Thirty-Nine

Dear Thirty-Nine,

Mom always said that when you were a baby she knew you were special. Really special. More special than me or any of the other kids. I believed her and never once felt bad. I knew it too. You were really special. When I was five I asked her what was wrong with you. Mom told me a story about you as a twenty-month-old baby. How you had a high fever, seizures, a coma, that Pam and Jeff had to sleep in the car at Primary Children's. Mom told me it was a serious bug called spinal meningitis. When you woke up you were not the same. Your head was shaved. You had to learn to walk again. You were wild. I remember just how wild. You had seizures a lot. Mom told me that you were here for us because we needed you.

Thank you for being here for us.

Happy Birthday big brother!

Love,

EP