Awesome Zoë #1

Zoë, Jed, Jack and Ben - September 2006



My darling daughter is 15 today. She is flying up to Auckland to visit with her dad, Jane and her baby sister Phoebe.

Phoebe is up at Starship hospital after being diagnosed, at 8 weeks of age, with biliary atresia . Basically, her liver is poked and she will eventually need a transplant. First though is an operation (Kasai) that will place small pieces of her intestine alongside her liver to take the place of bile ducts that never formed. There is a 50% chance that this will work and keep her well enough to grow big enough for a liver transplant to be viable.

It’s been a tough few weeks for Stephen and Jane. Phoebe has been such a long awaited and hard fought for treasure of a daughter and this liver problem has been such a shock to us all.

But, back to my daughter… Zoë is (in her fellow student’s words) awesome. She is so mature and capable. I know she will cringe, but we are reaching that stage in our relationship were she is more like a sister than a daughter. We can share (often far too much information, in her eyes) just about everything. Actually, I think it’s more me sharing with her! She has a wee habit of putting her finger to her lips and quietly saying “shhhh” if I share too much. She has started, helpfully, pointing out advertisements on the TV such as incontinence pads and hormone replacement treatments. I’m not that old yet thanks honey!

She is as stubborn as a mule and doesn’t put up with any shite from anyone. She has never gone though those foolish teenage girlie years, maybe that’s a wee loss to her, but she just doesn’t see the need to primp and pose and ogle after the boys. She forms strong friendships with those she admires and sticks by her friends even when she doesn’t approve of their behaviour. She has no time at all for posers and bitchiness. Zoë is no drama queen.

Zoë is a 1st kyu (brown belt) in Seido karate. This means that her next grading will be to Shodun (blackbelt). She is a tough wee girlie who has put a lot of time and effort into her karate.

She is enjoying having a baby sister after living with three brothers. Her school is just over the road from her dad’s and Zoë has made a habit of calling in before and after school to visit with Jane and Phoebe. Her excuse for being late to school one day was that she was changing Phoebe’s nappy. Another day, sitting in maths (I think), she realised that she could smell Phoebe. In fact, it was her clothes that smelt like baby - in a good way - as they had been washed together :-)

I hope you have a lovely visit with Phoebe in Auckland and give her special hugs from all of us left back in Dunedin. I know you will be a great support to your Dad and Jane over the next few days.


Happy birthday and God bless you, darling girl!