My Seventh Day
Sunday, 31 August 1997

My First Cuddle

Today will be a day remembered by people around the world for many years to come. My folks will remember this day as the day of my first cuddle; but history will remember this as the day a beautiful princess died tragically in a faraway country.

I knew it was going to be a great day for me when they removed the tube from my trachea. That's right, I was breathing on my own. Well, almost on my own. I still had a little device called a CPAP placed on my nose. That just made it a bit less strenous for me to breathe.

My jaundice returned so once again they stripped me naked, placed on a mask and put me under those phototherapy lights.

Once that endotracheal tube was removed I was ready -- and eager -- to be cuddled.

I patiently waited ... and waited ...