We are so busy with our own lives that soon we forget about the world around us. I came across a Facebook page a few days ago. The page was about a young lady, round about my age who is seriously ill with Tuberculosis. “TB, that's that coughing sickness right?” Is what many of us would probably think. We never think it would ever happen to us. Only “those” people get TB, not us.

Here's some info about TB, taken from Wikipedia:

Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB (short for tubercle bacillus) is a common and in many cases lethal infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is spread through the air when people who have an active MTB infection cough, sneeze, or otherwise transmit their saliva through the air. ost infections in humans result in an asymptomatic, latent infection, and about one in ten latent infections eventually progresses to active disease, which, if left untreated, kills more than 50% of those infected.

The young TB sufferer, her name is Andaleeb Rinquest-January, I don't know her personally but on Facebook we have more than 10 friends in common so we may have been in nearby social circles before but regardless of acquaintanceship no one can read this page and not be deeply touched by Andaleeb's story. Especially as a young woman, I know that there's so much life ahead of me and I cannot imagine what she might be going through being ill for this extended period, feeling despair and hopelessness during this trial and tribulation.

I hate how I can't "fix" things for everyone. I wish I had a magic wand to make people's lives easier and take away or ease their pain and suffering. For now, guess I have to give what I can, do what I can and of course pray and trust that everything will get better in time...

If you come across this blog post, please visit Andaleeb's Facebook page for more information: 

Support Andaleeb Rinquest-January * Victim of Tuberculosis (TB) *

"May the sun bring you new energy by day,

may the moon softly restore you by night,

may the rain wash away your worries,

may the breeze blow new strength into your being,

may you walk gently through the world

and know its beauty all the days of your life."

~Apache Blessing