Don't Forget Me

Chapter 5

Maggie felt the spotlight hit her face and the applause from the audience. Oh shit. She thought taking a deep breathe seeing her mother and father sitting center stage with her older brother and sister on either side of them. I can do this. She thought opening her mouth. “I’m Maggie Lyndon. I’m 23 years old. At the age of 13 I started feeling a little light headed after my ballet practice. I thought it was just because I had been dancing for so long. When my parents tried to feed me my favorite food, Swedish meatballs, I couldn’t even look at it without thinking about puking. Maybe I was dehydrated, my parents thought. It would get better. My parents said. The next day I woke up with a horrible sore throat. I just remember sitting in my math class trying to keep my eyes open. I had to go to my ballet class though. I struggled through the class with my teacher…” she pointed to an older woman in the audience, “Ms. Cara, noticing bruises on my legs. She told me to be more careful with my landings. It was all in my feet. I was heavy with my feet. By Friday of the week I could hardly move. My mom took the day off of her job to take me to the doctor. She relayed all the symptoms to the doctor who rushed us to the hospital. By that time my 21 year old brother had driven back home from Madison and my 17 year old sister was sitting next to her boyfriend worrying about me. She wasn’t too happy about being there. But she was there. And she is today…” Maggie smiled at her sister taking another deep breath continuing with her story. “There were lots of blood tests and a few x rays done. It was late when a new doctor came into the room where I was laying in a bed with random fluids keeping me hydrated. He sat down in the spinning chair that my brother had been playing in just seconds ago. ‘I have some news’ he said to all of us. ‘Will she be okay?’ my mother asked. ‘Please tell me nothing is wrong with my baby…’ she said bursting into tears. She knew something was wrong. She knew none of this was right. I was always a healthy kid. I hadn’t missed school in years. The doctor let my father calm my mother down waiting to tell us what his news was. ‘Margaret has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.’ The doctor told us bluntly. ‘She will need to start treatment right away. There is an experimental treatment we must get her in, now.’ He told us. I lost the majority of my hair, my eye brows and at least 50 pounds. But, I did not lose my hope and faith in the treatment that my doctor told me about. He said it was a miracle and that many children had been saved by it. It was experimental and no one knew when the funding would run out. I missed the rest of the school year. I missed my ballet recital and we all missed our trip to Hawaii that my parents had been planning for months. But, they all said that we would go when I felt better. Not if I felt better, but when I felt better. That day did come, it came on August 13, 2002. The doctor handed my blood tests to my mother who started crying the same way she did before the doctor had told her that I was sick nearly a year and a half later. Today, I go through follow-up treatments about every six months. I follow-up to ensure my health and the future of the medication that saved my, and all these other lives…” she paused waiting for a group of children to step out from behind the stage. She waited for the applause to end to continue her 10 minute speech that had spilled to over 30 minutes. “The funding for this treatment ends in less than a year. These lives are at stake and no one knows what is going to happen. I have lived long enough to be happy with where I am. I have had 12 first days of school, 4 first days of college, two prom dates, a driving test, arguments with my parents, and fights with my siblings. But these children haven’t. Please continue to help this cause so every single one of these children are afforded the same firsts as I have been.” She said turning around to walk off the stage.

Maggie exited the stage seeing Bruno standing off to the side listening to her.

“You were amazing, Maggie.” He said to her taking her hand. “I only wish one day that I am as strong as you are.” She held onto his hand seeing his eyes look into hers. She felt her skin start to get red and her body start to tingle. His eyes moved away from hers quickly before he leaned in to hug her tightly. “You’re my inspiration, Margaret Lyndon.” He whispered in her ear.

“Bruno! Hurry up!” they heard Phred yell.

“”Okay!” he shouted back letting go of her hand.

“Good luck, Bruno.” She said back seeing him run off toward the stage.