Day: October 27, 2017

Fanu cel Puternic

/ Carmen McKnight / 2 Comments

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1991-2002

Moartea ne intilneste pe toti la un moment dat, si conteaza cum ii raspundem.

Fanu, scurt pentru Stefan, a fost ultimul baiat si numarul unsprezece in rindul clanului nostru. A intrat in lumea asta in Decembrie 1991 si a plecat mult prea curind din mijlocul nostru.

Fanu era o fire blinda si foarte darnica. Ochii lui mari si caprui erau plini de expresie si tenul deschis era parca de portelan. In aceste detalii a semanat mult cu Alin. Datorita virstelor apropiate dintre ei, Fanu si Alex petreceau mult timp impreauna, jucindu-se cu masinute sau fotbal in curtea apartamentului. O fire competitiva, Fanu lupta mult sa cistige, dornic de a deveni cel mai bun. Tot odata visa mult cum sa ajute cind pe unul cind pe altul. Copilaria lui a fost cit de cit normala, desi un pic umbrita de cruzimea tatalui. Zimbea usor, ridea cu pofta si ii placea glumele.

In primavara anului 2002, Februarie mai exact, Fanu a inceput sa aibe dureri de cap izolindu-se de ceilalti si evadind lumina. Simultan avea febra si dureri in partea temporala din stinga. Mama la dus la clinica de familie, unde fara sa-i faca examin la pus pe tratament, tratament care nu l-a ajutat. A fost dus la spital si internat doua saptamini, unde a facut antibiotic injectabil zilnic, ca tratament. Odata inapoi acasa Fanu sa simtit un pic mai bine pe o perioada temporara de doua saptamini, dupa care febra si durerea temporala a revenit cu o forta si mai mare. Mama cu Delia l-au dus la urgenta, dar nu l-au internat, in schimb l-au trimis la spitalul de boli infectioase. Acolo au asteptat ceva timp, cu Fanu pe o targa plingind in dureri. Cind a venit medicul, care-l suspecta de meningita, a observat ca Fanu avea o semipareza pe partea stinga si l-a trimis direct la Timisoara. A chemat ambulanta si a fost transferat in aceeasi zi la spitalul de la Padurea Verde in Timisoara. Era Martie. La Timisoara a fost transferat la citeva spitale, multe teste sau facut, si multe diagnosticuri sau schimbat, dar in general dupa o tomografie la sectia de neurologie, medicii si-au dat seama ca e grav si fara sperante.

Fanu si Alin se mai plimbau prin curtea spitalului la inceput, ori de cite ori se vizitau, dar in termen de citeva saptamini Fanu a paralizat, nu a mai putut sa inghita sau sa vorbeasc. Era pe transfuzie non-stop si comunica prin notitele care le scria. (Exemplu sus in fotografie). Mama mea a stat linga Fanu zi si noapte, si mergea sa se odihneasca din cind in cind, si numai daca era acolo ori Delia ori Alin. Tata, care veni-se in vizita in America pentru prima data, a trebuit sa-si taie concediu si impreuna ne-am intors in Romania. Cind l-am vazut pe Fanu era de nerecunoscut, toti muschii ii disparu-se si era numai piele si os. Ii vedeam forma inimii cum ii batea sub pielea subtire. Cu citeva saptamini inainte de a muri ia spus mamei, scriind, ca el va muri. Plina de durere in suflet mama i-a raspuns ca nu-i adevarat. A treia oara, Fanu a insistat.

“Mama, eu am sa mor. Te rog deschide usa.” Si mama ii deshidea cind usa de la baie cind cea de la salon.

“Nu mama, usa asta.” Si Fanu a aratat spre tavan.

“Fanule, ala e tavanul, nu usa.”

“Ba da, mama, e o scara cu doi ingeri care asteapta si o usa inchisa in fata scarii. Te rog deschide usa ca sa plec.” Si mama si-a dat seama atunci ca se apropie timpul dar inca nu putea realiza adevarul. De fapt nici unul din noi nu am putut realiza adevarul. Fanu a murit in noaptea de 27 Mai, cu Alin la capul lui si a venit acasa numai in sicriu unde fratii il asteptau indurera-ti. Sefa spitalului a cerut permisiune pentru autopsie, si a gasit diferite tipuri de cancer, cancer care ea nu a mai vazut pina atunci (numai pe coloana vertebrala a gasit patru tipuri de cancer diferit) si a trimis multe probe in Franta pentru analize. Nu am primit nici o veste inapoit. Dar ea a recomandat ca toti sa faca niste analize de plamini (nu stiu exact detaliile). Dupa inmormintare, (31 Mai) o inmormintare plina de colegii de clasa atit a lui Fanu, dar si cit a lui Alex si Oana, si directoarea Scolii Generale Numarul 1, doamna Chintuan, mama sa mutat la Vilcele permanent unde l-a jelit mult pe Fanu.

Fanule, nu te vom uita niciodata. Dar in acela-si timp sintem bucurosi ca nu mai sufera, si ca nu mai are dureri. Ii multumesc Bunului Dumenzeu pentru privilejiul de a-l avea pe Fanu in viata noastra, chiar daca pentru o perioada scurta de timp. Ii multumesc ca la impartit cu noi o perioada de timp:) Intr-o buna zi ne vom revedea, dar nu inca.

