godfather. I like the sound of that.)