Gathering everyone round for a group photo, I couldn’t help marvelling at my amazing family. There was my husband Joey, 40, our children Phoenix, 9, Izrael, 4, Judah, 3, and my daughter Brooklyn, 20, who was from a previous relationship. ‘Aren’t we lucky?’ I smiled to Joey as we looked through the snaps afterwards. But next morning, on 8 January 2017, little Phoenix was feeling ill. ‘My throat’s really sore,’ she complained. The doctor thought it was flu or strep throat, and told us to come back if Phoenix didn’t improve. But hours later, she was in dreadful pain, her temperature was sky-high, and her face was so swollen she was barely recognisable. There was also a small red rash on her neck.
Death’s door
Frantic, I rushed Phoenix to…
