Update November 8, 2010

Hi all,

Well, Halloween was a lot of fun. Isabella had a GREAT time dressing up and trick-or-treating with her friends and Greg. Nick sat on the porch and enjoyed handing out candy. He's really great with kids and he really seemed to like seeing them all. It was nice for our parents to come by and we had a nice meal to top it off.

Last week, Nick started her driving with the special driving instructor from an agency called Capabilities in St.Mary's, Ohio (about an hour a way from our home). (www.capabilitiesinc.biz) He's doing well and it's going to be a process, but if everyone stays healthy and the weather cooperates, Nick may be ready to take his driving exam for his license by December. It's amazing how much expertise his instructor has and we're glad he's got someone like this helping him and grateful for his suggestions.

Nick also started wrestling practices. If anyone is interested in following their website, Perrysburg High School Wrestling, www.phswrestling.org , and you can sign up to receive e-mails, etc. They also have a Facebook page you can follow. I've already had requests for his schedule and so far we don't have it and it's not on the website yet as of today. I can post it when I receive it or as I receive more info.

Isabella had her school conference last Friday (parent-teacher conferences), which in the 5th grade, are student-led. Greg had to work but I went and you could tell she put a lot of preparation time into it. It was very cute as she first introduced us to each other and then went over her work and goals, etc. Her teacher had only great things to say. One of the many great things he said was how "compassionate" Isabella is. This is no surprise to us as we know she is very kind and compassionate but it was nice that her teachers are seeing it too!:)

This past weekend was busy. Isabella attended her first sibshop meeting on Saturday and loved it. For more information on sibshops ( I know I've already posted about them!), check out www.siblingsupport.org. She had a lot of fun and went on and on telling me all of the fun things they did. She is looking forward to the next meeting in January. There were about 10 kids in her age range who attended the group this week.

Then we attended a friend's 40th birthday party at the Shoreland Park Shelter house, which has been recently newly built (re-built). This is the neighborhood I grew up in from 3rd grade until I got married, so it was right down the street from our old house and I (we) spent LOTS of days at this park and walked to and from school through the park, often cutting across the creek when it was frozen. I know, not safe, and I wouldn't recommend it, but we did it! The kids then had a sleep-over with their cousins and yesterday, we had a nice dinner at my sister's house with her family and our parents, a spur of the moment get together which was really nice. I got to visit with all of the kids but I also got my "baby fix", well, now "toddler fix" with my youngest niece, Lucie, which is always fun. So, it was a busy but fun weekend. Unfortunately, it was Greg's weekend to work BUT he is off next weekend so we hope to get some nice time together then:) We just make sure to enjoy his weekends off and he gets days of during the week when he works weekends, so that is nice too.

Finally, I have to tell you what happened this week. I had a flashback to 1986, one night, Greg's Mom and I were waiting for him to come home from football practice. It was Greg's senior year on the Waite High School Football Team. Back then (mid-80s!), Greg had long, thick, really nice hair. It's still thick today but not a long! Anyhow, he walked in the house and he and the other team members had gotten their heads shaved, one side had a "W" on it and the other side, his number. His Mom and I both cried, because we weren't expecting it and he had such nice hair, but we came around and it of course grew back! Well, this has been a favorite story for our kids on those nights when they ask us to tell story after story about when we were growing up.

Forward to this week, 2010. Greg took Nick out for a haircut and when they returned, they came in, I didn't see Nick, but I assumed he'd get his hair shaved for wrestling. I commented to Greg that they were done a really long time. He said to me, "Let me explain" and with those words, I instantly KNEW (and was right) that Nick did something special to his hair. Yep, he got it shaved, one side with a "P" and one side with "11" for his senior year of wrestling. This time around, I was very "zen" about it, as it is just hair and it will grow back, and I knew it was a fun, priceless experience for Greg to take Nick to do this as he had done it over 20 years ago. For that reason, I knew Nick thought it was kind of special too. Very cool!:) We laughed and laughed.

I'll post a couple of Halloween pics soon and get a few pics of Nick's head and try to post them too soon. Until next time, stay healthy and safe:)

Blessings:)
Amy

Catching Up

** These pictures are from 3/10 and 4/10. For some reason, the date on our camera if "off". These are before and after pics of Bella's Locks of Love haircut and the
Wood County Youth Olympics.

Hi everyone,

Well, it's been awhile since I have posted about what Team Hyndman has been up to. When I posted in March about the anger I was feeling at that time, I received a lot of supportive e-mails and I appreciate it. Then it seems like April flew by and now it's May!

Nick and Coach Boggs were asked to be the featured speakers for the Wood County Youth Olympics in March by the Wood County Prosecutor who puts on the event every year for 4th and 5th graders in Wood County Ohio. So, they gave a wonderful speech and did a great job! Isabella, who is in 4th grade, was able to participate and had a great time. Nick also had his wrestling banquet in March and received his first certificate/award for a sport for his own school and also received the Unsung Hero Award.

