Adia's parents took her OUT of the hospital and to a folk-healer to have her bled. This when 'bad spirits' or 'illness' are supposedly removed by draining some amount of the patient's blood.

I was unable to see Adia yesterday because I was sick; and when I went to the bus today the family was there in their old spots, Adia on the ground - absolutely shrivelled. She could not wake up; opened her eyes for only a moment and tried to grasp my finger but could not - her stomach is swollen and she is coughing (along with rest of the family). She was lying in a pool of watery diarrhea. I am frightened and fear the worst.

The family gave us a prescription script to fill when we first came up, and after rushing to fill it and bringing back the meds we discovered they were adult antihistamines. Poor papa, it seems, has a cold...

We had a hard time finding someone nearby to translate, but the little we discovered was that she had been bled several times and the man who did it now says she 'doesnt have enough blood left to bleed her anymore'. She looks like she really doesn't have anything left; her skin is papery and wrinkled. They were leaving the area just after we arrived and didn't want us to do anything but give them money tonight. I think we conveyed that when we met them tomorrow we would not give them more money unless Adia went back to the hospital.

Please, even if you do not pray, pray with me to anything you believe in for a miracle. We will need one. I cannot find any agency here who will provide emergency help. The half-dozen police who were nearby witnessing the whole bit tonight (they're out in droves for the Ganesha festival) of course do not care.

Right now I think that the most effective thing to do is try to spread this story far and wide to command media attention. This is where you, my good reader, can help - I have no experience with getting media attention for anything but art exhibits and do not know where to turn. Everyone I've so far called or written has brushed me off politely or ignored me outright.

If anyone has any connections or knowledge of how I could bring international attention to this - please help us. It might even sound silly to think of calling out the world media for one child but I think it is exigent and necessary. Not only can we bring Adia's story to the world, but also raise awareness of the thousands of children like her who are suffering here in India and around the world.