"JoJo Healing Heart"
Love Through Sacrifice:
ABOUT JOSEPH CHRISTOPHER ELIGIO
It is been an amazing journey that most of us would think of it as tragic. My baby Joseph (JOJO) is such a blessing to be chosen as his mother. You could say, I am very lucky to have such an amazing boy with an amazing heart. He taught me to be forgiving and to be gentle with others. This past year, 2014 after hearing from the doctors at Shriners Children Hospital in Sacramento, CA after the result from the gate study that there was nothing else they could do for him. He looks at me, “mom so I am going to be like this forever?” Then the doctor said, “There are few doctors in LA and San Diego that I think you should check out that might be able to help your son.” He looks at me… that is when I made the sacrifice to move to San Diego in March of 2015 to go to Rady’s Hospital in San Diego.
Jojo was diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) at the age of four. He went from a wheelchair to a walker then a crutches. We move to San Diego for one reason, to have the opportunity to find a doctor for my son that will give him a chance to be able to walk again. Jojo had surgery on both legs.
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1st surgery June 27, 2016
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2nd surgery was July 25, 2016
The second surgery JoJo experience chronic pain after the surgery. He was having an anxiety that the nurse at that time had caused. He would not let anyone touch or move him because he was afraid of experiencing more pain. The only thing that got him to calm down, especially with the anxiety was a therapy dog. It was the eyes of the dog that made him felt safe at that time and the soft hair of the dog. Until today he could never forget about him.
Joseph had his 3rd surgery at U.C. Davis Hospital in Sacramento, CA on October 23, 2017. Now that the surgery is finally over and now we are concentrating on his recovery. He feels very blessed that after the surgery he could feel the difference on his foot and legs. He is able to stand straight and walk better with his crutches.. He is not giving up the day that he won’t have to rely on his crutches to walk. However, one thing he desires the most or give is to visit the hospitals and to be there for those other kids and let them know about his experience and make them feel better by wishing to have a therapy dog and sharing his therapy dog with them. He would like to share his experience and what he did when he was scared.
