Smell the Coffee
As much as I’d like to always be positive, this week I simply need to ask for your prayers.
My sister Judy came to visit for about 10 days and went home yesterday. I don’t think it will be very long before she passes away. She’s has small cell lung cancer and has given up, frequently saying things like, “This will be my last Christmas.” I know she’s being realistic, but it’s not a very good fighting attitude. I want her to fight, fight, fight, but she’s tired, tired, tired and in pain, too. The cancer just keeps coming back in a new spot every time they get one part under control.
Then on Sunday on our way to Quaker meeting I received a phone call from my former sister-in-law, Julie Krivitz, who told me that two of my nieces, Colleen Fay and Ailish Barcelo, had been killed in a car accident near Cairo, Egypt, where they were visiting my former sister-in-law (their aunt), Ellen Fadel, and her son, Tammer. I’ll be in Wisconsin for the girls’ funerals all next week.
Pictured here are Tammer, Colleen and Ailish in Egypt (L to R)
Tammer and his Egyptian cousin, Mostafa, were also in the car and are both in a coma in different hospitals in Cairo. All four are in their mid-twenties. Colleen is Jim and Mary Fay’s oldest daughter; Ailish is the oldest child of Mary-Frances Fay and her ex-husband, Pedro Barcelo. Tammer is the second child of Ellen Fay Fadel and her husband, Abbas Fadel. My ex-husband, Dan, is the oldest sibling in the family, then Mary-Frances, Ellen, Jim, and 5 more. Jim passed away from heart problems 3 years ago so Mary is having to face this whole ordeal without a life partner.
We could use a lot of prayers for the two boys, the entire Fay family, and my sister, Judy Wilburn. If you’re the praying type, please pray for us all.
December 7, 2006 at 11:43 am
Lois, I know Tammer from living in Madison. Many of our friends have recieved the news and we will be checking the internet and calling family and friends for any updates. He is in our thoughts and prayers and we’re all hoping for his recovery so that we may see and love him once again. My best wishes to you and your family and I am also extremely sorry for all of your loss with this unexpected horrible tragedy.
Kelly
December 8, 2006 at 1:00 pm
Kelly, thank you for your concern and prayers. Both Tammer and Mostafa are recovering. Tammer is now out of the hospital and being cared for by his mother, Ellen, and his brother Ashraf (you may know him as A.J.).
Tammer currently is having great trouble with short-term memory, and it’s frustrating for him. The doctor believes he will recover from this problem; his head and body need to heal first.
I don’t know the details about Mostafa, but he was the person who was least hurt in the accident. He, too, is doing well.