Agents Orange, White & Blue

My brother-in-law, Edd, has been giving my sister, Jean, tender loving care since they discovered she had breast cancer.  Neither of them have outside jobs so he was available and able to care for her 24/7, going to treatments with her, helping with the daily chores and giving her much love and attention.

I spoke to her Wednesday and she said she felt wonderful that day.  She is taking chemo medicine daily by mouth.  The doctors told her she could expect to take the drug for about five years.  She was excited because she had just vacuumed the entire apartment without stopping.  This was quite the accomplishment as she had only been able to clean a little at a time and then rest a while prior to starting to clean again.

She was looking forward to spring so she and Edd could walk around their apartment complex.

Jean, Edd, Elizabeth and Me

But Edd has been having spasms in his legs and arms for a while now and recently they have gotten much worse.  He is diabetic too which complicates the situation.  His doctors have said his troubles stem from the fact that he was exposed to Agents Orange, White and Blue.  These were herbicides used during the Vietnam War to destroy plant life, especially rice and to clear out hiding places alongside roads, etc.  To learn more about these agents, Wikipedia encyclopedia has good summaries of their properties and the purposes of their usage.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_White and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Blue .

So now I am outraged at the suffering that has been endured for many years by our returned military personnel.  Many families have watched as loved ones go through so many changes in their bodies.  Some have succumbed to the illness, including one dear man who was a church member with us.

The story of my small family goes on.  Edd was a brave soldier, is a good companion and family man.  He will take his doctors advise and adhere to their instructions.  Hopefully he will be able to live the best life possible for many years.  Good luck Edd.  You are in our prayers.

God is good!