Once there was a happy little girl, who had a perfect life. She couldn’t have asked for better. She had friends, family, sports, and a roof over head.

One day, she got sick. Really sick. She told her parents. They didn’t believe her at first. She went to school for a day and came home complaining how her legs were so tired from walking home. They thought she was just being dramatic.  Well, it turns out she wasn’t just being dramatic.  That day, she rested on the couch.  She was so sick that her mom had her dad take her to a clinic to get a test done to see if she had a virus or something. The doctor said her pain was just muscle pain and should go away in two weeks.

One week later, her eyesight started going out.

She screamed, “MOM! MOM! I CANT SEE!?!”

That’s when her mom knew it was serious. So, she said, “Harlie, we are going to the hospital tomorrow morning.”

So, the mom and daughter get up early.  The mom says, “Get ready.”

She says, “Okay.”

She goes to brush her hair and she can’t do it.  She can’t even lift her arms.  She is crying so her mom had to do her hair.

They get in the car and they go to meet her dad at breakfast.  They order and the food arrives at the table.  She starts to play with her food. Her mom and dad are finished.  They ask, “Why didn’t you eat your food?”

She says, “I’m not hungry.”

So, they get to the hospital and it takes over five hours for a doctor to come in. They make her walk and do a ton of tests and strength tests.  She couldn’t do most of them. She cries and her moms says, “Do what you can, Ginny, she can’t walk straight!?”

They tell the little girl and her mom that they have to admit her. They take her upstairs and into a bed. She is scared. Very scared.

Two weeks go by and they have run over twenty-nine vials of blood tests on the poor little girl.  She had a muscle biopsy too.  Now, months go by where the little girl and her parents live in the hospital.

What is happening?! She used to play softball and basketball!

Well, her teams, softball and basketball, would send her get-well baskets.  She would feel so appreciated. She was so loved by many. Then, more months went by…

The poor little girl couldn’t even shower by herself or go to the bathroom by herself or brush her hair.  She was hopeless …

She couldn’t even talk or walk.

Then, it got worse. Much worse.

One day, she had these bad tongue sores. She stopped talking for two entire days. Well, she lost her throat muscles. She couldn’t eat or drink for about six months.

It was the worst, the very worst part of her life!

YES!!  She felt like giving up.  BUT, NO SHE DID NOT GIVE UP.

She had a central line, a body tube and tummy feeding tube.  IT WAS THE WORST EVER!

Let’s see YOU try not eating or drinking  for SIX months!

During this time, she had a candle vigil. It was simply amazing! So many wonderful people and faces!  She loves them all !!

And, mostly every Sunday, her sisters and brother would come visit her ❤️

She got a little better slowly…And, slowly, she kept working hard in therapy.

After sleepless nights in the hospital and just scared for so long, she finally got to go home for a week.

Then, she went to go get a haircut. She tripped and fell on the sidewalk. She hurt her heart really bad and broke her hip, which she had to have two screws in it now.

Soon after, one or two weeks later, she gets out again. She is super, duper careful!  She proves to her parents that she is getting stronger and more independent.

They are staying true and trusting her even to go to movies with friends alone.

She even walked a little on Halloween night!

I want to tell you something.

Yes, the little girl wanted to give up on life. BUT, then so many people were there for her.

The little girl didn’t realize that she was being so selfish and rude. She was very close to giving up.

YES. SHE TRIED TO GO….

And, I just want you all to know that this girl in this story is me. Harlie Valdez.

Please share it.

A short story about me.

Thank you ? all ❤️?

For more information about Harlie’s journey: Link to Harlie Valdez’s journey with JDM