Bienvenue Remy

So the wait is over. My favorite little nephew has arrived ! Remy was born at 130 am in New York City on August 26th. And we're very happy to see him! His mom went into labor, got an epi, but little Rem decided he didn't want to be born just yet. So after 45 minutes of 'pushing' (eew-ouch), the attending physician mercifully interceded and decided to proceed with a C-section. I realize in ye olde days, a C-section meant danger, however now it's just a routine procedure. Both Mom and baby are doing well.

Remy's father, E, is my best friend and the closest I have to an elder brother. My mum and his mum are sisters, so he is actually my cousin. Growing up, E was my hero, my idol, cooler than cool, it was honestly a case of, when I grow up I want to be like E. In a way, he was the only person in whom I saw shared similarities. E was born in Q8 (our grandparents lived there) and grew up in London, Paris, Karachi, and ultimately New York. He understood what it was like to grow up as a global nomad and make sense of the confusion that was our childhood. Over the years our friendship has evolved. We've both had to pay our dues over the years, to get to what we wanted in life. I remember a time, when I was in college, and I would call him in the middle of night to give him company; he used to work the night shift in a lab. It's the struggles that bring you together. These are moments shared that will remain unspoken but always remembered in time.

E's wife, S, is a sweetheart. I first met her in 1995 and we became fast friends. Over the years, we've built up our own friendship and she is truly a beautiful person. She also has incredible strength; a few months after their marriage in 2001, S was diagnosed with cancer. She has an inoperable tumor near her brain stem, and endured very aggressive chemotherapy. Sorry for the details, but it's relevant to our conversation- typically in such situations, cancer patients are advised to have some eggs stored as chemotherapy completely ravages and destroys the system. However given the aggressive nature of her cancer, there was little time for her take such precautions. She endured the chemotherapy, lost all her hair, and never once did she complain. Afterwards the doctors admitted that it would be very difficult for her to conceive and thus for them to have children of their own. At the back of their minds, perhaps E & S wondered the sad consequences if her cancer came out of remission- the doctors had warned that it would be terminal if such was the case.

Over the past five years E & S seriously considered adoption and pondered their options. And then the miracle of life. S conceived in December and over the course of her pregnancy consulted with a geneticist to ensure that the baby would be unaffected by her illness and any vestiges of the treatment. Well, little Rem is finally here and is, thankfully, completely healthy.

I hope this little miracle helps you understand the power of love, dedication, and makes you realize there is someone out there looking over us. I may not be religious, but I do believe that there is a God helping us find our way in life.

For Remy:
So my little nephew this is the story of your life to date. You're not even a day old, but what a story it is, little one. In a way it's a short history of our lives and what we have seen as we waited for you. You hold the love and hope of so many around you. God bless you little one, may you prosper in all you do. All my love, Uncle K