Jessica Anne-Marie Deschambault was born in Quebec Canada, on May 9th, 1997
Jessica likes Blues Clues, Watching Disney movies, Caillou, and Winnie the Pooh, she also likes playing with Barbies, coloring and doing puzzles. She dislikes getting finger picks and having blood tests.
Jessica has a unique zest for life, she looks at the glass as half full and not half empty. Despite all that she has been through and all she continues to go through Jessica is a very kind, caring, loving and compassionate young lady with a love for all. If someone gets hurt, she wants to make it all better for them, when we are at the clinic and a young child is crying, she goes up to them and gives them a hug and tries to calm them down. She is a sweetheart.
When It All Started
Jessica had been sick Since Dec. 10th, 1997, we went through the great 97-98 Ice Storm with her being sick and not knowing what was happening to her, On Jan 17th, 1998 the Ice Storm was declared over and we were able to move back into our homes, we learned on Jan, 18th that she had Cancer.
Jessica was just hours from death before she was properly diagnosed. Our world had been shattered in a matter of minutes, since Jessica is the youngest of 5, we had to make arrangements for our other children to be cared for. Jessica's siblings were scared that she was going to die, and when I had to stay with Jessica, I had to put the other children in a temp. foster home.
I was terrified, I wanted answers that no one could give me and I was alone. I was running from Jessica to my other kids, not wanting anyone to feel I loved them less. It was difficult to watch my child go through so much and fight so hard to live.
On Jan. 18th, 1998, Jessica was admitted to the Montreal Children's Hospital in critical condition. She only weighed about 10 pounds, she was severely dehydrated, and very near death. Her official diagnosis was Neuroblastoma Stage IV N-Myc Amplified and was given 30% chance of survival. Jessica went through 8 months of intense chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and 10 weeks of Radiation and managed to amaze and shock everyone including the doctors. She was declared in Remission in Sept. 98.
In May 2001 Jessica was dx with Acute Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura after a routine blood test and check-up. She was placed on a steroid treatment.
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Jessica is doing well, she started her menstruation on May 31, she was so happy. Go figure, soon enough she will be cursing it :)
She is officially a grade 7 student. Graduated last week. She is very excited about that. Her summer days will be filled with lots of activity as she and Melanie will be going to daycamp starting tomorrow until mid August.
She got her computer in early May from the wish foundation, she will have to wait for her desk until we move next week, they didn't want us to have to worry about setting it up and then taking it apart to move it, so they will deliver that once we move.
We got a grant for her from one of the organizations that works with her to obtain a smoke alarm system for her, she can't hear a normal smoke alarm, so this one will vibrate her bed and a light will flash as well.
That is about all for now. I have to get back to work shampooing carpets and furniture and packing.
I know what you mean too about it being hard to belive these girls were once so sick and small. I look at Jess and it seems like yesterday she was the size of her 5 year old sister and today she is almost a teenager. Can't believe she is already 12.
