Paralysed

Chapter 2

Isaiah went with Mark and Sue to the consultation room where they met Dr. Simmons.
"Hi there," he smiled "please , take a seat. Ok so Isaiah, I'm afraid the results have shown that you have something called ALS. Do you know what that is?"
Isaiah shook his head.
"Well what happens is the motor neurones in the brain stop sending impulses to the muscles. Ok?" Isaiah nodded.
"I'm going to give you some crutches to help you walk a bit better ok." He handed Isaiah the crutches. They measured the crutches to size and practiced how to walk with them.
"Do you have any questions?" Isaiah shook his head,
"Ok well if you don't mind Isaiah I'm going to ask you to step outside so I can talk to your parents" Isaiah looked at his parents for reassurance, Sue smiled. Isaiah waited outside. Soon his parents came out, it was clear to see that his mum had been crying. The car ride home was silent. As soon as they came home Isaiah went upstairs to his room and lay on the bed face down. He wasn't crying because he wasn't upset. He was angry, angry that his own body had let him down.
Downstairs, Mark and Sue had called a family meeting. They all sat round the kitchen table and told everyone what was wrong.
Mark and Sue only wanted to speak to the elder children so they told Josiah to go play upstairs. They waited until he was out of the room. Zoey and Isaac looked worried something else was up if they didn't want Josiah to know. Isaiah came downstairs Josiah had told him that he'd been sent out the room so they could have a private chat. What was being kept so secret from Isaiah and why? Isaiah his round the door trying to listen in.
"Mum what's going on?" Zoey questioned.
"The doctor told us that there was no treatment for ALS nor medication to help slow down the progression of the disease," Mark said.
"But there are treatments to help the symptoms," Sue interrupted
"However, eventually Isaiah will not be able to move, talk and he will have to be cared for,"
Isaiah was stunned, he wanted to cry but he couldn't. He felt like someone had sucked all the breath left in him. Isaiah sat down he felt so faint and limp.
Zoey started to cry,
"But that won't be for a while, right?" Isaac asked
"Well the problem is the younger the symptoms start to show the faster the progression."
Zoey got up and stormed out of the kitchen but she was met with Isaiah sat in the living room, Isaiah was crying too. Zoey was worried at how much he heard.
"Mum?!" Zoey shouted. Sue came rushing in along with Mark and Isaac. she saw Isaiah.
"Oh Isaiah," she sighed. "How much did you hear?"
"Umm well...I will end up paralysed and... I will have to be cared for for the rest of my life," he wept.
"Oh I'm so sorry," Sue said hugging him. She looked at her husband with tears in her eyes.
And they tried to reassure Isaiah.