ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.- A Pinellas County man celebrated his final treatment at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital surrounded by nurses, January 9.
T.J. Redding had the odds stacked against him since birth. He has X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), a rare immunodeficiency, which prevents him from creating antibodies to fight off infections. He’s been receiving IV treatment every three weeks since he was just 6-weeks old.
21 years of fighting, hundreds of needle pokes, and a handful of hospital visits led to a bond that can’t be broken. At Johns Hopkins All Children’s hospital, he found more than just healing, he found Leslie Robilio.
“We’ve been through 17 years together. I wasn’t there when he was born and the first four years, but since then every three weeks he was here,” said Registered Nurse, Leslie Robilio.
From calming his fear of needles to talking him through hard times, over the years the two developed a relationship that breaks the mold of patient and healthcare provider.
“When you take care of chronically ill patients for years and years, you get to know them on a personal level, not just what is going on with their disease process,” she said. “They become like your family.”
The feeling is mutual. Redding says his first memory of Robilio was when she visited him during a hospital stay. That visit was the catalyst of a bond that continues to grow.
“She’s definitely another mom. She means so much to me,” said Redding. “Without Leslie, to be honest, I don’t think I would be here, I wouldn’t want to come. Who else would give me my shots? Leslie has stayed, she’s never left. I can’t thank her enough for that.”
Redding stayed too. After more than a decade of treatment at All Children’s Hospital, Redding celebrated his 21st birthday as well as his final treatment there. Although he is moving on to a new chapter of life, he says Robilio will be right there with him.
“She inspired me to keep living my life,” he said. “The day I have kids, I want her to be there. My wedding day, I want her to be there. I don’t ever want her to leave my life.”