One is never too young to have the ability to cope with life, especially when her life presents challenges well-beyond her years. Jessie, in the interest of full disclosure, is my darling granddaughter. She is soon to be 14 years old, and has had to tackle more than many three times her age have had to do.

When Jessie was only 2 years old, it was discovered that she suffered from a life-threatening peanut allergy, and to this day, cannot even touch it without having a frightening reaction. We have also come to know that she needs to maintain a gluten-free diet, and in typical Jessie-form, she manages to find ways to eat so she can maintain her best health.

At around 4 years old it became painfully obvious that Jessie had Dyslexia. Her parents, Allison (my daughter) and Dave (my son-in-law) did not sit back and wait for her to fall behind in pre-school or Kindergarten. Alli found the most wonderful reading specialist, Mrs. Brown, to tutor her several times a week in the Wilson Program. Lo and Behold, Jessie, now an 8th Grader, is a wonderful student and not only loves to learn, but teaches herself anything she needs to learn in a different way than others!

A family trip we all took to Disney World when Jessie was 5 years old highlighted bladder issues, which Alli and Dave communicated to her pediatrician while we were enjoying the parks. A follow-up ultrasound revealed a kidney stone, which began an unexpected series of stones, surgeries, stents, more surgeries, tests, etc. In “Jessie fashion” she pushed on.  These countless kidney stones reared their ugly heads with flank pain at the most unpredictable moments, and Jessie (thank goodness for her wonderful parents) had to rush to Philadelphia or Delaware for treatment.

And now, Jessie is suffering with a very disabling connective tissue disorder (expected to be diagnosed as Ehlers-Danlos) that has been exacerbated by a shoulder injury in school in September. She has Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, visits to doctors for targeted shots, and has learned to put her shoulder, elbow and hip back in place when they “pop out” of their joints.

Jessie doesn’t have it easy…nothing comes without an incredible amount of effort and management. She works hard at overcoming as much as she works hard at becoming. But she is incredibly gifted and talented; her voice is beautiful and she trains it as one would any beloved instrument; she has a personality that smiles through her pain and suffering; she is everyone’s friend and is always at her best, even when it is so much easier to give up, give in. I admire our girl more than words can say. Jessie is Resilience, and we can all learn from her!

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