The End

So that is the End of Ben's US journey and we are all safe and back at home.
Ben has had his check up with his community nurse today, despite her having to break in to find us as we all crashed and burned with the jet lag!!
And all is looking good.
The last 48 hours have been emotional as expected. Sad to leave our home of the last three months and the sunshine of course!
Sad to say good bye to a place that has provided us with so very much. Provided us with support, joy, and hopefully a cure for Ben.
But, as we left Jacksonville and we remembered the people that we have met on our journey, we knew it was our time.
Our time to get home, to get back to our routine and to get back to our normality. To get back to you.
So as I leave you all now, I am going to attempt something very heroic!i am going to attempt to thank you in person.
One of the reasons I never became famous was because if I win anything then the speech would have been a nightmare. Well that and a lack of talent!!
It is always hard to say thank you to individuals as someone always gets missed out!
For you all, and in case I miss you in person, then this next statement is my safety net!
We thank each and every one of you for everything you have done.
Thank you to our parents.
To my mum
To Tina and Gary for coming to see us and supporting us on our journey. It was fabulous having you around. It was funny, enjoyable and sad at times. We know that it was tough for you all and hope that you have also been able to take something very special with you from sharing this part of the journey in person. We thank you.
To the rest of our family for your ongoing encouragement and support and for looking after Jasmine.
To Gemma, my sister. For always caring and always being available for a late night ( early morning ) FaceTime call.
To Wayne, for holding the fort!
To Sarah and Peter for the loan of their wonderful home. An extra special thank you though to you Sarah for always keeping in touch, always caring. For organising and advising. For having a huge heart.
We thank you all.
To Sam, for the parcel we could never find and for our FaceTime chats. For keeping me on the straight and narrow and for making me laugh.
To Debs for being Debs and for the gardening gesture.
To cousin Nick for listening and being my best friend.
To the Ortons for Ben's special Jessie J event.
To Richard and Penny for the loan of their fabulous home and for their prayers.
To Maddie and Mary Hall for their Catholic Prayers.
To Michael for his Morman prayers.
To Emily and Olivia for their fab cake sales and all the other children at Sherrardswood for their support.
To George, Reece, Antonio, Jack, Hugo, Millie, Brogan and Leighton and Kelly for your messages to Ben.
To Charlie for helping set up the blog.
To Mandy for her constant support and the Spurs event that she organised for Ben.
To Christina for helping with the cars.
To Kinsy bubble and Chris, Lisa, Lisa, Susie, Teresa, Tracey, Helen, Tara, Chris Bone, Vicky M, Lizzy, Kim Mitchell, Nat Nat, sarah and Sara, Curul, Sophie and Nicola. Vanessa for all your messages and John ( for Dean's male bonding time!)
To Katie and Arthur for understanding.
To Olfa for helping sort Ben's phone.
To Patsy and Gemma's friend Michelle and everyone else that had a helping hand in sorting Virgin!
To Richard Perry for pointing out Ben's voice in the first place.
To Mary and Greg. To Earl. For advice, prayers and reassurance. To Helen, Andy and Jack, to the Addleys, the traders, Peter, Siobhan, Mark and Chloe, Halima, Sam, Kirsten and Louis and the gang, Katie and Jasmine, Sophia, the Canadian family, the Prossers, the Sottish Family and all our other proton family, friends and acquaintances.
The the Methodist congregation courtesy of the Bonds for their Critters and Prayers.
To the US staff, Dr Indelicato, Amy, Heather, Kim, Alex, Tori, Cindy. Miss Barbara and Miss Pam. Peaches and Tiffany, Shannon and Geri. Kirsten, Matt, Zac and Rob and all the gang in gantry 1. Enterprise Car rentals, executive Cabs, Corporate Suite Shoppe. To all the staff that came into contact and helped support us.
To Mark, Metta, Adele, Stephen and Sarah. To George and Mr Hartley, Claire Moore, Debbie and the rest of the U.K. Team for everything.
To Claire N for always reading and sending positive vibes.
To my old work colleagues who have been in touch.
To my old work colleagues that never bothered for helping me realise what I am not missing!"
To my current work colleagues for their support and encouragement.
To all that have donated to Ben's US journey.
To the four generous families that anonymously treated us to our meals those nights.
To Joanne in Nemours pharmacy.
To Kim Crawford and Nobili (Sauvignon Blanc!).
To No 15 for the pampering set.
To Busy Bees for all their support. Laura, Amanda,Chelsea, Donna, Gemma, phoebe, Luke's mum, Donna, Clio.
To Jim, Leah, Mrs Freeborn, Claire, Samantha, Mrs Wright, headmaster, Joanne, Mrs Evans.
To Kate Boffey for your ongoing support, encouragement and chuckles.
To Sue and Janet for always being there, even though we have never met!
To all Dean's Facebook friends, some who I have never met and others I haven't seen in years for being with us.
To all our friends, old and new and to all our friends friends who have supported us.
So. Now you know why this was a mission. If I have missed you out, please, it is not personal.
Finally and to conclude.
I began writing this blog because it was a good way to keep those interested updated. It seemed easier that replying to lots of messages.
After a few blogs, it became MY TIME. It was the only thing that I did on my own! Sometimes u would blog in the middle of the night whilst waiting for feeds etc to finish. Lots of times it would take hours to finish as I would stop and start as I needed to attend to other things.
But sometimes it was my release. My way of letting off a bit of steam.
As people started to read it became a buzz. Then people began to share their stories and told me it helped them, so it became my duty.
Towards the end, the need to remember things led it to becoming my diary.
The blog has served many purposes and has been a big part of Ben's Journey.
Thank you from the very bottom of our hearts for being part of this incredible and life changing mission. Thank you for never judging.
Last and very much not least.
Thank you to Dean for making the right decision to stay.
To my darling Chloe. For causing extreme exhaustion but also providing all day entertainment. For being a proper little Madam.
And to you Ben. For being the strong and determined kid you are to have done this. For cuddling me, when you knew I was tired, for shouting at me to bring me back into line. For helping others. And for fighting.
To all of you that have read and kept up to date. Thank you!
Keep doin wot yourrrrrr doin!
Goodnight y'aaalllll
From the Carters with love xxxx




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