Hi all,
It's been far to long since my last post! So much has happened and is happening in the Hyndman household. I hope to post some summer pics in the next week or two.
Greg and I went on a cruise a few weeks ago for our 20th wedding anniversary. On June 30th, we were married 20 years and we've been together as a couple for 28 years this year! Greg surprised me with the cruise. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to go as I had just gotten into a walking cast and had just started being able to bear weight on my ankle. My doctor gave me the OK but I had to take it easy. We went to Florida for a day and then on a cruise to the Bahamas, just as we did on our honeymoon 20 years ago. We couldn't do much but relax but we had a wonderful time. While we were gone, the kids had a BLAST with their PaPa and NaNa Jagel and cousins and got to go up to my brother's cottage in Indiana and see fireworks and just hang with their cousins. We missed them but it was good to get away as we hadn't done that, just the two of us, in YEARS.
When we got back, we realized we "mixed up" the dates for one of Nick's camps and found out he had to be at Camp Storer (http://www.ymcastorercamps.org/) in Michigan right away. He missed the first day but he got up there and enjoyed the rest of the week. He went for the first time last year. He is able to go because the Ability Center of Greater Toledo set it up and provides the staff to assist Nick and the other teens with disabilities who go. So, Nick gets to go and experience things that kids without disabilities have been doing for years, swimming, boating, rock-climbing, fishing,camping, horseback riding, dancing, lots of other outdoor activities (survival, etc.). The camp is great, but not exactly the most wheelchair accessible, so without the staff from ACT, Nick would have a difficult time. So, he had a blast again this year and when we picked him up, we went to The Parlour again, just like we used to do when I was a kid. (It used to be called the All-Star Dairy and it's now called the Parlour in Jackson, MI.)
Bella has participated in a camp in The Humane Society of Greater Toledo (http://www.toledohumanesociety.com/) and will be in another camp with them next week. Last week and this week, Nick and Bella are both attending Camp Cricket at The Ability Center of Greater Toledo (http://www.abilitycenter.org/) . It is a camp for kids with and without disabilities. Nick attended as a camper since the age of 6 and last summer and this summer is a volunteer counselor. Isabella has been attending also since age 6 as a camper without a disability and she loves it. So, it's nice for them to attend the same session with Nick as a counselor/volunteer and Bella as a camper. Nick will be volunteering for another session again for the first 2 weeks of August as well.
Nick is also attending a 3 day camp for an vocational rehabilitation assessment for the Bridges to Transition Program ( www.woodlane.us/bridges.php ) next week at the the Penta Career Center(http://www.pentacareercenter.org/) . This is one of the first steps in the Vocational Rehabilitation Services process for him. We are trying to also set up a time for Nick to complete driving school through a school that works with individuals with disabilities, although so far, there have been scheduling conflicts and we're just hoping it works out this summer so Nick doesn't have to wait until another school break.
In between all of this, we're trying to spend as much time together as a family as we can. We've seen a few movies (Eclipse and Despicable Me-which we LOVED both!) and hope to do some of our other favorite summer activities soon.
One other exciting thing is, through a contact I made with InvoTek (http://www.invotek.org/), a research and development company, Nick is being given the opportunity to try one of their products called AccuPoint. AccuPoint™ is a movement-tracking system that allows users to command and control a computer with the smallest of movements, while distinguishing tremors from intentional movements and filtering them out with pinpoint precision. Absolute Tracking™, a key feature of AccuPoint, aligns the cursor with tracking dots attached to the user’s head, fingers or toes. Even after repositioning or leaving the computer altogether, the user returns to find the cursor in perfect alignment. Text is entered via the on-screen keyboard, while mouse clicks are input by dwell-clicking or alternative switches, such as the Voice Switch or a sip-and-puff pneumatic switch. They just recently sent us the product and Greg is currently working with our contact to get it set up for Nick to use. Then, Nick is going to use it and blog about it or record it on a web cam. We are still working out the details. Anyhow, we are grateful for the opportunity to see how the product can help Nick and also maybe we can help in the development of the product for future users. (help work out any issues with it, etc.) We'll update as we go to let you know how it goes!
Finally, the most recent exciting thing has been scheduling Nick's senior pictures for August. We spent this past weekend shopping for his suit and other clothes for him and also for Bella as we hope to get her in one of his pictures, and also Charger, Nick's service dog in some. I ordered a white satin bow-tie for Charger for the formal pics too! (so cute!) We've had Charger on a strict diet and he is walking outside or walking for 30 minutes on the treadmill every day to lose weight. He's only missed 2 days of walking, and although we have to get him weighed soon to tell, he is looking so much better and healthier! He's had severe allergies this summer and has been on steroids again but even with that, the daily walking is making a big difference. We've made it a family project and Nick and Bella and responsible for making sure he walks every day and they are have gotten SERIOUS about it. It's something they do together and I think it's good for all of them!
