Twas The Night Before Treatment

It's December 24 so tonight will be special for the obvious reason. Here's a special holiday message for my niece, Kaylie Dyniewski, since tonight will be special for another reason too.

‘Twas the night before treatment, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The tests had been run by the doctors with care
On an unexpected guest that should not be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
Having finished fall semester, exams out of their heads.
But plans for the spring had to be rearranged
When the bump in lymph nodes was given a name.

The Hodgkin’s arrived and caused such a clatter
Kaylie’s whole family sprang to see what was the matter.
The results both surprised and concerned the whole crew
But the doctors assured us they knew just what to do.

The plan calls for medicine, the really strong stuff
Some days will be easy, some days will be tough
But Christmas has shown us that often the price
Means a little bit of NAUGHTY gets mixed in with NICE

If future days feel tarnished with ashes and soot
Don’t ever stop listening for sounds on the roof.
That prancing and pawing you hear just upstairs
Isn’t reindeer, but angels, lifting plenty of prayers.

The big guy in red may not land with a bound
For the limit’s one night that he comes into town.
But an army of elves is around and on call
Parents, brothers, aunts, uncles - family, friends, one and all.

Hugs and kisses, telling jokes, singing songs well or flat
Even sitting in silence through your long winter’s naps
We’ll do what it takes and whatever you ask
To help you make Hodgkin’s a thing of the past.

But tonight’s about sugar plums - let them dance in your head
And a wink from St. Nick means there’s nothing to dread
May the stockings be filled, quite chubby and plump
With plenty of fun (minus any coal lump)

So don’t fill your spirits with less jolly this night
As the Hodgkin’s is in for one heck of a fight.
And remember - this night’s more than Dasher and Dancer,
This night marks the start of your victory o’er cancer