Happy Endings

I went to a beautiful wedding on Thursday. It was only a small affair for close family and friends. It could be said that I am neither family nor friend to the charming young couple. Instead, I am the daughter of the nurse who helped save the Groom's life. However, over the last twenty years my mother and M have become great friends.
It's not often you hear of 'Happy Endings' but this one really was. Let me set the scene...

A young nurse of twenty four years of age is in her fourth year of living in the 'Big Smoke' ie London. She is working in one of London's busiest Hospital's. Which has a very good paediatric unit. On one sunny day in April, a young fourteen year old boy walks into the ward. He has recently been diagnosed with Leukaemia. A horrible illness - Cancer of the blood. He is very ill and is starting treatment. The young nurse is put in charge of his care.

Over time his health would take turns and for his family and friends it was like the scariest Roller Coaster but unlike the rest of us who go on a Roller Coaster, they couldn't get off. They had to just stick out the lows of being told their beloved son, brother, nephew and best friend was incredibly ill and that they should prepare themselves for the worse. Luckily, treatment was having a good effect. As M started growing friendships with two other children on the ward with him disaster struck.

A young girl, only five years high. Who had become a little sister to M and another young boy suddenly died. She was all ready to go home as well. She had, had her goodbye party and was ready to be picked up. Sadly, she caught an infection and by then it was too late for her to be saved. Death had struck. This hit everyone. From the nurses and doctors on the ward, to the parents of the other young children. The parents of M and my own parents remember the funeral as if it had only been yesterday. 

This awful loss made everyone on the ward want M and A to leave in perfect health and for their Leukaemia to be gone, an illness of the past. Over the months that M was in hospital, the young nurse and him grew in friendship and their closeness continued with her partner and M's family. They were all a strong support network. However, the young nurse had been offered a post in G.O.S.H so it was time for her to leave. The nurse and M exchanged numbers and addresses.

Thinking they would keep in contact for possibly a year. Not still be in contact for invitations and attendance to M's 18th, 21st and 30th. The nurse's wedding, birthday parties and for get togethers.


Now, twenty years later the young nurse had grown into a forty four year old woman with two daughters and M had grown into a thirty four year old man. A fire fighter and now married. The nurse  my mother spoke at large lengths at the wedding with M and his family about how twenty years ago not even in their wildest dreams did they think M would get married.

Since Thursday I have been inspired by M's bravery and found him inspiring. I have also taken great happiness from the fact that for some people there is a 'Happy Ending' and there is such thing as 'True Friends' 

I think it is a remarkable story and I won't even begin about the hardship M went through to be a Fire Fighter. Even if only one person takes inspiration from this story and feels stronger to battle their own hardships in life, I shall be happy.



Lots of love

X


Sometimes...just sometimes we need to know about someone who has overcome a deadly illness and who is now enjoying life to the full.