Chapter 9 - Memories of Max

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I carried on talking for about quarter of an hour, trying to give him the faith and confidence to fight his disease. He nodded but said nothing. I felt exasperated and frustrated. All I’d said appeared to have fallen on deaf ears.

Later that day Sara and I were rewarded for our efforts. Max asked to get out of bed and tried to walk. This was not possible because his back was so weak but he managed a comical movement which was the start forward. He put a hand on each knee and walked along with his back almost parallel to the ground. He was in a lot of pain but throughout his attempts he was muttering “I can, I will, I can, I will, I can, I will.” His determination was awe inspiring. He only managed a few steps but the huge smile at the end showed his enormous sense of achievement. I nearly burst into tears. I never cease to marvel at the inner strength of these children.

Max’s reaction to his illness changed. He exhibited part of my personality which I call the ‘little boy’. It typified me as a child and these are not a traits which are necessarily to be commended. Max started to show the stubbornness, the bloody minded determination which was needed to fight the illness against whatever odds. It was an independence and fighting spirit that I had forgotten in myself.

Sara and I decided to encourage this new attitude. We wanted him to become a stubborn and cussed child if it would help him fight his illness. We could not help him medically, but we could help him find the will to start to fight his disease.

Max later used this tenacity to help another child in the same situation. I was approached by the boy's father who was amazed at how Max had gone from his stooped condition to almost being able to walk normally in such a short time. Again I asked Max if he would be prepared to help a friend. He was, but this time I decided it would be better if I was not present. I later asked Max what he had said to the boy. He said that he had told him everything I had told him.

“He didn't believe me, Dad but I told him what happened to me. I told him that if you think you can’t do it then try a little more each day and in the end you will get there”.

The next day the boy attempted walking and managed to walk with some semblance of normality during the next week.

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