From one of our Mums………

Today, with a sharp and very painful shock, I was taken back to 5 years ago today…….

Usually time hop makes me smile, say aww, laugh and smile……… Today it did not…..

Five years ago today I remember as if it was hours ago……I will never need reminding.

I’ll spare anyone reading this any further major details as, to be honest, if you knew us then you probably know the basics and if you know us now you’d really not want to know details.

For those I’ve tagged you know where we were and have some, if not greater understanding and appreciation for where I’m writing from….

The memories are hard and upsetting and we have gone from nothing if not less than that to where we are today……

We have been more than truly blessed to have come a long way from 5 years ago today, especially as 5 years ago yesterday our family of 5 for a short time became a family of 4….

Thanks to many factors including the absolutely amazing work of Southampton General hospital A&E and the team on PICU we became a family of 4+1? and, after a number of days / nights which swelled into one, we thankfully re-became our unit of 5.

We owe so much to the staff we encountered over that period, not only for the life saving medical treatment they gave kaitlin but also for the genuine care and concern they gave to Mum, Ellie, Erin, Mark and myself.

I started to give examples but there are so many. Those I’ve re encountered I have thanked in person but from friends, family, A&E, picu, G ward, ocean ward, NARA and a number of others there are far too many to mention but we literally owe them everything.

Now we are often lulled into taking for granted our fortunate good health and being together through good and bad but we… I… will never forget….. And I will remember every January if not more.

Thankfully our funny, quirky, intelligent little madam is here with a lust for life second to none.

My post isn’t to scare you, for pity or to make you sad……… It’s to say thank you and never forget that our present is a precious gift that not everyone is destined to have. Be thankful for it, make the most of it, and enjoy it…… the future can be taken away in a second.

Thank You. Xx

K & E with sibling E – Southampton.

Nara’s fundraising request for K & E – Southampton.