At his bris (circumcision), they named him Imri. He was blessed that his parents merit bringing him to the chupah (wedding canopy), a simple, often –taken-for-granted blessing. At the time, it seemed simple. Now they are not so sure. In fact, they are not certain that his mother will enjoy the deep satisfaction of bringing her little boy even to first grade. You see, two-year-old Imri was diagnosed at two months with DBA, a rare disease which does not allow him to manufacture blood cells. He has no clotting system or immune system. When his mother brought him to the ER, the nurse immediately snatched him away and rushed him to the trauma unit. His hemoglobin was 2.5, the level of someone who has passed away. In addition, he has recently developed MDS, a rare blood disease for children which often develops into leukemia. The unfathomable has become all too real for this family. Imri Chai may not live past toddlerhood. Continue reading Let’s Keep on Trying
