Elijah has endured a series of unfortunate events over the past three years and is currently battling bowel problems and injuries sustained in a car crash. To put some fun in his day, Satan’s Little Helper delivered a care package.
A nasty strain of e-coli at the age of three changed things completely for Elijah.
“Until then, he was a normal, healthy kid,” says his mum, Christine. “The e-coli resulted in an inflamed bowel and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as an issue that results in him pooping blood.”
Elijah has had numerous blood tests and scans over the following three years to try and get to the bottom of his health problems.
“He has an MRI booked, because a scan showed signs of internal bleeding. Once we get the results back, we’ll know what steps we can take next.”
A legacy of illness
As a result of his health problems, Elijah has missed out on a lot. He can be fine one moment and doubled-up in pain the next. His immune system isn’t as strong as other kids’, which means he’s often sick and is particularly prone to chest infections.
It initially took years of Christine fighting the system before Elijah was diagnosed. During that time, he’d frequently be so sick that he missed out on several opportunities and couldn’t attend daycare.
“For a long time, he’d have terrible pain and get tired easily. I especially noticed how hard it was for him to keep up with other kids his age; he could barely do what his best mate could do.”
To make matters worse, Elijah is recovering from a severe concussion sustained during a car crash and can only attend half days at school due to the headaches he gets. His combination of conditions makes it tricky for him to join in when his friends are playing, says Christine.
“He has good days and bad days. He gets tired a lot easier than his friends and he is limited in what he can do, but he gives everything a go. He really wants to play rugby, but he can’t due to the risk of an internal bleed. As he’s getting older, he’s more aware of his limits so he doesn’t join in, which is sad.”
Delivering fun
Satan’s Little Helper doesn’t want kids to grow up with so many bad days, so we sent him some LEGO and a remote-controlled car to provide some fun, as well as some bath salts and a wheat pack to help Elijah when his pain gets a bit too much.
“He thought getting a package full of presents was the greatest thing ever! He was buzzing to get a letter with his name on it and wanted to read it all himself!”
Christine says he’s been loving the LEGO and it’s been a cool way for Christine and her partner Shane to bond.
“He’s a farmer, so he works a lot and they don’t have a lot of time to spend together. The LEGO is a great way to bring them together. You can make five different things with it, so they’ll spend a lot of time tinkering.”
The remote-controlled car has also been a fun way for Elijah to spend his time, while on rest following his concussion.
“It’s a brilliant way for him to rest on the couch and also play and have fun!”