01/10/2026
Two years ago, my daughter Maddie complained of significant back pain.
Doctor after doctor told us it was muscular. Their opinions only brought temporary relief. My intuition kept telling me something was seriously wrong. I just couldn’t prove it.
Over the next three months, we saw countless doctors across different practices, visited an emergency clinic and sat in hospital emergency departments. Blood tests showed inflammation, but apparently not enough to investigate further. Time and time again, we were sent home with instructions to continue taking Panadol and to see a physiotherapist.
Thankfully, we could afford the $800 needed for a private MRI.
Without that scan, Maddie may have lost the ability to walk. She may not even be here today.
Two hours after the MRI, my phone rang.
“Take your daughter to emergency immediately. The children’s hospital is expecting you.”
The cause of her pain had finally been identified: a chronic infection in her spine and the muscle surrounding her hip.
But now we had a terrifying realisation. Perhaps we had found it too late.
What followed was a hospital admission, biopsy, PICC line, countless blood tests, months away from school, daily nurse visits at home, weekly hospital appointments for painful dressing changes, daily physiotherapy, psychological support and repeated MRIs.
And two years of simply refusing to give up.
There was no family nearby to lean on. At the same time, we were navigating the deaths of many significant loved ones. Some days, we had to dig deeper than I knew was possible.
Last month, we got the all clear from the Royal Children’s Hospital and said goodbye to the Meerkats who helped us smile through every setback.
Yesterday, after two incredibly long years, Maddie was discharged from Monash Children’s Hospital.
Our final hospital visit allowed us to finally close this painful chapter and breathe properly for the first time in a long time.
I’m sharing our story as a reminder of the importance of trusting our intuition in life. It can be one of our greatest gifts, a guiding light when everything around us feels dark.
Our bodies hold incredible wisdom and constantly communicate with us. We owe it to ourselves to listen.
So when every door seems to be closing and the answers still haven’t been found, keep asking questions. Keep advocating. Keep trusting yourself.
I was one of the lucky ones.
I got to take my daughter home.
Not every parent gets that privilege, and that thought will stay with me forever.
To every parent still walking a frightening and uncertain health journey with their child: I see you. I’m praying for you. I hope this message gives you even a little courage and hope to keep going when the road feels impossibly hard. 💔
And to the friends who kept checking in, not just in those first terrifying weeks, but months and even years later: thank you will never be enough.
You have no idea how much your messages, love and quiet support carried us.
Times like this teach us who our people are.
And I see you clearly now. ❤️
Forever changed. 🤍
Forever grateful. 🙏
