About me now

grampa@weemightyman.net

$Look at me \'08$

$News from\'07$

$Look at me \'07$

$News from \'06$

$Look at me! \'06$

$Look at me! \'05$

$Birthday \'06$

$Say Hi \'06-07$

So gently and using the greatest of care,

I started life with my own special flare.

Whether one eye is open or both are closed tight,

Many hearts I have stolen while fighting my fight.

I may be wee but mighty am I

Yet way too soon I’ll be saying goodbye.

I’m loved by so many, I’d stay if I could,

My kidneys aren’t perfect, don’t work like they should.

Please don’t lose faith, you know I am strong,

I’m in a great family, that’s where I belong.

August 19, 2008

My parents wrote this poem for me just after I was born, nine weeks premature. That was July 24, 2005 and I weighed a stout 2 pounds 14 ounces! The doctors said my kidneys weren’t working and I would only be here for a few short weeks. But, many people prayed for me and God said I could stay longer. So, here I am, doing the best I can and being loved by everyone I meet – doctors and nurses, friends and family, people in Ireland that probably won’t meet me and especially my Mom and Dad. They are taking really good care of me and I know it is a lot of work.

I still have what is called end-stage kidney disease and I grew enough so the doctor's said dialysis would work. That started at the beginning of 2006 when I was 6 months old and it is going really well. It is called peritoneal dialysis. We do it at home and it takes about 12 hours, 6 days a week. Momma and Papa play with me and we read books and stuff until I go to sleep, so it is okay.

The good news is this will be my last year on dialysis! My doctors have all said I am ready for my transplant! I am big enough (a pleasant 32 pounds), strong enough (I am, after all, the not-so-wee mighty man!) and it is time to get on with the program. My Momma is going to give me one of her kidneys so we are calling it a ‘kidney transfer’. The doctors say we are one of the best matches for a transplant they have ever seen. The doctors have rescheduled our surgery twice already, but it sure looks like August 28 is going to be the day. So, please keep praying for me! And for my Momma ‘cause she will be having surgery, too, and especially for my Papa – it is going to be hard having my Momma and me in surgery at the same time.

Grampa and Gramma Sharon are taking care of this page for me since my fingers are still too short to use a keyboard. You can e-mail them if you want really big pictures of me (Grampa bought a new camera and Gramma uses it all the time!) or if you just want to see how I’m doing.

Love,

Jacob

Because, after all,

A person’s a person,

No matter how small!