I will keep this short for you today because I don't think I've got enough words without tears that I could properly explain how I feel about this.
I have two of the most beautiful, kind, generous, cranky, stubborn, happy, bouncy and healthy children. They drive me endlessly crazy, make me endlessly happy and their tiny little hugs and fingers and toes, cheeks and ears and eyes and hair and arms and shoulders make me so squishy and happy inside. They are also two of the healthiest kids around.
(as I type this, one of them is snoring and the other is banging on the wall in an attempt to tell me that she is not tired and does not with to sleep and that her teeth and ears are hurting.)
There was a little boy named Leo who suffered from Rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of childhood cancer that I know nothing about. You can find some info here. His family have a Facebook page set up to document his well-being as well as connect with caring people.
His family are friends of a friend, and I checked in from time to time to offer support and see how Leo was faring. Today, they posted this and my heart just broke.
This afternoon we said goodbye to Leo. While his Granny, Uncle Jade and Aunty Anna prayed over him, Leo breathed out and just didn't breath in again. We know our family will be re-united in Heaven but right now, as parents, we are utterly heartbroken.
I cried and cried. Leo is around the same age as my kids and I cannot fathom what it would mean to watch one of them suffer an incurable, painful illness and to watch them lost their battle. Not even a little tiny bit.
I'm a huge supporter of The Kid's Cancer Project. If you can spare $5, send it their way. I would love to help ensure that no parents or carers ever have to experience what the Fogarty family are experiencing right now.
