H5N1 is disconcerting because its name implies that there also exists H5N2, H5N3, H4R9, and the millions of other alphanumeric combinations. If ever I find myself lacking things to worry about, I have only to read an article on virology.

If their child has been diagnosed with a life threatening disease, sometimes parents will, in desperation, dedicate themselves to learning as much as they can about the disease, even taking relevant elementary college courses so that they may better understand papers published in research journals, as if, even without backgrounds in biology or medicine, they will discover something about the disease that has been missed by the hundreds and thousands of researchers who have spent years of their lives working towards a cure. This disillusioned and emotion-fueled attempt at saving their child’s life is a heartbreaking display of their love and devotion.