Jake was like a brother I never had. I was the sister Jake never had. We were a package deal made in heaven. In 1953 Jake was crawling at 3 years of age in the storm water drains in Richmond Victoria Australia. he had straight away from home trying to get away from his abusive mother. He was stuck down with the rats. No food or adequate water. no clean clothes. Just the rats who actually became his friends. He says the rat saved he's life. 3 weeks later Jake was found by some footballers as they heard his cries and had immediately contacted police. During the three weeks Jake was in local newspapers and and radio stations appealed to the public " have you seen this lost boy ? ". Although police tried to cheer Jake up while contacting his mother, Jake was a very sick boy, not even ice cream could put a smile on his face. He was admitted to hospital. suffering TB meningitis and the elements. the important stages of growing childhood became crucial and a great concern if he would survive. It was at that time penicillin and other broad spectrum antibiotics had just come out of test stages. For months Jake held onto life. Doctors not knowing if he would survive. while Jake was fighting foror life , a media circus what is it going on outside. Jake's mother did not want to support him and gladly gave him over to the state. Jake was up for adoption. The problem was many wanted him. the state knew that they couldn't just give him to anyone. His mother and his father both appeared in court and asked for adoption procedures to take place. In the hospital Jake came from critical to stable. He responded well to the antibiotics. the medical staff actually found that Jake was a Houdini , escaping from his crib and hospital security finding give me all kinds of places. After over a year in hospital , despite so many people wanting to adopt him, it was decided that Jake be officially charged and put into an asylum. Jake had done nothing wrong with the law. It was just that he was a victim of injustice. Jake finally got a bright future. A single woman became a lucky one. She was an author and wrote many books on history. The middle aged historian had even published her first book. but she adored Jake. Rather than adoption, she became Jake's Foster mother. It was not until Jake was an adult until an official adoption proceeded. I was born 7 years after Jake. At Footscray Hospital Melbourne Australia. It must have been a busy day as a doctor was delivering many babies. and on-call too. Sadly a baby boy had prematurely ceased to breathe. but the doctor was on-call again. he put the little boy down and held me. Then he put me down rushing off to his next delivery . The doctor rushed back not bothering to check whose baby he was handing over. one lot of parents would be told of the devastating news about their son. and another lot of parents would be told the bundle of joy was girl . The doctor picked me up ,forgetting the little boy and handed me to the wrong parents. but it was common in the 1970s of the occurrence with baby swapping or switched at birth. After discharging my mother from the hospital ,without having a proper birth certificate or even existence that I was born , I was put in the car. as my parents had no place of abode. Both were alcoholics , alcohol was thier friend. The responsibility of looking after a child was beyond their expertise. For it being 1970 it was highly illegal what they were doing. and In early days the father must have a job or try to find a job. My father had no intention of working. Many nights I slept in the car or on the streets with my parents. I was failing to thrive and became very sick. it wasn't long until police had taken me to the hospital and charged both my parents for vagrancy and no visible means of support. The police statement with my father he said he had no intention of finding work. My mother was just interested in alcohol and thinking life was just one big party. Both were charged and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. On the other side I was suffering ill effects 2 months premature birth. still, no one had known the wrong child was given to the wrong couple. I fought for life with bronchiolitis. My Little body only with a humidicrib to survive. After my parents had done their time in jail, my mother demanded I be back with her. Community Services refused and I was put into a Foster Home I made a state ward. For the first 5 years I suffered severe respiratory issues and only started to thrive in the third year. At 5 years of age I had got through the worst . I was often called a chatterbox but enjoyed my time alone. the happiest times where I would play with my angel and have little tea parties. and playing in my dolls house. I had 4 figurines. a boy, a girl that was me, a mother And a father. I always used to put the father on top of the roof of the dolls house. I always said the father was God sitting on top of the roof watching us. I had weekly visits was my mother. I dreaded every time they came. Always drunk an abusive. Taking me to the pub. regardless of only being 5 heading on to 6 year's old . I used to scream every time my mother would tell me to shut up and try and give me a sip of beer. she would jeer and think it was funny. Until the day at school, the teacher was talking and suddenly I knew something was wrong. excused myself and I was to go to the toilet. In the corridor I saw my mother. I arrived home and my foster mother looked sad. she told me my mother had passed away that afternoon of pneumonia with complications of alcohol. I took it well. I didn't tell her about seeing her at school. the exact time she passed away was when I had seen her in the corridor at school. At 11 years of age I was adopted. but it was not a beautiful adoption. it was a Doomsday cult involving 13 members. for 4 years I was subjected to abuse ,mental and physical ,sexual assault and being locked in a cellar for 3 days. being thrown down the stairs , and hit with the fist was common. my faith in God I did have a big shake up. Jake was watching me riding a bike. He looked at me in shock. And whispered to himself either her parents are very very poor or should be very ashamed of themselves. As Jake could see I was nothing but a skeleton. malnourished an unloved. TO BE CONTINUED

© Lisa Donovan