Mojo

I think about things like this all the time…if you had a chance to make a difference in someone’s life, however small, would you do it?
Read on…


“A short while ago, on two occasions I believe, you requested some “mojo” from your website fans, of which I happen to be one (I don’t care what others think, I liked Wesley on ST:TNG). And, upon your request, was one of the people who took a minute to “beam some mojo” your way.
Well, although you really don’t owe me squat, I would like to ask the same favor in return.
You see, my daughter, “Katie” to her friends, and “Boodlie-Face” to her daddy; don’t ask 🙂 is having an operation tomorrow morning. Specifically, she is having a Bilateral Ureteral Reimplantation to fix her Bladder Reflux problem. She needs this done, as she has Reflux Grade 3 on the left side, and a high Grade 2 on the right. At any rate, it’s pretty bad, and without this, her kidneys are almost certain to become damaged.
Understand, this is what everyone tells me is a “routine operation”. But frankly, my mind has been awash with the most horrible scenarios. I’m told that this is normal for a father, especially for a first child. It doesn’t make me feel any better, however. My 16 month old beautiful baby girl is going under the knife, and there is f*ck-all I can do to help, and the feelings of despair and helplessness that a father feels at a time like this can be quite overwhelming.
I’m not a very religious person, although I was raised to be a good Protestant boy. I have found myself silently praying over this, though, in part to try (unsuccessfully) to ease my own mind. I have come to the conclusion, though, that *anything* done is a positive manner can help. I do have my own website, although I get absolutely nada for traffic. Some of us don’t have the name or face recognition of Uncle Willie. I don’t have 50,000 monkeys that I can draw upon to try to get the mojo working for my daughter to help her through her operation successfully. I can only ask you. Could you put a small blurb on your site, just asking your huge fanbase to send the love, the prayers, the positive energy, the white light, the mojo, the *whatever* my daughter’s way tomorrow morning?
Her operation is tomorrow morning, November 26, 2002 at 8:00 am. CST, and is supposed to last for 3 hours. It is taking place at the University of Iowa Hospital, in Iowa City, Iowa. Did I mention it’s in Iowa? It’s in Iowa. You know. Corn. Soy beans. Iowa. :)”

I have been so blessed since I opened this lame website. People have sent me warm wishes and deeply personal stories when they’ve responded to the things I’ve written. Growing up in a medical family, I have come to believe that there is no such thing as a “routine operation” when you or someone you love is the subject.
I hope that you’ll take a moment tomorrow, and spare a thought for Bob and his baby girl, who are in Iowa.
Iowa. Iowa. Iowa.
Mojo. Mojo. Mojo.
🙂

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219 thoughts on “Mojo”

  2. Bob,
    Sending quick recovery MOJO as I’m late for the surgery part. You sound like a wonderful daddy- your little girl is truly blessed.
    Wil,
    Thank you for posting Bob’s eloquent message and letting us send our MOJO.

  3. Cascades-MOJO to Iowa for Katie & Bob…
    MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO
    Cascades-MOJO to Michigan for Antika & Her Mom…
    MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO*MOJO
    and bravo to UW for letting us help… you really are a class act, man. 🙂

  5. No joke: my 7-week-old son just had a renal scan this morning and he’s going to need surgery to fix his kidney problem, too. Strange that Bob’s note appears today–very close to home. All my best wishes for you both.

  7. I don’t know about the time difference, I am reading this late – but MORE MOJO from New Zealand. Mine, to be precise. And lots of it.
    Best wishes for your baby, Bob, and lots of blessings.
    Tiana xx

  9. My friends and I are sending mucho mojo to Bob and his family. Best wishes for a safe operation and speedy recovery.

  11. According to a recent news article, most Americans can’t find Iowa (or any other state) on a map. I pray all the mojo was sent to the right place. Let us know how it went.
    -Spam

  12. SHE WILL BE FINE, SHE WILL BE FINE, SHE WILL BE FINE. Just keep thinking this, it works every time my mum has another joint replacement. ( she has osteo-arthritis and is slowly turning into Jamie Summers!)

  14. I may be late to the mojo party, but I’m sending some more from Denver. I’ve got a friend out in Iowa, and my wife’s mother’s family used to live there. And it’s *never* fun when someone you love has serious health problems; my wife’s certainly had her share these past few years.
    You know, I’m told that, on The WELL, they call these expressions of good will and positive energy “beams.” Whether they be called “beams” or “mojo,” let’s all hope they help Bob and his little girl Katie.

