The Internet, a good thing.

It's strange how Facebook can bring people together. For all sorts of reasons, of course, but for me, I'm focusing on the "for good" part.

I've been reading status updates for a couple of my friends. One friend lives half way across the country and the other lives completely on the other side. They don't know each other. Or, at least, they didn't.

Their status updates became eerily similar over the past month or two. Child-based. Fear-based. Nothing as simple as allergies that an austin food allergist could help solve. Nope...instead it has been unexplained fevers, unexplained wonky blood counts. Multiple trips to primary care docs, cardiologists, hematologists, oncologists, etc. I read, with interest, their updates. I pray for their children. Then one day, by happenstance, their posts lined up under each other. Both children had developed unexplained hives.

What?!?!

I wrote to them both and asked if they wanted to make contact on the off chance that the moms could work together with their various specialists to try to figure out the reasons the children are sick.

They did want to talk with each other so, via email, I introduced them to each other. They shared blog addresses, and background info, and are hopefully finding comfort in the fact that they are not alone in the mysteries of their children's illnesses.

Chances are good they don't have the same thing but still - maybe they can help each other. There is something soothing in not being alone in your fear.

I hope, and pray, that they find answers so their beautiful children can get back to being children.