Our Hero - 15th April 2000 - 31st August 2005

Welcome to Jamie's Online Journal

On 4th August 2003 Jamie was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

There is no cure for this rare and aggressive cancer, and at diagnosis, Jamie was given just a 20% chance of surviving for 5 years.

Jamie proved to be a fighter, and during the following 11 gruelling months he endured; 12 weeks of intensive chemo, 6 hours of surgery to remove the tumour, along with a squashed kidney, complicated digestive problems caused by the surgery, which meant Jamie needed to be fed via TPN and Jejunostomy, over 6 weeks in Bone Marrow Transplant Unit strict isolation for 4 days of high dose chemo, which was immediately followed by Stem Cell Rescue - which caused Jamie to have a rare and potentially fatal heart condition called Pulmonary Hypertension which required a short stay in ICU and was successfully treated with prostoglandin given via continuous infusion for 3 weeks.
When we finally got to go home, in May 2004, Jamie had to take 6 months of Accutane (Retinoic Acid). This last course of treatment was ended 1 month early, in mid December 2004, when Jamie was rushed to hospital with abdominal adhesions with intestinal obstruction, which was caused by his previous abdominal surgery. This was quickly corrected by a short operation, and Jamie was back home within a week.

Jamie was declared Cancer Free in October 2004, and had started school.

On 28th May 2005, after Jamie had been unwell for just a week, we discovered that he had relapsed, which meant that the cancer had come back with a vengeance.
The Doctors said that there was no hope of Jamie surviving this time, it had attacked his Liver and Bone Marrow worse than at first diagnosis. And Jamie's body had taken such a knock during treatment to fight it the first time round that it was weak and the same treatment would most likely kill Jamie this time round.
Doctors predicted that Jamie had a matter of just a few weeks left to live, so we took him home to make the most of what precious time he had left

3 months later Jamie peacefully passed away, at 3.30am on Wednesday 31st August 2005
He was in hospital, with his parents at his side.

Jamie is missed every day.

Journal

Thursday, April 17, 2008

We marked Jamie's birthday with our usual balloon release in the cemetery. Charlie chose a Scooby Doo balloon, Amy a Pink Dolphin, Dave (Daddy) a Superman balloon and I had a Captain Scarlet Balloon. When we released the balloons Amy didn't want to let go of her beautiful Pink Dolphin and screamed and cried. This continued all the way home, so I managed to find Jamie's old deflated Pink Dolphin balloon in his trunk and fill it up with helium in it to cheer Amy up.
The problem then was that Amy obviously thought it had come back, and was eager to re-release the balloon again, so the tears returned!!!

I have revamped Jamie's main website, and added lots of new sections, including a page all about Jamie's Legacy Sunflower - which we have seeds available, if anyone wants some - please visit the site and follow the appropriate links

Jamie's Legacy Sunflower

I have found that time is a good healer - for myself personally - each birthday is easier than the last. I am still receiving regular messages when I go and see my favourite Medium/Clairvoyant, Steve Holbrook. On my last, most recent visit I took friends, and one of them also got a message, which we believe was helped by Jamie. I find it a great help to have communication from Jamie - and to know he is "in the next room". I honestly believe I wouldn't have coped as well without, and owe a lot to Steve Holbrook.

I chickened out of the 10K Race for Life this year, and settled for the 5K Race for life, which is sooner, May 11th, so hopefully I have been training hard enough to beat last year's time of 38 minutes.
Please visit my official Race for Life page and if you're feeling generous, maybe sponsor me?

Race for Life Page

Kids are still doing great. Amy has started attending the nursery at Trinity School (Private Catholic School) for mornings a week - she is loving it so far.

We are in process of adopting a rescue cat - an 8 year old Devon Rex female called Sky - she is a dark brown colour, with crinkly soft fur and hair-tipped big ears. Her previous owner was suffering Arthritis and moving to Spain and couldn't afford to take all her cats, so Sky was left behind with a beautiful Siamese of the same age - who still needs a home- I would have loved to rehome both but being sensible, one cat is enough. We are sure that Frodo will get on with the new cat Sky, once correct introduction procedures are followed. Devon Rex's are meant to be highly intelligent, and very affectionate, and supposed to get on easily with dogs, so fingers crossed!!
I will post photos of Sky on my next update once she is settled in.

I'm afraid I have some more sad news on this update - Samantha Hughes - a beautiful 5 year old girl from the UK, who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in September 2005, has passed away. Jamie's website inspired Samantha's father to create one for Samantha.

Samantha Hughes

Please check back after May 11th, for progress of my Race for Life 5K

Love Kelly
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