The kids had spring break in April. We were able to visit family from out of town and had a great time. The kids also had several sleep-overs with their cousins and friends on the days we were in town. The last Saturday of their break, we had just gotten back from out of town, and about midnight that night, I tripped over Charger, Nick's service dog (who is fine, thank goodness!) and that's when I broke my ankle, sprained my arm, etc. I ended up having surgery on my ankle 2 weeks ago and got a cast put on it last week. I will have the cast on for 6 weeks and can't put ANY weight on it for the 6 weeks at all, which is the challenging part! I have a knee-scooter (where you put your knee up on it) to get around the house, but it's tricky. So, I can't cook meals, drive, or anything like that. As hard as it is for me, we've had to accept meals and help from people, and I don't know how we would be doing if it weren't for everyone's support. As I said in a previous post, we are SO grateful! Thank you everyone! It helps to know I don't have to worry about a meal for my family. So, 5 more weeks to go...................

Also in April, Nick played a wheelchair football game for the Toledo Crash team through the Ability Center at the University of Toledo against the UT Rockets football team, who also played in wheelchairs. Nick did great, had a blast, and I guess he took a dive out of his chair for the ball a few times. I guess people were getting knocked out of chairs, etc. So, it was pretty hard-core. I didn't get to go because of my ankle, but Greg video-taped it for me and I saw the entire game on tape. It was amazing. I was thankful it wasn't as hard-core as Murderball or anything. By the way, if you haven't seen that movie, you should. It's not for small kids, it's got a lot of language and some sexual scenes, but it shows some hard-core wheelchair rugby athletes and is very cool! Anyhow, we were proud of Nick! (www.murderballmovie.com)

Currently, Nick is in the process of taking his ACTs. He received special accommodations due to his disability, per his IEP, of extra time and a scribe to take the test, so he has one more day of it and he should be done. We've been getting info. from colleges and this summer we plan to visit some campuses. Nick wants to stay local (UT, BG, Owens) but we're also going to check out Wright State in Dayton as we've heard it is a very wheelchair accessible campus and they have underground tunnels for wheelchairs in the winter, etc. (which is a big problem for students in chairs in college campuses in the snow and ice, etc.). It's hard to believe we'll be getting his senior pictures taken this summer and that he'll be a senior next year! He's still practicing driving and we're in the process of getting hooked up with RSC/BVR (Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation-) to help Nick with transition issues, help with paying for his driving lessons. He had an initial appt. last week with the Bridges to Transition Program who is part of BVR, which works with Wood County Youth with disabilities like Nick, with transition from school to work (includes college) issues. (www.woodlane.us/bridges.php) (www.rsc.state.oh.us) Anyhow, it's all a little overwhelming but I'm glad there are these programs to help:)

Isabella got her haircut over spring break and donated 10 inches to Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.org) which is a great program! She saw a documentary on HBO about it and although she loved her long hair and it took her awhile to grow it, she wanted to do it and her hair is adorable. She said, "it's just hair!, it will grow back if I want it to!" She said she realized that some kids can't grow their hair due to cancer or other conditions, so I thought it was great she realized this and decided to do this on her own. She's so sweet:)

Isabella is getting ready for her dance recital later this month, so she's been dancing three or four days a week and getting costumes and decorations for the recital done. I like the fact that this year, the students are having a big pizza party on a Saturday and they are making the decorations for the recital, and the theme is "going green", so they are taking some "ownership" over it. I like it and she is excited too! Isabella won a poster contest for Arbor Day, she was the only 4th grader from her school to win and got to take part in a ceremony for it last Friday with other winners and her poster is in the Perrysburg library this week and next. Her picture was in the Perrysburg Messenger Journal for it today as well. Cool! Go Bella!

I have been really struggling with my broken ankle and not being able to get around and take care of my home and family. I have to say, this has taught me patience and I've been even more thoughtful about what it is like for Nick. I've always thought about how Nick feels to struggle with his CP when his body can't or won't do what he wants it to, when to get out of bed in the morning and do anything physically is a struggle, and how he has to work so much harder to do little things we take for granted. So, when I think of that, I feel ashamed that I am feeling even a bit sorry for myself! I think, this is Nick's lifetime experience, and mine doesn't even compare and it's only for 6 weeks! It definitely puts things into perspective for me, having a son with a physical disability. How can I complain for long when I know his reality? I can't! So, although I struggle to keep my attitude in check, I am trying hard to just be grateful that this is a temporary situation, not a lifetime like Nick's disability. I am trying to accept help and it is teaching me patience and humility, which is not a bad thing. I have a good perspective when I look at Nick. I'm sure I'll continue to feel frustrated just because I am used to being able to do things I have to put on hold, it's like feeling like the world is going 100 miles and hour and I'm just sitting here, but I know what I need to do to keep my attitude in check! I can't wait to get back to work at Hospice. I'm really enjoying my job there and they've been so supportive and wonderful with my ankle, bringing me meals, etc. as well as my other family and friends. I'll say it again, THANK YOU everyone!

That is the latest news for Team Hyndman!

Blessings:)

Amy