I plan to make a video on this which you'll be able to find on my YouTube channel when it's up (www.youtube.com/jessmcdonell) but it's been far too long since Extra Life 2013 now and I have some things I want to say properly.

Our 72 hour stream was so much fun. I spent the first 48 hours watching and admiring the strength of those who forwent sleep and sanity to stay streaming, particularly Erick and Seb, though Alex, Danny and others who opted for the night shift like Caro and Peter should also be commended. I couldn't believe how they managed to stay fresh and funny and entertaining the whole way though but they did and it was so inspiring. Not only that but many of them put their health, dignity and (in Johnny's case) clothes on the line to help raise money for the great cause of aiding the Oakland Children's Hospital.

At about the point of watching the American stream I didn't think I was going to be able to do my share. I signed up so excitedly to do the full 24 hours solo, no behind the camera help, no nothing, just me. I have been known to break streams and a day before we were going live the system was blue-screening every time I switched out games. Our capture card was busted, the games I wanted weren't playing well with our settings and I was spending a lot of time tearing my hair out and losing sleep. The Saturday right before the Sunday of my stream I spent five hours in the office with a technically-inclined friend of mine to set up and install all the games assuming we wouldn't have the connection or capability to do it on the fly, which we didn't. That finally finished and then Ed came in later to magically make the whole thing function and thanks to that I think I got about five and a half hours sleep.

I found out the day before that my shift was due to start at 5am, not 7am as I previously thought it did. I wasn't really fussed though, 24 hours was still 24 hours. So I came in by myself in the dead of night and set everything up. The stream didn't crash once, I settled down quickly and stopped worrying about running out of things to say and you guys gave me one of the warmest and most supportive receptions I have ever received.

That 24 hours was one of the best moments of my whole life. I never felt alone even though I spent the vast majority of that stream being extremely alone in the office all by myself all Sunday. You guys were right there with me, either succeeding in Portal, waiting up for my shitty gamer ass in Borderlands II or sticking by my side as I trawled through the high seas of Sid Meier's Pirates or the futuristic, lush Dreamfall. I never would have guessed I would be so impacted by your generosity and love, I never would have thought I would be crying in front of 1,200 people because we took our overall donations from 13,000 to 20,000 in mere hours. But I was, and I did, and I'd not take a second of it back.

I have a renewed warmth and fondness for every person reading this right now. Every person on that Twitch chat, those who watch my shows, appear on YouTube, follow me on Twitter or track my work through my Facebook page. It's impossible for me to see the negativity in it any more after having you guys rally behind me, and all of us who were on that stream. Especially when I really needed you, when I was feeling very sick and tired you guys kept right there with me and told me I could do it and, well, I did.

So thanks, whether you watched for a minute or two or hours and hours, I really feel like we did something special, and I love you for it. Thank you.