Jade Ellen Rhymer

She was an easy and happy baby. She only cried when she needed something. Her smile could light up a whole room. Even with everything that she had gone through, she smiled all the way through. She never did like her basinet. Her parents would give in to her and never would force her to sleep in it. Even in the end, she was most comfortable sleeping between mom and dad.

Jade loved so many things in her short life. She loved her baths and splashing in the water. She loved her dogs and the therapy dogs that would visit her at the IWK. She loved her stuffies. She had roughly a 100 but her purple bear, Bear Bear and her pink bunny, Bun Bun was her favourite. They never left her side and provided her comfort through everything she endured. She loved being outside and her favourite colour was yellow.

She loved music. Her favourites songs were Wagon Wheel, Rolly Polly and Wheels on the Bus. Wagon Wheel was the song that would sooth her at 2:00am and would get her through many tests and procedures during her time in the hospital. Whenever Rolly Polly and Wheels on the Bus were playing, you had to do the motions with her. Otherwise, she would call you out by name if you didn’t. You also had to be ready to hit repeat as she couldn’t listen to Rolly Polly or Wheels on the Bus just once. If you didn’t you would hear “again, again”.

She loved having naps on her father, whether on his chest or on his shoulder. She loved being up on the shoulder as she could see what was going on. Once she went to sleep, Dad was not far behind her.

Her favourite people, outside of immediate family, were Andrew and Terri Herbert. They were beside her regularly during her courageous battle and in the very end they never left her side. Jade always got excited whenever she heard the door open to the house. She would have to investigate to see who it was. Before she ever got to the door she would be saying “And, And” and would be extremely disappointed if it wasn’t Andrew. If you were the person who came through the door, you felt bad for disappointing her. He would spend hours carrying her around and entertaining her even when she wasn’t feeling her best. She would pat Andrew’s beard like she would patting the dogs.

She was a very smart and independent. She was behind in her milestones due to her illness, but she was always watching and learning. She was a very inquisitive child, and some would say that she had a photographic memory. Once she started to crawl/walk, she was in the cabinets, the freezer, the fridge and the drawers. She loved feeding the dogs and would give them their dishes. She also loved opening the door for the dogs and calling for Bree and Jaxs to come inside. Once she lost her mobility, it took her a whole two seconds to figure out her little wheelchair. Then she was back into everything. She had a bell and a horn. She had no problem saying “beep beep “to tell you to get out of the road. She loved being a good host and helping out. She would put garbage in the bin, help with the chores around the house, hang up your jacket, open the door for you, and get you a beverage from the beverage fridge. She loved having a cup in her left hand and had to “cheers” everyone who was sitting around the table. If you didn’t cheers her, she would let you know. You couldn’t help but give in to her.

She loved being silly. The nurses taught her to play stinky feet. Then the game was on. It wasn’t long afterwards that she would stick her foot up in the air and you had to smell her foot and go pee you. She loved talking on the phone with Nannie and tell her stories for 15-20 minutes. And had no problem hanging up the phone either. She always wanted two of everything in her hands, one for each hand. She loved blowing bubbles and trying to catch the bubbles that you blew for her. She loved playing peek-a-boo with the nurses at the hospital and played with her friends and family until she physically could not anymore.

She was so polite. She would say her please and thank you, sorry with a little Pat, Pat of her little hand. Her mother taught her how to pray while they were in the hospital. She would put her little hands together, tilt her little head and say Amen. She has been prayed for by many around the world.

She gave the best hugs, with a pat pat on your shoulder. Between her hugs and her smile, it made everything feel like it was going to be okay. She was a tough little girl and had endured more than any child should have. She took it like a champ. She underwent various test, procedures, bloodwork, surgeries and rounds of chemo.

She will be missed greatly by so many, as her parents shared all aspects of her battle with the world. They shared her test results, her medical procedures, her surgeries, the highs and lows of her journey. They shared her smile, her laughter, her silliness, and her love of her family. Towards the end of her battle, she was surrounded by her immediate family and close family friends at home, where Jade was most comfortable. There were many nights of meals, desserts, conversations, laughter, holding/talking to Jade, and moments of uncertainty. Her nurses were in daily, to provide her parents with the medical support Jade needed to keep her comfortable. In her last moments, she was surrounded by her parents, her nanny, her grannie, her uncle Declan, Andrew and Terri. Cancer couldn’t even steal her smile in the end.

In Revelation 21:4 the bible says “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things has passed away.” Goodbye Jade, fly high sweet angel.

Written by Terri-Lynn