To Mum & Dad

Told you i would write a book one day. You can now do me the honour of reading it for me,

All My Love Always
Jenni
XXX

To Lorraine

To the Sister i always wanted. It truly was an honour to have known you. Through our memories you will live on. One more angel in heaven. We're not worthy,

Your Big Sister
Jenni
XXX


My Mother and Father were married on the 9th June 1973, which also happened to be my Mother's 18th birthday. My Father was also a young groom, being only nineteen himself. They had met two years earlier and had become engaged after only six weeks. Oh Dad what would you say if i did that but your judgement must be spot on!

On the 5th of December 1975 i was born into the world at 13.15 hours weighing seven pounds, one and a half ounces. I always remember being a happy child but something was missing. I wanted someone to play with and keep me company. I wanted a little sister.
My wish was finally granted when my Mum and Dad announced that i was going to have a sister. This was not their exact words, of course, their words were that we were getting a baby, but i decided there and then that this was it, i was finally going to get my baby sister. 
Regularly after that my Mum and Dad would say to me "you know you might not get a sister, you could have a little brother."  "No way" I wasn't listening. I would reply "I know i'm getting a sister" I was simply too young to understand that you couldn't pick and choose. I was also given the honour of picking the name. I finally decided on Lorraine. I felt it pointless to even consider boys names.

Sometime in April, however, the 27th to be exact, tragedy struck in a very cruel way. My Mum's best friend, Patricia Orr, also pregnant and due to give birth at the same time, and her unborn baby sadly died. Auntie Pat, as i had always called her, got up to go to the toilet and had died from a brain haemorrhage. My Uncle Jim had found her. I never understood how my Uncle Jim had felt finding her and it was to be just over 23 years later when i was to find out exactly what that felt like.

My Mum was in hospital when this happened and when we visited her later i announced to her that "Auntie Pat had died". Unaware of course of what i was actually saying bearing in mind that i was only five years old. My Mum was utterly devastated and was not even allowed to attend her best friend's funeral. I now understand how terrible that must have been for her. Mixed emotions of looking forward to becoming a Mummy and yet devastation at losing her best friend.

Wish Finally Granted

On the 3rd of May 1981 at 12.13 hours weighing five pounds, two and a half ounces, Lorraine Margaret Leishman finally entered the world after a long, gruelling labour and finally an emergency caesarean.
We didn't have a telephone back then. I can remember sitting in a neighbours house, Effie McLaughlin and i was with my Granny and Grandpa Donaghy. My Grandpa spoke on the phone first then said "Jennifer, your Dad wants to speak to you" I took the phone and said "Hello Dad" He replied "You've got your Wee Sister" I put my hand on the phone, turned to everyone in the room and said "See I told you all!" 
I had a small polaroid to carry about with me as Mum was very poorly after her ordeal, her bladder had been badly damaged and she wasn't even conscious for the first seventy-two hours.