My 16month old(Now 20 months old) sweet Little Jimmie woke up one morning with a limp on his left side. I assumed he may have slept on it wrong that night so intended to keep close eye. Well Later that morning he almost fell and hit his head, luckily I was able to catch him but it was as if his left side just gave completely out. All weird to me because he was walking and playing with his siblings just fine prior to that morning.  I Took him to the ER where they had X-rays, bloodwork, And urine tests done. Which I was told all looked normal &amp; that he was being diagnosed with “Antalgic gait” which is an abnormality of the walk or limp. Sent us home. Stating to me “He’d just get back up and walking again” Two days went by but by that time it had progressed to the right side and was now progressively getting worse fast. Got to where he couldn’t any longer pull himself up to stand, couldn’t crawl, roll over or even move the bottom half of his body completely in just a matter of a few days.  So I followed up with the PED. After examination by 4 different pediatricians in the office (ice cubes, stethoscope etc ) they left out and came back in to tell me they were very concerned for something called “Guillian Barre Syndrome” an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system starting at the feet working its way up to your important organs and so on. Sent us straight to OLOL children’s hospital here in Baton Rouge LA where they ran blood work and did a spinal tap leading to find that his spinal fluid protein levels were at 580 when the average is 30.  Fast forward trying to move quickly to save him and get to the root, they diagnosed him with Guillian Barre and started treating him with IVIG in his IV immediately to catch it from reaching his important organs. He had Two rounds of the IVIG And there were talks of months of physical therapy. Scary enough right? 

But I still had that BAD MAMA GUT FEELING LIKE THAT DEBILITATING ONE!!! Like one of those eerie gut feelings that something wasn’t right even with the diagnosis having so many similarities to what he was experiencing the days leading up. But as scary as it already was. I still couldn’t let them discharge my baby like that a 2nd time with talks of months of physical therapy when I knew or felt it’s was something more. I know my child.  So next day neurologist came in and I advocated best I could and I expressed my concerns with her. She then sent him for the MRI scans the next morning. As I waited for the results, biting my nails, telling myself I just knew that it couldnt be my biggest fear “THE DEADLY “C” Cancer the same one to take my mom from me In 2020. How was I so wrong but so right. How did I know something was deeply wrong but convinced myself that it just couldn’t be MY baby. Shockingly it was MY baby.
  It’s October 18th, my mom’s 5th bday in heaven so already a rough day. &amp; Doctors come in and ask me to sit down. *My Heart Drops* they sit me down to tell me they found A large mass pressing on my sons spine, the tumor itself grew these nasty little fingers from it which wrapped around baby boys spinal cord causing tons of pressure &amp; pain hence why he stopped walking and lost all feeling waist down. The tumor wraps around into his chest it’s just that large. 

In order to do the biopsy they had to perform a laminectomy (Breaking &amp; Removing a piece of his vertebrae to get the tissue and then replacing it.) which left him in an awful brace for a little over 2 months. Biopsy confirmed it was NUEROBLASTOMA CANCER Got the news on October 24th &amp; We were transported to St.Judes in memphis on October 25th. Where he has began treatment. I’m still in a state of shock and still processing so I’m super late on updates but will be catching anyone following along up on things day to day I know this is long &amp; Im Sorry I’m so beside myself between surgeries and treatments, needles And the whole nine it’s killing me to see him go through this fighting for his life because as a mom we expect to protect our kids from everything but how do I protect him from CANCER? How do I protect him from the pain and fear of treatment? Or the side effects from all the meds? ️
  This has all caused HUGE financial burdens on us. Between bills and our other 4 kids and dad missing tons of work being our only sole provider we are DROWNING which is still an understatement. Outside of the expenses the hospital covers for baby boy when we’re here we are on our OWN. Unfortunately life and bills don’t stop because your baby has cancer and I don’t want to lose our home we have 4 other kids one of which is nonverbal autistic she’s 4, we’re struggling to get by, mortgage due with another one generating And we don’t have a village or a tribe!!! Or an outpour of support. ️

 Thursday he just had a major surgery here at St.Judes in memphis.We don’t have a village we don’t have a tribe, it’s just me and dad honestly and the things he has endured, And the abrupt changes to our family emotionally, mentally, physically and financially are truly heartbreaking to say the least!! ️ 

If you’re able to help please donate As we really need the help right now. I’m Just a mom of 5 trying my best to keep pushing.. Dad’s overwhelmed with our finances and it’s so overwhelming exhausting if you made it this far THANK YOU!!!

Anne-Elisabeth Sprimont

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Help Jimmie Watkins Jr. Fight Cancer (Neuroblastoma)

Help Jimmie Watkins Jr. Fight Cancer (Neuroblastoma)

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