Hi my dear steemians.,
Today I want to introduce to you one amazing woman who I never had a chance to meet in person but is definitely worth mentioning.
Ana Rukavina
Her name is Ana Rukavina, bor in 1977. and she died of leukemia at the age of only 29.
She was the journalist for one croatian newspapers.
In 2005. she was diagnosed with leukemia.
She was getting better after a lot of treatments but the disease has come back.
The Ana's story isn't something you haven't heard before but I just want to share with you her story and wish to live.
She wrote a hartbreaking letter to public in which she expresses her true feelings and struggle.
HER LETTER (PLEASE READ)
Good afternoon,
I am Ana Rukavina, I was born and live in Zagreb, I will soon be 30, journalist of Vjesnik's political diary, and unfortunately it is all beautiful from now on.
My real personal card is actually a bit different, since May 2005 I suffer from leukemia, so I ask you for 10 minutes to briefly describe your story from Rebro's patient room.
Do not be afraid that it is not so tragic or depressing, it just happened to me a life from which you could possibly learn something.
In mid-2005, I ended up chronically exhausted in the Outpatient Emergency Ambulatory.
The doctor who received me at Rebru was only worried about his head, and I was a little humorous today, assuring me that drugs, leaving me home and coming in a couple of days if I do not feel better. Unsuccessfully, my bloodstream was worse than all those desperate in our new documents. I felt discomfort, fear, and my head wondered if I might be suffering from the illness that dies from the main actress of the movie, with the 70-year-old crying to all mothers, I think it was called Love story. To my great regret, I was right, but I could not say that word. Tears, apaurin, and then indifference. I stuck the line by thinking that in my 28 years I was able to grow up in love with a wonderful family, deserve love, wife and friend, travel, do a job that still welcomes me today. I was tapping with the logic of the situation, as long as I could not think of a pretty stupid thought. I love ice cream, hazelnut is my first choice, but that summer I did not taste, prevented me from going to the hospital.
Well, is it possible that I will never eat ice-cream from hazelnuts again? Am I willing to give up everything and all I love? That day I was scared, but determined to lobby for my own healing. I accepted the challenge and was overwhelmingly aware of the first day of what happened to me. One battle against such a rival has already lost itself, and the defeat when you are disgraced, I can not stand.
My dad Gordan died in 2003 at the age of 54, lung cancer. That really broke. But, well, I was treated for 6 months, by October 2005, at the bone marrow transplantation facility at KBC Rebro, with Professor Boris Labar and his team of physicians. I have to admit to worshiping my doctors and sisters, and even better, I think that feelings are mutual. They are my great family, with no false embellishment, and they pour my security so that we leave their own destiny in their hands does not fall even hard at all.
I did chemotherapy and then I was transplanted. Everything went a little slow, every day I was better. Finally, I thought of the summer, I lightly return my life to the right rails and leave all the ugly behind. I firmly believed it. But then the September and first headaches arrived soon after the day of the migraine, lost sight of the right eye, suffered uneasy pains and walked hard. Despite that, the tests were ok, and then everything went from scratch. In mid-October, again the same emergency, Rebro, this time I at least knew the procedure. After the search, it was confirmed that my old acquaintance returned, found the leukemia cells in liquor. To tell you how I felt, I honestly do not like to remember, the most difficult thing for me was to tell my family again.
I was looking for another motive again, something to get me started because I'm all just a sad and depressed person. For me, surrender was never an option. I often get into my life and work because of that, but when I do not know otherwise. I love life and people infinitely, I know and have to live for. Sometimes it seems to me that for 100 years it would not be enough to do all that the one in heaven intended for me.
Still, I came to the point when I can not stand alone and when I need the help of good people. Talking to the medical team about the further course of treatment, chemotherapy, brain radiation, and ultimately a very risky bone marrow transplantation from the unrelated donor that awaits me around the New Year, has opened the possibility to go to US treatment, and (expensive) immune suppressants that are not available in our market and could help get you out of this story to get a happy ending.
It is actually difficult for me to set out exactly what I want to ask for, I know at the beginning of 10 minutes, but I was not entirely honest. Do not panic, it's not easy for me. All my desires actually stand in two words, I want life. I am aware of all the risks that are waiting for me, I am ready for the worst ending, I'm not afraid, I just do not want to turn around and go without being sure I've done all I could to stay there for some time.
I absolutely trust my doctors, but I know where I live, so I'm so fond of you to help me. The only thing I have to promise you is that I will try to be brave, light and hard. And it will be, I know for sure.
I wish you a pleasant day!
Thank you!
Ana Rukavina
Ana became a symbol for life here in Croatia and because of her there "Foundation of Aba Rukavina" which collects funds to develop the register of donating marrowbone.
Thanks to this foundation the number of donors increased from 150 to 37.831 citizens. (today even more).
THANK YOU ANA!
Photo source: http://www.zaklada-ana-rukavina.hr
