To all my wonderful friends, With just one sleep to go until the big day I thought I’d better hurry up and write this little Christmas message I’ve been mulling over these past few weeks. Of course, I’m not really sure what this Christmas thingy is all about just yet, but I do really like all the pretty lights and I can already belt out a couple of Christmas songs. And if my sister’s excitement is anything to go by, it looks like it’s going to be lots and lots of fun! My Mummy and Daddy seem extremely happy too. I’m not sure if it’s just Christmas making them so elated, though, as I think they might have caught a smiling bug at the hospital on Monday. It seemed everyone who spoke to them after I woke from my little nap kept smiling and saying how happy they were with some pictures, or something. Anyway, all I know is that this Christmas feels a lot different from last Christmas. That one was yukky! I didn’t feel very well and Mummy and Daddy didn’t seem to enjoy it much. And just a few days after the decorations came down, someone must have mistaken me for a snow globe, or something, because they tipped my world upside down and shook me and it all over the place. I didn’t know what was happening or why, but I was very scared and in lots of pain. But my Mummy and Daddy and Ophelia were always there to hold my hand, and I got lots of lovely cuddles from my Nanas and Grandads, Uncles and Aunties, Cousins and family friends. In time, it transpired that it wasn’t just the people I could see that were looking out for me. No, my Mummy and Daddy spoke all the time of Lana’s Army, an amazing group of people that did crazy things to raise money to help with my care. Their kindness and selflessness was limitless, ensuring not only that I had the best possible care, but that my Mummy, Daddy and Ophelia would be with my every step of the way. And what a very long way it turned out to be. Three whole months in hospital and another three months on our great adventure in America. At times I really never thought I’d get any better. I thought I’d never stop vomiting. I thought I’d never get rid of that yukky tummy peg. And I never, ever thought I’d learn to walk like my clever big sister. But I showed them all! I kept on trying; kept on improving, little by little, day by day. And I got there. I started drinking my special milk and said goodbye to the peg, I stopped being sick all the time and, yes, I eventually started to walk. Slowly at first, and with the aid of a walker. But now I’m really walking, even turning corners and standing up unassisted from a seated position. This year I learnt that little steps lead to great strides, and that one can achieve seemingly impossible feats through courage, conviction and persistence. But I’m not resting on my laurels. And so, when it comes around, my New Year’s resolution will be to learn to eat again. I very much look forward to sharing my endeavours with you when I start what will be my biggest challenge of 2015. For, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt throughout this, it’s that it’s a lot easier to achieve your goals with a thousand or so people cheering on your every step! Thinking of you all again reminds me why I wanted to write this Christmas message so much. With everything you’ve done for me, I could scarcely dare to ask one final thing of you this year, but I’m compelled to do so. You see, I’m going to be extremely selfish and greedy here and ask each and every one of you for two Christmas presents for me, Little Lady Lana. Don’t worry, you don’t have to wrap anything else and you don’t have to get them to me by Christmas Day… I’m not sure even Amazon could manage that at this late hour, and I think Santa’s probably already set off! No, what I want for Christmas from you is much simpler than that. I just want two minutes of your lives over the Christmas period - let’s just call them Lana Time. They don’t need to happen in the same place or at the same time, but they do need to happen before Big Ben chimes in the New Year. Firstly I’d like you to stop for a minute sometime. Just to stop. I’d like you to look around you, at the people with you, at your family and friends. Take the time to realise what you have right now. Don’t think of yesterday or tomorrow. Just look at how good your life is right here and now. Just know how lucky you are to love and be loved by those dearest to you. That will be difficult for some of you, I understand, near impossible for others. I know mine is not the only sad story among us this year. Some of you will have already lost someone special, others might rightly be extremely worried for the future – heaven knows my Mummy and Daddy still are! But this is our lot as humans. Life is occasionally tough and always extremely fragile. We will suffer hardships at times and we will unfortunately lose people we love. And that’s the reason why I think we all must strive to be happy and make others happy whenever and wherever we can. Don’t leave it too late to tell your loved ones just how much they mean to you. Don’t let an argument fester or a distance grow. And don’t wait until something comes along to cast doubt on tomorrow before learning to cherish today. My second Christmas wish is for just one more minute of your time. As you know, this week my third scan came back all clear. Even though my Mummy and Daddy know my future remains unclear, they were naturally thrilled by the news and feel extremely blessed that we’ll all be together this Christmas. But there are many other families who have not been so lucky, and so I’d like to ask you to take a minute to reflect on those much less fortunate than us. Throughout my ordeal Mummy and Daddy have met lots of other parents of sick children, either in person or through the many support networks they have come across. Some of these children have tragically already received their wings, and many families will be facing their first Christmas without their little angels. Mummy and Daddy know from their own heartache how unimaginably difficult it must be for them, and their hearts go out to them. They know there is little they can do for them, but Mummy and Daddy hope they find some small solace in knowing that others never stop thinking of them. Mummy and Daddy say their thoughts and prayers are also with all the little children still fighting this terrible disease, but especially with a very special little boy called Ollie, his little sister Bethan and his Mummy and Daddy, Terri and Mark. Thank you ever so much for taking the time to read through my message, and many, many thanks in advance if you do manage to spare a couple of minutes over the busy festive season to fulfil my Christmas wish. And, of course, thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you’ve done for me and my family this year. Mummy and Daddy promise me the first toast of Christmas Dinner will be reserved for all you wonderful people. Wherever you’ll be tomorrow, whatever you’ll be doing, and whoever you’ll be with, please have a fabulous time, you deserve all the happiness life can bring. And if it helps put an extra little spring in your step or smile on your face this Christmas, remember that thanks to you, I’m here, alive and well, surrounded by those I love, with hope for the future and joy for today. All my love, Lana Mae Bailey. x
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 13:46:20 +0000
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