Urgent call for bone marrow donors

R.I.P. Aillidh

I had no idea there was any connection with this family to UK Yankee. I reposted from another friend's post the FB link and I have been now been following it closely the past two days. Knowing it's an expat makes my heart break for them even more.

Yeah, Leigh is a former UKY member, and many of us know her personally.  I was up at the hospital 3 weeks ago, just before my trip to Texas, and had intended to go and visit again today, but after last night... well, i think it's best to leave the family to have time together.  They are staying in a flat owned by either the hospital or one of the cancer charities, but not sure how much longer they will be staying there.

Leigh and Andrew- I am so sorry for your loss. This is just heartbreaking. 

Such terrible news. I will be thinking about their family today.

How terrible. My deepest sympathies to the family. 

My deepest sympathies to the family.

How awful.

My thoughts and sympathies for Leigh and family.   

I'm so, so sorry to hear this. It doesn't matter how hard you fight, sometimes if luck just isn't on your side, the hardest fight just isn't enough.

Yesterday was my third year rebirthday from my bone marrow transplant, and there isn't a day of those three years that I don't wonder in amazement at how lucky I was. So many friends didn't make it, and there's nothing separating us from luck of the draw.

Leigh has posted the details of the funeral arrangements on FB for Aillidh ... as follows

All that was mortal of Aillidh Christine Kinnaird will be committed to eternal rest on Saturday, 14 July 2012 at 10AM. Mass will be celebrated by Fr Griffiths at St Aloysius Catholic Church at 25 Rose Street, Glasgow, G3 6RE. Internment to follow at 11.30 at St. Conval's Cemetary, Glasgow Road, Barrhead, Glasgow, G78 1TH.

All are welcome. No dress code. Donations to your choice of Anthony Nolan Trust, African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust or Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research in lieu of flowers.

We're going to post something in the Community section regarding donations or something for the family shortly.

Here is a link to a youtube video someone has done in Aillidh's memory.. Its beautifully done but make sure you have tissues handy.

For Aillidh

That video is amazing.  Such a beautiful girl.
It sure does make tears flow down your face like no other though!

Here's a few more tear jerkers.
Leigh is amazing, doting Mum and she used to post quite a bit on here about Aillidh.  Here's a few things that she posted that make me misty

There's a wee boy, a couple of weeks younger than our daughter, in the playgroup where Aillidh's been going since she was about 8 months old.  In fact, it was this boy's mother who told us about it.  Little David has always been fond of Aillidh, who certainly seemed to welcome his attentions.  He has been greeting her with a cuddle each week, which she reciprocates, and then they play together.  Today, however, he planted a wet smacker right on her lips!  I wasn't there, but apparently she played the coquette and smiled and fluttered her eyes in response.  She's not even two and some boy is already chasing her! 

Went to buy double buggy last night in Mothercare.  Took Aillidh along.  She went straight over to a baby swing she likes b/c it has loads of dancing fish on it.  Andrew finished paying for the buggy whilst I stayed next to Aillidh.  He gave me the thumbs up that he'd got buggy in the boot so I said, 'C'mon, Aillidh, time to go!'  To which she snarked, 'Wait a minute!'

I'm not into it myself, but I know how much it means to my parents, particularly my father, who is a first generation American and so happy to have achieved what he has. 

I realise it's our daughter's choice as a dual citizen where she wants to make her home, and that must be respected just as my parents respected my choice to make my life in the UK.

So this year we did a small BBQ and decorated the house, did a cake w/a sparkly candle, played some songs my sister sent over for our daughter's benefit, dressed Aillidh, our daughter, up in some duds my sis sent over from Old Navy and took photies for the family. 

It's not my thing, but it means a lot to my family - and any excuse to eat cake makes Aillidh grin from ear to ear. 

With our daughter, we wanted to name her a Scots Gaelic name.  We had one Hispanic name and several Scots Gaelic names.  She looks - to anyone who's seen her - very, very Scots.  And she looked mostly like an Eilidh, which is what we called her.  We decided to anglicise the name, however, when I met a Canadian wifey on the ward who told me her niece back in Canada is constantly called 'eye-lid'.  Our daughter is Aillidh Cristina. 

I'm a very fair-skinned Hispanic with freckles.  My full sister is much darker complected with straight hair (mine's wavy).  Her face is totally different - she got the cute, turned up nose, for example, I got my dad's high cheekbones and broad forehead.  She also got cute feet and almost no body hair (my dad is half-Mayan Indian).  B*&ch.

My daughter has curly chesnut hair w/gold streaks and pure green eyes.  She's tall and thin, with her paternal great-grandfather's facial features.  She was born with a head full of black, spiky hair and blue eyes.

Aw, don't you just love the sound of his twee voice?  Aillidh has a Scottish accent.  The way she says 'water' cracks me up.  She does call a rooster a 'cockerel', which I admit does make me grin, but hey, that's what everyone tells her it is!  As DH pointed out, I am the one w/the foreign accent.