  19. Washington DC Mojo headed your way. It’s good Mojo I swear! It hasn’t come in contact with any crooked politicians!

  22. I never was a religious guy. I learned to pray when my 2nd child was born a bit early with some lung problems. I won’t be facetious enough to say that I found God, but I sure did talk his ear off.
    By now, your little angel should hopefully be in post-op, but a little bit of Virginia mojo can’t hurt for that recovery phase.
    And same for Antika’s Mom as well.
    I like the comment the fellow from Indonesia made. The world would be a better place if there was more of this mojo flowing around.
    *hugs from a father of two, aged 30 months and 9 months*

  23. I’m a bit late to the mojo party, but this just is too close to my personal life not to comment here anyway.
    I had a similar (if not the same?) reflux problem between my kidneys and my bladder when I was born… basically, the one-way valves from kidneys to bladder went both ways. One side fixed itself as I grew, and I had surgery when I was in third grade to fix the other side. At the time, my surgeon told me that the “smiley-face” scar that went all the way across my abdomen at the time would shrink, and I would grow, to the point where it would fit underneath a bikini without showing. Of course, as a third grader I had no interest whatsoever in bikinis…
    It was hard on my parents during those years before the surgery… we did everything they and the doctors could think of to prevent infections, and it worked. I couldn’t take baths. I couldn’t swim. I drank cranberry juice constantly. But I didn’t have kidney infections which could have severely damaged my kidneys.
    The couple of weeks I spent at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis around Christmastime must have been hell for my parents. But I remember most of it, and I do have some good memories of it in addition to a couple of not-fun ones, and I especially remember the drive home. Mom had to be extra careful on the icey roads, but I gazed out the window at the near-magical snow and holiday lights and savored the feel of *going home*.
    I was back in school only a bit later, and followup tests showed that the surgery had worked. Dad taught me how to stick my face in the pool and blow bubbles the following year, which was a big step, and then I was enrolled in my first beginner swim class that summer. Mom has a photo of me jumping off the big diving board the following year, something that none of us really ever expected to see, back in the days before the surgery!
    I’m nearing thirty now, and have had no trouble since the refluxing was fixed. And now that I think about it, the surgeon was right about that bikini thing… though I’m still not that interested in wearing one!
    I’ll be lighting a candle tonight for Katie and her daddy, and their whole family… You’re in my thoughts and prayers, and since I grew up in Indiana, I’ve got no trouble at all visualizing Iowa. 🙂

  27. i had the same operation…in 1981! it saved my life and i’m grateful for it — you’ve got all my mojo working for ya!

  28. Although it’s been several hours since the “procedure”, here’s some Chevy Chase (from when he was funny) styled mojo to speed the recovery.
    Be the ball.
    NNNNNNANANananananananana.
    NNNNNNANANananananananana.
    NNNNNNANANananananananana.
    Amit C.

  29. Japanese-Canadian Buddhist karma flowing towards Iowa for a swift and pain-free recovery! Let us know when the doctors say everything went well and the problem is fixed up!

  35. Ok so have missed the operation Mojo so i’m sending post-op healing vibes…
    *does wavy arms and intense concentration face*
    I am 18 years older than my baby brother and every cold he has fills me with dread. An operation, no matter how complex must be worrying on a scale i cant imagine.
    Best wishes

  37. Lots of healing and speedy recovery mojo going to Iowa.
    mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo-mojo

  38. Will, you sent me mojo a while ago and that dream came true this summer!!! So if mojo helps, then I’m sending mine too!!!!!!
    mojomojomojomojomojomojomojomojomojomojomojomojomojo
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  39. *sends more healing mojo to Iowa and Michigan* Sorry I wasn’t on time for your Mom, Antika! I send mojo to both for a very speedy and safe recovery!

  40. Aack, a day late and a dollar short for operation Mojo, but lots of “successful procedure” and “speedy healing” Mojo is directed your way.
    MUCHO MOJO! Oh, and ((hugs)), lots and lots of ((hugs)).

  44. I missed out on sending Mojo today, but I was experiencing something so similar that I hope that my Mojo was just out there by default. My husband had surgery this morning as well, at about 8:00am EST (it was supposed to be 7:30, but they were running late). It was a procedure that he has had many times, as the doctors haven’t found a way to stop the bad from happening, only a way to try to keep putting it right again, over and over. He’s had it done more times than I’d like to remember at this point, and he always comes out just fine… in some pain, but just fine. Still… every time, in the deepest parts of my heart and mind I am freaking out… terrified that this time something will go wrong… terrified that I will see that look on the doctor’s face when she comes out to tell me how it went.
    So… here’s some belated Mojo from someone who understands. I hope Katie is doing well.
    M

  45. From the father of a six year old little girl who is the sunshine of my life and my reason for living, I can not possibly know what you are feeling right now but all my mojo, prayers, thoughts and hopes are for Katie!!

  47. I missed sending the MOJO at the right time as I was moving and still had not gotten everything unpacked. However, Bob, I am sending you my mojo, love, thoughts, prayers, heart, everything positive your way for a quick recovery so your baby girl can be back to being a mischievous lil monkey! I can relate to the wave of emotions one goes through at times like this as my son had 3 surgeries before the age of 3. He now is a very happy, healthy soon to be 5 year old, oh and very, very mischievous!
    XOXOX to your Baby Girl!

  49. I am so sorry to be late with the mojo. The one day I don’t read…tsk.
    I hope everything went well. Prayers and positive thoughts to Katie and your family Bob.

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