Chapter 9 - Memories of Max

77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Home

The effects of the drawings were dramatic and immediate. We visited the Royal Marsden Hospital the following day. Max acted as if he had been given a massive dose of adrenaline. He ran around manically, and was unbelievably chatty and full of vitality. The Senior Sister commented to me. “What have you given Max? I’ve never seen him looking like this, not even when he was well.”

This was a comment that was often repeated by many people independently over the coming weeks. The recurring comment was “He looks so well.” Max exuded a spirit and vigour that was not just in our mind's eye. He was so radiant, animated and well. His general outlook on life also became very positive. We felt vindicated by his progress.

By and large, Max's reaction to the chemotherapy, infections and his general wellbeing was much better from this point onwards.

At the end of the fourth month of treatment, and after the ‘Army Drawings’ Max spent over twenty days without complications. This was twice Max's previous record. Sara and I felt we had achieved what we set out to do. We'd pulled him from an awful morass of depression by changing his feelings about himself and his illness. If we had not changed the course of the illness, then we had managed give him a quality of life during treatment that had not been there before. We felt that as bystanders we could have done no more.

I asked Max why he felt that he had gone for so long without being ill. He replied ,“It’s my Army drawings.”

I was lying on the bed with Max, not long after he started the ‘Army Drawings’, when a Chinese girl was admitted to the same ward. The mother was in a state of shock, and became even more confused when she looked at me, Max and the area around Max’s bed. There was a huge Chinese fan on the wall, and Chinese lanterns hanging from the lights. On the wall were pictures of Chinese dragons.

Max was desperate to meet the girl, but was too shy to say anything to her. I waited for the family to get settled in and then broke the ice by showing Max’s fan to the child, Lan Yin. Max and Lan Yin started to talk and within two hours were sharing a bed together happily colouring. I could not have asked for more. He shared his Easter egg and cookies with her. They were like a little old couple. Her chastising him and telling him what to do, him replying likewise. I felt so happy for him. I felt like a father must feel when his son brings home his first girlfriend. I would love to capture that hour, it brought me much happiness.

91

Copyright © 2001

Click here if you would like details of how to buy a copy of the book