Hi my name is Joshua Edwards I am 11 years old, & will be 12 on the 3rd April 2007, I have a sister Georgia who is 9, and 2 brothers Ben is 7, & Colin Adam is 5. I love them all lots, I started at  Noadswood School in September. On 1st Dec. I came home from School at 3.30pm, within the hour I was feeling unwell, my back, head & neck hurt really bad, my Mum & Dad called the doctor, and I was sent to the SGH by ambulance. By this time I could not feel my legs. That night they operated on me, they found a blood clot on my spinal cord, at the top of my back, and lower part of my neck. The doctors told my Mum & Dad that it was called a SPONTANEOUS SPINAL EPIDURAL HAEMATOMA, and the operation was called CARDIOTHORACIC LAMINOPLASTY, They also told Mum & Dad that this illness is very rare, there have been only 27 case ever reported in the whole world in children I seem to be the 28th, JUST MY LUCK.

At the moment I have no feelings from my waist down. I have to have Physio to try & get my fingers to work, and with the help of the lovely body belt I have to wear, I am working with them to try and sit up, but each time I try, I feel sick. They tell me its something to do with my blood pressure, it keeps falling. But I will keep going, I have to try, I need to be able to sit, to use a wheelchair. I also need to get my fingers working, I love to use computers, and my play station games. The other thing I don't like, is I cant scratch when I get an itch, someone else has to do it for me. I still cannot sit up on my own, but the Physio ladies  found me a special wheelchair that Mum & Dad can push me around the wards in, also I can look out of the windows, & use it for going down to Physio, instead of them coming to my bed. They have also made me special splints to help get my fingers to work, & boots to help the muscles in my legs.

I had a lovely day on 14th Dec. the Southampton Football Team visited us, it was the best, they signed my new Saints shirt that my Aunty Maureen & Uncle Mike bought me. Dad was not so glad, he supports Portsmouth, poor man, never mind we cant all be perfect .

I have to try and eat, I have a tube down my nose that feeds me, & they said they will have to replace it in a couple of weeks, but if I can eat properly, they will leave it out. I do try, but the food is disgusting. I have been drinking, & my Nan got me a McDonalds the other day, I ate a little bit. They have told me I am going to be sent to a new hospital in the new year, its called Stoke Mandeville, somewhere in Bucks, where ever that is, but my Mum will stay with me.

MY NAN & HER FRIENDS HAVE STARTED A TRUST FUND, THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY WILL HAVE TO RAISE ABOUT £1.5 MILLION TO HELP WITH THE CARE I WILL NEED IN THE FUTURE. CAN YOU HELP, ANY AMOUNT WILL DO, WHAT EVER YOU CAN AFFORD! PLEASE CALL MY NAN, HER NAME IS CAROL TEL  02380842297 or contact  LLOYDS TSB HYTHE SOUTHAMPTON HANTS FOR DONATIONS. OR SEND TO CAROL EDWARDS 36 ELM CRESCENT HYTHE SOUTHAMPTON HANTS SO45 3PR

"Thank You!"  ...Joshua 

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