Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Team Hyndman January 2011

Hi all,

So much has happened in the past month, just since the first of the year. For some reason, I was still hanging on to being sick from the holidays and I never totally got better until this past week! I was on three different antibiotics in a row and then steroids, which seemed to finally do the trick although I hate the side effects. I was once on steroids (prednisone) for 6 months for a medical condition, and the side effects are no fun. Anyhow, I am finally better. Isabella is better this week but had a "virus" and was really sick for a week, now Nick seems to have it this week. Just typical winter stuff passing through I guess! As I'm writing this, Nick's feeling pretty bad, but I'm sure he'll be doing better in a few days. Like most people in our area and in several other states, we are in the midst of a snow storm and the kids had a "snow day" today and I would bet tomorrow too. For Nick, it's good he won't miss so much school for being sick, for Bella, it's just a lot of fun. We already baked cookies and brownies and I'm making home-made chicken noodle soup. YUM!!!!!

Nick got to wrestle a varsity match this past month and warm up with the team which was one of his goals and he was thrilled he got to do it. Everyone asks us why he doesn't wrestle varsity all of the time. He IS a varsity wrestler but his coach gets the fact that Nick wants to wrestle as much as he can. He, Greg, and Nick talked about it and they all agreed, including Nick, that Nick would get more opportunities, as a wrestler with cerebral palsy/a disability, to wrestle on JV. For varsity, the "best" wrestler for each weight class gets to wrestle at the match for that week and they have wrestle-offs at practice to determine this. The fact is, that due to Nick's disability, he isn't able to compete at the level of many of the other wrestlers. So, they've included him in the warm ups, and other things, but he's wrestled JV so he CAN wrestle more. We really respect his coach for doing this and for talking to Greg and Nick about it initially. The match was short and Nick technically lost, but he was SO happy, and he did win in a way because he accomplished his goal and is "out there" just "doing it" in the first place.

This past week, we had Nick's senior night at a wrestling match where he was introduced before the match, and we got to escort him out there. So, Greg and I escorted him. We also had Isabella because, of course, we're a "team", and we had my Dad, PaPa Jagel, do it because Nick wouldn't be able to even wrestle if it wasn't for my Dad's help. Greg helps Nick on his days off and my Dad does it every single other day Greg works. Nick needs help after school before practice changing and taking his meds, etc., then during and after practice, then with bathing afterwards. Of course, Nick prefers a "guy" help him with bathing and dressing, etc. and a woman can 't go into the locker room with him, so I can't help him. Of course, I still give Nick a bath/shower and shave him from time to time when he needs it, but if a "male" is available (ie: his Dad or PaPa), he prefers that. So, Nick had a whole team of people escorting him on senior night and that is why!

Nick was asked to attend the State Wrestling Championships in March (actually, we were all invited to go with Nick, so all 4 of us are going) in Columbus to be interviewed for the OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association, www.ohsaa.org ) Magazine. We're really looking forward to a visit to Columbus again. We're also getting ready for the end of the season, team dinner, etc. Nick's excited because his cousin, Theo, is in Jr. High and started wrestling for his school this year and we think he's going to be really good at it. So, when they get together, they an talk wrestling, etc. Theo is his first year of Jr. High but he and Nick are good buddies (cousins) and have a BLAST when they hang out together. Theo is very kind too and he helps Nick brush his teeth, wash his face, take his meds when he spends the night with Theo, which we think is really sweet. (Thanks Theo!)

FINALLY, Nick applied to three colleges/universities, all local, a couple of weeks ago and he was accepted/admitted to all three! He also was told by a counselor at school that he won a board of trustees academic achievement scholarship to one of those colleges. We are now in the process of applying for more scholarships but this was one that he won. Yeah Nick:) So, he has to make a decision. He hasn't made a definitive decision yet, although he's leaning in one direction, and when he decides, we'll let you know! We had so many people telling us we were "late" in getting in the college applications and we applied and got all of our responses within 2 weeks, so it worked out well for us.

Nick and Bella got their grade cards a few weeks ago and they got all A's and B's. We're so proud of both of them. Bella has been busy with dance and violin and school stuff. She is a first grade helper now at school. She helps one of the first grade classes get their book-bags/coats ready and leads them out to the bus. It's so cute, one kid said to her, "excuse me miss, can you help me with my backpack?" to Bella. She thinks the kids are so cute and she loves it because she gets to help in her first grade teacher's class. The teacher told her she can get a piece of candy every day and she doesn't have to ask, which to Bella is a bonus of course! She's such a sweet person, kind, compassionate, and helpful. She LOVES to help people and animals, which she does without being asked and does not do it for reward, which is cool. It's her personality for sure but I also believe that having a sibling with a disability has helped her with compassion and empathy for others.

So we'll (Nick and I) be working on applying for more scholarships, he'll be working hard in his last semester of high school (he's taking anatomy, which I took my last year of HS!), we'll be getting his graduation announcements in March or April. His senior exams are May 24th and 25th, followed by his senior picnic and video, then he graduates on May 29th, 2011 at the Stranahan. May 29th is also Greg's birthday so we are planning to go to a nice dinner with family that evening to celebrate. We're taking a trip in June with our immediate family, we think to Hilton Head (we're working on securing the house this month-we've changed the destination several times.....), and then on August 20th, 2011, we're having an 18th birthday party/graduation party for Nick at a nature preserve here in Perrysburg. (he turns 18 August 18th) So, if you're reading this, save the date! (August 20th!)

That's it for now. It's enough, huh? It's all going by so fast and we're just trying to take in every second of it and enjoy it!

Blessings:)
Amy

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