Today my little one is unwell. Nothing terrible just a simple virus I would assume. She is tired, and in need of a bit of TLC.
I must admit as she is getting older, it is no real chore to turn back the clock slightly and just lie beside her, and fuss over her. Not to mention watching an episode of Little House on the Prairie.
However whilst this should indeed be a pleasant time with her, my mind is ill at ease. Because seeing her like this brings me back.
It brings me back to this time last year when we were all unaware of what the next few weeks would bring.
When my friend said of her young son “He’s still not very well. He’s complaining of being very tired”. When we all looked at him and spoke of extra vitamins, and the trials of a new 
school. When we wondered if he should cut down on all his sporting activity for a while. When no one knew or thought even for a moment that within a few weeks we would discover he had Cancer. Leukemia to be precise.
For those of you who do not follow my blog, my story about this remarkable young boy can be read in the bone marrow category above. He went on to have a bone marrow transplant in July which was wonderfully successful. However he has had a very complicated recovery to date.
A few weeks ago we once again braced ourselves to say “Goodbye”. He had survived before but this time we felt it was too much to ask of him. I cried out to you who read this blog to pray for him if you had faith, or to think of him if you had not.
Once again he astounded us all.
His consultant has said that he has a very rare quality. Something he does not come across often. He said he has “An X Factor”.
I have no doubt he has something but personally I think his survival has been the result of many things.
There has been the outstanding efforts by the medical team to save him.
There has been the outpouring of positive thoughts and prayers where we live, which has rippled out across wordpress and the world.
But above all these, this boy was born with a will of steel. Even in his darkest hour when he could have decided he’d had enough and no one would have blamed him, he chose to keep fighting. I believe the reason he has fought so hard to date has been his desire not so much to live, but to remain with his amazing parents, brother and sisters, and extended family.
For the past eleven months this boys family have supported him. Day and night they are beside him. They have not wearied or given up. They have at times, when it was required, carried him along. They too have an X Factor.
As I write this I want to thank you one and all for the part you have played in this. I know so very many of you have thought of him often and kept him in your prayers, even though you have never met him, or are ever likely to.
So today as I sit here nursing my little lady I do so with the knowledge that she will return to full health in a few days. My life will then return to normal. Thankfully her illness is just a simple virus. I am glad she is only unwell. How lucky are we.
Here’s hoping that the young warriors parents too can one day return to normal, giving out about his dirty football gear, messy bedroom, busy schedule and lack of interest in homework. In other words many of the things the rest of us are lucky enough to consider as problems.
I am thankful today to have such problems.
photo credit: searching4jphotography via photopin cc
photo credit: Leif Carlsen via photopin cc
photo credit: Matt Preston via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
No one can help but be touched by the bravery that the “little warrior” displays…day after day! As always, my prayers go to him and his family.
But, although your little one is only unwell, treasure those snuggles! It’s funny, but even at my age, when I’m really sick it’s not Danny I want…it’s my Mommy! I don’t think we ever forgot how good it felt to have our mom’s give us that little extra loving while we were sick.
God bless you all! I’m playing hookey right now so had to comment on this post…well, back to the books!
And, hey WordPress, when you gonna put a LOVE button on here?
I was just going to comment “Get back to your books!”. Thanks for reading. I felt I needed to let everyone know that he is back with us, still very sick but fighting on.
He is an amazing young boy. I wish with all my heart that he gets a break real soon.
I was at my brothers wedding last week and got to spend time with my mum. Yes you are right we never really outgrow our childhood. I still get strength from my mum. Now back to your books, unless your reading my blog of course. 🙂
Things like this makes me grateful for the problems I do have…. And Little House on the Prairie should be required reading or watching, whichever comes first.
Oh yes I love it. Looks like she’ll be home again tomorrow, so another episode is most likely. 🙂
I think of your little warrior often. I hope your little one feels better. God bless you all.
Thanks a million. I wanted you all to know he is still hanging in there. My little one is great. Looking forward to another day off if you ask me!
hug your sweet daughter to your side until she returns to health and hopefully the warrior’s family will have the same results one day )
Thanks another couple of days and she’ll be right as rain. Wouldn’t it be great if one day my young friend was home for good. Still small steps. We would like a couple of event free days to begin with!
yes, and you are so right, baby steps
That is great news about the little warrior. Aren’t children amazing. They don’t know the meaning of quit, so they continue on fighting when others have grown weary. Still sending prayers for you dear friends son and now for a speed recovery for your daughter. Go ahead and give her an extra day after tomorrow too, who doesn’t like a third day of Little House.
Oh three days of little house is indeed very tempting! Thank you for thinking about our young friend. Children are indeed so resilient I would definitely not have been able to keep going as long as he has. He is amazing. We certainly do still hope for a happy ever after.
i think of your little guy often; having lost a young friend (the child of my colleagues) a little more than a year ago to the same disease, my prayers of often sent his way. I hope that your little one heals soon, and I hope so very much that your young friend joins her in the world of health once again.
Hear hear! His consultant is still very hopeful. They have only lost one child in the last year and they are determined not to lose another. We can only watch and wait.
And we are right there with you. If positive thoughts can heal…..
This really does put it all into perspective for me. Yesterday, Eva’s teacher said she refused to sit beside two other kids and it wa upsetting for the other kids. She said ‘i don’t like you’ to both of them. To think I was worried about that yesterday.. How silly of me.
I hope your friend’s little boy recovers from this terrible illness.
Thanks Olivia. It has been an awful year for them and affects all of us as there friends. Mind you it’s all relative and what happened yesterday for you was not the easiest of situations. It is always easier to be the mother of the child who was wronged. Take it from me this will not be the first time your children “let you down”. They are babies keep that in mind and you are their teacher in life. This just happened to be a learning occasion for her and a teaching one for you.
Thanks Tric. That’s great advice.. That little boy is amazing and so lucky to have a strong family and group of friends all supporting eachother.
It’s amazing how many problems we have until we are staring in the eyes of someone elses TRUE problems. As always, I hope that little fighter makes his way back home and to health, I hope your daughter mends quickly, and thank you for getting my day started and reminding me that my problems are so few. 🙂
Hope you have a great problem free day.
A touching piece. A great reminder to be thankful for the every day hassles.
Thank you. This little boy is a big reminder to us all here how lucky we are.Even my children appreciate it, some of the time! 🙂