Turning the corner & frightening his mother

Today, Toby turned the corner. Totally, utterly completely, he is on his way back to us. I'm almost scared to write it down in case it somehow tempts providence, but that young man of mine never ceases to amaze me with his fun-loving but doggedly determined and tenacious spirit. 

"Turning the corner" really doesn't begin to describe what Toby has managed to do today, He is as skinny as a rake, completely exhausted and physically weak beyond belief, but just look in his eyes today and you'll see that his sense of fun and mischief are totally back in business. Today he was the absolute reigning monarch of his bed, holding court and charming nurses, blowing kisses to whoever passed his doorway, squeaking happy noises all the time and just beaming from ear to ear all day. He's even been out of bed a few times to explore the ward and plan some fun for when he has a bit more energy. When I left this evening, not only did he blow the most flamboyant kisses from his bed, but he then got up and followed me to the lifts, where he laughed his head off waving energetically as the doors closed and I disappeared. 

The doctors are as baffled by his sudden recovery as they were about what made him so ill in the first place. There were never any diagnostic breakthroughs or sophisticated treatments. Right up until yesterday he was still such a cause of concern that a senior Consultant was ringing the hospital for updates from her holiday. 

It will still be several days before he is well enough to come home, but for the first time in nearly a fortnight I can actually believe that he will come home. Watching him so desperately ill, and slipping through our fingers further every day has been just beyond heartbreaking. 

I know in my heart why this has happened - thanks to Facebook, this blog and twitter, I've been overwhelmed and humbled by knowing that hundreds if not thousands of people have got behind my family and prayed their socks off, willed the universe to help him, sent us healing thoughts, good vibes, positive energy, whatever you want to call it, and altogether you made sure that Toby has been wrapped in a blanket of so much love and concern, the perfect condition for a miracle to take place. Thank you so much. 

Toby knows that when he gets home, he's going to have a great big party. With his very limited speech and communication, this evening he was able to make it totally clear that he wants cake and candles and presents and hide and seek and songs and games and then he just said "Toby's Birthday!" OK so it's nine months too early, but why ever not, eh? 

Here's another photo of Toby at his School Prizegiving Evening, taken just a few hours before he became so ill. You can see why I always felt that Male Modelling would be the ideal career choice for him, if only because he is so gorgeous. However if he ever had to fill out an application form for the post, I know exactly what he'd write in the box that asks for "Hobbies and Interests". He'd have to own up to his absolute favourite extra-currucular activity "Frightening the living daylights out of my mother".

And now, I'm finally off to bed, where I can sleep well and unworried for the first time in ages. 

Toby, just hours before he got so ill