Courage is about dealing with adversity, when you know its going to hurt or you know you cant win, you do it anyway and you do it with a positive attitude.
AJ did not think he was couragous or brave and hated people suggesting he was. However on the morning of the 28th October 2017 (the morning before he died) I saw AJ do one of the most amazing things ive ever seen. Now I know a lot of strong men from places like the gym but here is this 11 year old kid who is very ill but did something that took guts that I bet few people could do.
If you arent familiar with an NG tube, its a piece of thin pipe which goes up your nose and down your throat and into your stomach. Often they are put in while a patient is under anesthetic and they are difficult to do. Once a Dr tried to put AJ’s in when not under anesthetic and it took 8 attempts and he was in lots of pain and pulled it out as it hurt too much. This time was different thou. He had been sick during the night and the NG tube came out. Being single minded he had decided he was going to put it back in himself rather than let someone else do it. Its a 60cm tube from your nose down into your stomach. 1 cm at a time he slide the tube up his nose. I could barely watch knowing how difficult it must be and in a million years i would never do it, but little sips of coke to help and after 10 mins or so the tube was completely in. Even the nurses watching over him were amazed.
I have never seen anything like this and cant believe that 24 hours after this phenomenal feat he is no longer here