"Jamie" was our only child and we wouldn't have traded him for anything in the world, in our eyes he was perfect. Jamie was born with T-6 Spina Bifida. He had his first surgery at less than 24 hours old. From that day on, our world changed. Jamie spent more time in the hospital than he did in school and had over 41 surgeries on every part of his body. To be diagnosed with Rhabdo on top of the SB, was shocking to say the least. The team at UCSF had make protocol for his treatment due to complications from the Spina Bifida. They had never dealt with it before and Jamie was a huge challenge for everyone from the doctors to the nurses to the aides and even the Child Life staff. We had been getting treatment at this hospital since he was 2 years old and were on a first name basis with m...
"Jamie" was our only child and we wouldn't have traded him for anything in the world, in our eyes he was perfect. Jamie was born with T-6 Spina Bifida. He had his first surgery at less than 24 hours old. From that day on, our world changed. Jamie spent more time in the hospital than he did in school and had over 41 surgeries on every part of his body. To be diagnosed with Rhabdo on top of the SB, was shocking to say the least. The team at UCSF had make protocol for his treatment due to complications from the Spina Bifida. They had never dealt with it before and Jamie was a huge challenge for everyone from the doctors to the nurses to the aides and even the Child Life staff. We had been getting treatment at this hospital since he was 2 years old and were on a first name basis with many, many employees through out the UC system. They were as shocked as we were. Through the entire ordeal though, Jamie never faultered. He never caved to the monster. He knew how to live. He'd been conquering that challenge his whole life. He touched many souls while he was here and changed many peoples lives. He was a teacher of life, and those that learned from him will be forever endeared to our family.
Because of the SB, Jamie (and our family) had to stay in San Francisco for 13 months while getting his cancer treatment. We lived at the Koret Family House the entire time, in one room that had 3 beds and we shared kitchen and bathroom facilities with 7 other families. For this we are eternally grateful, but when we were given the ok to go home on January 20, 2007, we were ecstatically happy! We went back in April and he was still cancer free. When we went back for a new PET scan on July 3, 2007, there was a new tumor in a totally different place in his body. Due to the complications that arose during treatment from the SB, they could not do a strong enough treatment to fight this tumor without causing certain death. So, Jamie made the choice to return home and live what time he had with his friends. That is exactly what he did. He made the most of his life. Jamie died in our arms at our home on September 13, 2007. We miss him every day and know that he is happy, healthy and free.
"Spina Bifida may have taken his mobility...
Cancer may have taken his life...
But neither could take his spirit"
Our teacher, our hero, our son.....
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