Jay Baglia

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Late last year, Jay was struck by a bout of extreme fatigue that seemed to be brought on by a strenuous three-hour match of tennis, but lasted for many days. He experienced what seemed to be a miraculous recovery the day we headed east to visit his Mum for Christmas. We enjoyed a lovely holiday with only a few signs of the illness that marked the weeks of early December. Then, only two weeks into the January winter quarter, Jay's illness returned with a vengeance. He was tested and treated for anemia, then pneumonia, and finally hospitalized on February 7th for treatment and extensive further testing. On February 9th, he was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and prescribed 6 x 21-day cycles of aggressive chemotherapy. His prognosis is very good. Jay is approaching his cancer diagnosis as he would any other challenge--with good-humor, determination, and not an ounce of self-pity. Jay's mother, Lynn, arrived in Chicago while he was hospitalized and has remained to help care for the family (bless her!). Aria understands that her Dad's white blood cells ("defenders," as she calls them) are sick, that he may seem sicker before he gets well, and that it will take many months. We are adjusting to this new normal and are grateful for all the care and encouragement of our friends and family.