Many times I have laid in bed listening to your nightly party time, and cursing you for my lack of sleep. Last night though I loved hearing your surprised little ‘oh’s and cackles of laughter, the shouts of ‘wha da?’ from your dark room. You see, just before I’d been watching TV and seen a hearse with a child’s coffin in it and a name spelt out in flowers. Your name.

I should have expected it, the storyline was obvious. But I didn’t expect that visceral punch to the emotions and it left me sobbing on your Daddy’s chest. When I went up to bed and closed my eyes I kept seeing it still. But your laughter wound its way around my heart and soothed my fears. Every shout and giggle sang out that this is a boy who is joyfully and wonderfully alive.

Since Christmas I don’t think I’ve been the best mother for you. I’ve spent too long stuck in a darker place than I’d like to be. I’ve been too easily frustrated by you and your brother, and have been finding it difficult to accept life as it is now as opposed to the life I expected. Things have been turned around lately though; Martin House and the MPS Conference gave us a bit of respite, and counselling has been helping me to look at things a little differently.

I lay there and thought of that coffin and your name in flowers, and instead of falling back into the dark place I vowed that it.. Will. Not. Happen. Not to you. Not as long as I can help it.

It’s not fair that a simple mistake in your DNA has dealt you this hand. It’s not fair that it is so costly to develop drugs for conditions as rare as yours. It’s not fair that decisions have to be made on which patients are ‘worth’ saving. It’s not fair that there are parents out there having hope ripped away from them as another trial drug is withdrawn.

It is all too easy to be swamped by all these obstacles in your way. I’m not a natural campaigner – I’m too shy and introverted for that. But, my gorgeous trouble, I promise I will do what I can for you. I will fight for you.

You are most definitely worth it.