MY SON JESSE, WHO IS FIVE AND A HALF, HAS HAD A LIFETIME OF ILLNESS IN HIS 5 SHORT YEARS ON THIS PLANET.  SINCE HE WAS TWO AND A HALF TO THIS DAY HE HAS HAD MENINGOCOCCAL SEPTACAEMIA, ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA, 5 MONTHS OF INTENSE HEARTWRENCHING CHEMOTHERAPY, BASILLUS MENINGITIS,

MY SON JESSE, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS JESSE-STAR, IS AN AMAZING INSPIRATION TO MYSELF, OUR FAMILY (IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED), OUR FRIENDS (ONCE AGAIN IMMEDIATE AND ONLINE), AND TO THE STAFF WHO HAD THE SOMETIMES TRAUMATIC TIMES OF NURSING HIM. HE VERY RARELY COMPLAINS ABOUT ANYTHING, AND JUST ACCEPTS HIS DOZEN MEDICATIONS TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY, PHYSIO TO HELP HIM WALK AGAIN, POKING, PRODDING, NEEDLES, BLOOD, SCANS, XRAYS, LUMBAR PUNCTURES, AND BONE MARROW TESTS. ON TOP OF THIS HE IS GROWING FACIAL HAIR AND PUTTING ON WEIGHT DUE TO THE IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS AND STEROIDS THAT HE HAS TO TAKE. SO HE HAS TO PUT UP WITH PEOPLE STARING AND WHISPERING AND POINTING AT HIM SITTING IN HIS PRAM. HE IS JUST A STRONG PERSON THAT HE JUST SAYS WHY ARE THEY LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT? DO THEY WANT TO LOOK LIKE WOLVERINE TOO? HEHEHEHE.

MY ADVICE TO EVERYONE IS NEXT TIME YOU GET A COLD OR THE FLU, OR SOMETHING SO SMALL THAT IT REALLY ISNT LIFE THREATENING, THINK OF ALL THE SO VERY BRAVE CHILDREN THAT FEEL A HUNDRED TIMES WORSE THAN THIS FOR SOMETIMES MONTHS AND YEARS OF THEIR LIVES. THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS THAT YOU ARE ALIVE AND CAN RUN AND JUMP AND PLAY. I LOOK AT MY SON EVERYDAY FOR THE MIRACLE THAT HE IS, AND THANK THE STARS ABOVE THAT I STILL HAVE MY PRECIOUS BOY TO ENJOY AND SHARE MY LIFE WITH.

MISSIE 27/01/2009