A number of people have been asking me about my little nephew, Jacob, who has been fighting cancer. So by way of an update to everyone who has been praying for Jake and sending good wishes out into the universe for him, you’ll be pleased to know he’s doing great and is currently enjoying making new friends at school.
Having completed his chemo and radiotherapy earlier this summer Jake has been doing very well and enjoying lots of fun times at the families new holiday home in Norfolk. He gets especially excited about a nearby dinosaur park.
The excellent doctors and various medical staff from our National Health Service who have treated Jake are now closely monitoring his health. Obviously we are all hoping that the cancer does not re-occur, however if you’ve been praying for Jake, or sending good wishes his way then DON’T STOP NOW because whatever you’ve been doing has been working but he still needs all the prayers, good luck, good wishes, heavenly help, and miracles that he can get.
Finally, thank you to everyone who sent postcards to Jacob and Sumalee. Those postcards really lifted the spirits of not just the children, but my sister, Louise, and her husband Bryan, as well.
—
About Jacob’s cancer by his Mom, Louise
Worth every minute
One day at a time
Looking for a miracle
On a personal note
Wrote the following comment on Sep 19, 2009 at 5:33 pm
I am glad you posted about Jake! I’d been thinking about him recently, and it’s great that he is finally getting better.
However, I must speak out against those (ubiquitous) crocs! I know treatment is expensive, but surely we can all chip in to buy them shoes with no holes in them.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 19, 2009 at 6:23 pm
You know what Luli, I knew someone would comment about the Crocs :-)
Wrote the following comment on Sep 19, 2009 at 10:41 pm
those little kids are unbelievable cute!!!
Wrote the following comment on Sep 20, 2009 at 10:10 am
That’s great news Simon :-)
As a slight political aside, I’d like to expand on something Simon mentioned. Jacobs treatment was totally free via our National Health Service, the service that has been so vilified by the conservatives in the US. Our NHS may not be perfect, but it treats the likes of Jacob, day in day out, without the need to ask if the patient is insured. I fail to see how this could ever be considered bad or wrong.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 20, 2009 at 11:21 am
They are too cute!
Thanks that they (and I) are in a country with great free healthcare!
But yeah Crocs…
Wrote the following comment on Sep 20, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Hi Simon I didn’t know about Little Jacob until this morning..I will pray for him and his immediate family but also pray for you Simon ‘cos you give so many good things to your family and friends even though you have been coping with so much this year. You bring your experiences to people in words and illustrate them so vividly. You are a star if you don’t mind me saying.. you soldier on though everything and I can see Little Jacob has some of his uncle’s genes. GOD bless you with all that you need (including loads of sunshine and beautiful sunsets) and many of the things that you want. Take it easy Simon ~ Lyna in Worcester
Wrote the following comment on Sep 20, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Hoooraaay for Jacob and all the wonderful people that have cared for him through all of this. That list would include his medical team, parents, sister, and extended family; as well as all the people who supported Jacob during this challenging time through prayer, postcards, and well wishes. Thank you too, Simon, for sharing his story and letting us all be a part of his recovery and life! His story is a reminder about the fragility of life; and the greatness of courage and survival. I hope he lives many years as a testament to overcoming odds, and never losing faith in tomorrow.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 20, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Great to hear that about Jake!
Thanks for keeping us updated and pass our regards onto your folks
Wrote the following comment on Sep 21, 2009 at 2:33 am
What an adorable pair they are. Such a lovely picture! Great news about Jake, I will keep him in my prayers and hope this is the last we hear of the cancer forever. Thanks for the update Simon.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 21, 2009 at 3:38 am
Hi again Simon,
I’m glad to see that Jacob is doing well after his chemo and radiation.
I misread the date when I sent to my earlier email!
It helps if I put my glasses on to read!
Cheers,
Vince Jones
Wrote the following comment on Sep 21, 2009 at 7:17 pm
So glad to hear that Jake is doing better. I’ve been thinking about him lately, too. Will keep praying for health.
On a side note, I have to say that I totally agree with Will. Its just wrong that some people in our country would have to face the prospect of going into deep debt or losing their homes to afford healthcare during a crisis like cancer. I think we could learn a few things from your healthcare system.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 25, 2009 at 4:29 am
I was sure I had already commented here but it seems I didn’t, so I just want to say that I’m very pleased to see little Jacob looking so cheerful and well. That’s a great picture of the two of them and a real boost for all of us who have been keeping the little guy in our thoughts.
Your national health service is to be admired in many respects against ours. Fortunately my wife and I are very well insured, so when illness struck Megan last year we were fortunate enough to receive excellent medical help. Sadly the same cannot be said for a female co-worker of mine with who found out she had breast cancer and that her treatment was not included in her insurance plan.
Her insurance company cited some very fine print in her contract that stated that breast cancer would not be covered if it could be shown that such a condition was likely to occur because of significant risks posed by historical diagnosis of directly related family members.
The treatment, which continues today, has forced her and her husband to refinance their home and dramatically change their lifestyle DESPITE the many years she has claimlessly paid her premiums.
I cannot understand why evangelical Christian conservatives would so willingly rally against something that Jesus fucking Christ himself speaks so often about in the Bible, in terms of looking after the sick and the poor!
I had hoped that the hysteria on the right would break and eventually make way for intelligent and reasoned discussion. But then it was probably too much to expect people who believe in fairy tales and talking animals to stop and apply rational and intelligent thinking to anything!
Wrote the following comment on Sep 25, 2009 at 4:42 am
Sorry Simon, I dropped the F bomb in that last comment. Please feel free to delete that word as you see fit.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 25, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Glad the little guy is hanging in there!