P.S Un an mai tirziu, Alin a avut aceleasi simptome si ne-a intristat pe toti, nedornici sa pierdem un alt frate. I-au gasit o formatiune tumorala dar nu canceroasa, in sfenoid, cit un virf de deget mare, format din cauza stresului si a prafului/poluarii. Operatia facuta la Bucuresti a fost plina de succes:)

Domane, iti multumesc pentru fratii si surorile mele, pentru timpul petrecut impreuna, si de memoriile frumoase care le am (avem) cu Fanu:) Amin.

Fanu the Powerful

/ Carmen McKnight / Leave a comment

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1991-2002

Death comes to us all, how you greeted makes all the difference.

Fanu, short for Stefan, was the last Damean son, and number eleven in the long line of siblings. He entered this world in December 1991 and left it far too early.

Fanu had a generally calm personality, loved playing with his small cars, usually with his brother Alex, and loved to dream together about their future. Soccer was another game he practiced often in the dusty apartment courtyard of a gray and small town full of factory workers’ children. Life, as he knew it, was satisfactory even if at times shadowed by his father’s angry episodes. Fanu was still at an age where that meant little, just another day in his life, unaware of the grievances abuse brings once you understand what’s happening. In that regard he was spared.

A very competitive character, with a very giving nature, always making big plans of charitable gestures towards someone he loved or was in need. Unfortunately, we’ll never know what his life would’ve been like, but in a way he’s free of pain and sorrow now.

In the spring of 2002 (February) Fanu began having splitting headaches with a tremendous amount of pain around his left temporal area and began isolating himself in dark corners of the apartment. My mother took him to the local clinic where, without a proper examination, was prescribed some medication. It did not work. His fever became alarmingly high while the pain persisted and my mom took him to the local hospital. He was admitted for two weeks getting a daily dose of antibiotics (ampicillin) shots. He then was discharged but a few weeks later (March) when his fever and pain returned with a vengeance my mom and Delia took him to the emergency. Instead of admitting him the doctor in charge sent them to the contagious diseases hospital in Hunedoara. There they had to wait quit a bit, despite the fact that Fanu, now lying on a hospital bed in the waiting room, was crying complaining of intense pain on his left temporal zone. Upon examination the doctor discovered a partial facial paralysis on his left, and sent them immediately to a hospital in Timisoara specializing in contagious diseases and also known to be a good hospital. He was moved back and forth between couple hospitals (intensive care, neurology, contagious diseases) in Timisoara and misdiagnosed quite a bit. From being able to take small walks in the hospital’s court-yard anytime Alin visited, within weeks he became completely paralyzed, unable to eat solids while constantly on IV. The next time Fanu came back home, he was resting in a coffin.

In Timisoara’s hospitals he waisted away rapidly until May 27th when he died. My mom spent countless hours around the clock by his side, relived temporarily so she could rest by Delia and my brother Alin. By the time I came to see him he shrunk in size and all musculature mass was gone, he was paralyzed and no longer could talk, communicating by writing messages on pieces of paper. He was literally skin and bone and I could see the shape of his heart while beating, lifting a very thin layer of white and dry skin. He was no longer recognizable, only when I looked in his eyes I could see Fanu, the man. The suffering matured him tremendously. The diagnosis was never firmly found, but the whole thing began from a puss matter in his brain who by the end of his life spread all over his body in cancerous masses. Alin got really close to Fanu during that time. A few weeks before dying, no longer able to speak, Fanu managed to let my mother know that he knew he was dying. Grief stricken my mother kept telling him he’ll get better. Fanu insisted and by third time, Fanu asked my mother to open the door, because he wanted to go through. My mom opened his door in his room or the bathroom door.

“Not that one mom, the other one.” He would write while pointing to the ceiling.

“My boy, there’s not a door there, that’s the ceiling.”

“Sure there is, mom. There’s a long staircase with two angles waiting on each side and a closed door/gate right before it. Can you open it, so I can go?” My mother understood then. Her little boy was dying and God was waiting for him. Few days later Alin came relieving my exhausted mother for a well needed night of rest. Fanu died during that night. Upon autopsy, was discovered that Fanu had a very high number of cancerous masses throughout his body. Along his spine alone the Chief of Medical Staff who did the autopsy herself found three different types of cancer. Every organ was affected by cancer. She then asked permission for a brain mass autopsy and the results excluded mono or encephalitis (earlier perceived diagnosis) but his brain matter was full of foreign looking tumors, something she’s never seen before. Samples of cancers cell from along his spine, brain and other organs were sent to France for further study but we’ve never heard anything back. The rest of my siblings were advised to take test relating their lung health, don’t remember specifically the name of the test, just in case. The one that did came back fine.

His funeral was big.

My mom’s grief was immense and she argued with God many days after words. Fanu was a big loss for the entire family, unexpected, fast and deeply painful, however I’m glad that he’s no longer suffering and he’s at peace. To us he’ll always remain powerful for the way he faced it all. He didn’t complain and seemed to want to easy our pain any way he could.

Fanu, we miss you forever!!!!!! And can’t wait to see you, but not yet. Not yet.

P.S Few months later, Alin began having similar symptoms and the whole family was devastated. He went and had an operation in Bucuresti and removed non-cancerous tumor mass from his sphenoid canal the size of the end of a finger, formed due to stress and dust. The surgery was a success:)

Thank you God for our Fanu and the time we had with him. Thank you for allowing him to be with us even if for a small period of time. I’m truly grateful. Thank you for my family:)