Great comments from Doug Fir and Wilvo. The brain-dead segment of the right here in the US would have us to believe that non-economic contributors in the UK are simply thrown in the gutter to die.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 26, 2009 at 1:30 am
No worries about the ‘F bomb’ Doug. I’ve been watching those crazy town hall meetings on the news in bewildered bemusement as people of, shall we say, intellectually challenged backgrounds have spouted stuff about Obama that I honestly thought was put to rest a long time ago.
I have sympathy for you guys though. I certainly wouldn’t want to live in a country that see medicine as a wealth issue rather than a health issue.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 26, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Simon that’s great news about little Jacob. I’m so happy to read that. I’ve had your nephew and family on my prayer list ever since I first read about Jacobs condition last year.
Now, regarding healthcare in the States; Our current healthcare system may need some changes but I really don’t think socializing healthcare will fix anything. Where is medicare, medicaid and social security headed? Who is running these programs? Do we really think we should fund a government sponsored healthcare system when they can’t even efficiently run the programs that are already in place?
Ask hospitals about shortfalls and how long it takes the government to reimburse for the above mentioned programs except social security, which many people will never see a dime from in their lifetime.
While I know that some people fall through the cracks of our current system I believe that the majority of Americans enjoy exceptionally good healthcare. In fact, I’ve seen a number of TV shows where children from around the world (including the UK) come to the U.S. for medical treatment.
If masses and masses of people in the U.S. are dying as a result of “wealth instead of health” issues, how come it hasn’t been a huge issue before now? Why have liberals waited so long to speak out?
This is not about the health of Americans, it’s about politics!
Wrote the following comment on Sep 26, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Leslie, around here, liberals, moderates, and people of faith have been talking about the increasingly critical lack of access to health care and its impact on Americans for decades. Seems like you have missed the discourse, though. It’s hard for me to view people who say this is just political as anything other than morally bankrupt. From where I sit, it’s conservatives on the far right who are about politics and not the health of Americans on this issue. Decades of conservative legislation suggests that they don’t give a damn.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 27, 2009 at 3:50 am
Dude, I’m happy that your nephew is doing well!
Now Leslie, do you honestly think this hasn’t been a long talked about issue among normal everyday Americans? Who among us hasn’t experienced, or known someone who has experienced, the bureaucratic bullshit of having to deal with a combative, unhelpful and highly obstructive insurance company who are looking for ways to not pay for an individuals healthcare?
It’s a huge issue and one which deserves debate. But what do we get, conservative evangelicals organizing small easily led people to disrupt town hall meetings with spoon fed lies and misinformation about what they labeled ‘Obamacare.’
It makes me sad that these knuckleheads are driven enough to get off their ignorant asses to disrupt a much needed conversation, but to damn bone idle to actually check the lies they have been fed by far right political groups and lobbyists hell bent on derailing anything that smells remotely like a reasonable inquiry into a less discriminatory way of looking after our nations health.
So yes Leslie, this absolutely IS about the healthcare of Americans if only the conservatives could quit making this a political battleground and hotbed of lies!
Wrote the following comment on Sep 28, 2009 at 1:39 am
Obama has lied from the first time he opened his mouth. The Bush haters are just blinded to this fact by their hatred of Bush. Get over it, Bush is gone and Obama will be in 3 1/2 years along with Pelosi and Reed. We just need to slow these idiots down long enough for real change to come in 2010. Then we can undo the damage they will have done. History will remember 2010 as the year when US taxpayers rose and said “Enough is enough!”
Wrote the following comment on Sep 28, 2009 at 8:15 am
Who’s mentioning Bush?
Where were these taxpayers when Bush was spending $100 billion a year in Iraq & Afghanistan? Why is it acceptable to spend that amount on war but not improving your healthcare system?
You come out with sweeping statements like ‘Obama has lied’ but provide no specifics. But then you and your friends on the right don’t really deal in facts do you? You deal in fear, uncertainty and doubt.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 28, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Doug…don’t worry about dropping the f… bomb. You have some reasons to use it. Perhaps not in the middle of Jesus and Christ but I am sure He would understand and give you a supportive smile!!
American medical experts did a load of research into life,stress and swearing and apparently,it helps relieve any tension building up. Yeah..something to do with the vocal cords and using the words wipes out the stress piled on us these days…so go for it without guilt. Everyone finds their own suitable words…for me, same as you the f bomb, plus b.ll…ks works a treat and yes, I am a lady despite saying those things :)
Wrote the following comment on Oct 4, 2009 at 6:16 am
I think we should just sew peoples mouths shut then us Americans wouldnt be so fat. I work in the operating room and 75% of the patients I see are obese. If majority were of normal weight they would not be there. Money should be invested in health classes again. Parents should learn to cook and invite their kids in the kitchen to learn. I dont know how many of my friends were never invited into the kitchen. That will also strenght family relationships which have started crumble.
Social secerity should not be in the arguement. SS is based on how many people are working and retired. There are more retiring then are contributing. So do the math.
Republicans didnt want medicare/medicaid. What I find funny is that the big guys (like Newt G) were against it. But now are using it for their beneifit. “If we create a government health insurance it could hurt medicaid, etc” So, I find it funny (on both sides of the isle) will use anything, even if they were against it years ago, to manipulate the system.
I just wish everyone would stop and think with their heart. From there you will know what is right and wrong. Everyone is going to have to make small sacrifices for the whole good.
Wrote the following comment on Oct 4, 2009 at 6:19 am
Oh! Simon I am finally doing two of my dreams together!! I am volunteering for FACES Foundation. Going to Peru to help ppl w/ cleft palates!!