Well, that's a quick update. I WILL be posting some pics and also some new links to resources I've found very soon.
We hope everyone is enjoying their summer and having a safe and fun time!
Blessings:)
Amy
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Partners For Community Inclusion
Hi all,
Here is the link for a web site, Partners For Community Inclusion (The Ability Center of Greater Toledo's site, not their official website, a different initiative....).
http://sites.google.com/site/actpciprogram/calendar/home
On the Home page, their is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to assist ACT in securing a grant ( a parent letter). Here is the excerpt I wrote (from over a year ago):
A Parent’s Words…
“Our son has almost no friends. He has no kids his age or otherwise to “hang out” with on a regular basis, to talk to, or to do things with socially. He is almost 16 and he spends most of his time with us, his parents, his 9-year-old sister, and his extended family. We are a very close family and I know he loves us and likes to hang out with us, but he has shared his feelings with us and we totally understand. We are painfully aware, as our son has told us repeatedly over the years and recently, that he feels totally isolated. He feels like people look at him and just see his disability. They do not take the time to talk to him and get to know him. He wants friends, a girlfriend, to have things to do, to go to college and live on his own, and have a family of his own someday. He has cried to us, even recently, about how lonely he feels socially. He feels he has no life outside of his family. It is heartbreaking to us and to him.”
- An excerpt from a parent’s letter.
The Importance of Community
Just as everyone needs love and friendship and an opportunity to contribute, everyone needs community. We all need to know and believe that we belong to something bigger. Whether it is family, friends at work, church or the gym; the lady at the coffee shop that gives us our coffee and scone each day, it is comforting and healthy to be surrounded by people with whom we are familiar; whom we care about and who care about us.
Being “in” versus being “of” the Community
Anyone can be “in” the community. We can go to the store, live in an apartment, attend school or church and be “in” the community, but still not be “of” the community. Being “of” the community is much more complicated. Unfortunately, it requires a status of “member” be “bestowed” upon the person or group by a majority of the community. It requires membership be recognized, validated and supported by law makers, educators, employers, public and social service, housing, and medical providers, by the various religious communities and by the general population.
Anything short of this broad acceptance, this whole new way of thinking, and we remain marginalized, perhaps “in” but not “of” community. We remain without a sense of belonging or “real” connection, no sense of equity. Without equity, without voice, we (and our communities) have less chance of developing wholly and healthily. Opportunities to participate become less possible and those left out can only struggle against continued marginalization.
Here is the link for a web site, Partners For Community Inclusion (The Ability Center of Greater Toledo's site, not their official website, a different initiative....).
http://sites.google.com/site/actpciprogram/calendar/home
On the Home page, their is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to assist ACT in securing a grant ( a parent letter). Here is the excerpt I wrote (from over a year ago):
A Parent’s Words…
“Our son has almost no friends. He has no kids his age or otherwise to “hang out” with on a regular basis, to talk to, or to do things with socially. He is almost 16 and he spends most of his time with us, his parents, his 9-year-old sister, and his extended family. We are a very close family and I know he loves us and likes to hang out with us, but he has shared his feelings with us and we totally understand. We are painfully aware, as our son has told us repeatedly over the years and recently, that he feels totally isolated. He feels like people look at him and just see his disability. They do not take the time to talk to him and get to know him. He wants friends, a girlfriend, to have things to do, to go to college and live on his own, and have a family of his own someday. He has cried to us, even recently, about how lonely he feels socially. He feels he has no life outside of his family. It is heartbreaking to us and to him.”
- An excerpt from a parent’s letter.
This site is important because it talks about the need for inclusive communities for individuals with disabilities and what this REALLY means. Below is an excerpt from the home page of the site. ( I did NOT write this!):
Everyone needs Community. Community needs everyone.
The Importance of Community
Just as everyone needs love and friendship and an opportunity to contribute, everyone needs community. We all need to know and believe that we belong to something bigger. Whether it is family, friends at work, church or the gym; the lady at the coffee shop that gives us our coffee and scone each day, it is comforting and healthy to be surrounded by people with whom we are familiar; whom we care about and who care about us.
Being “in” versus being “of” the Community
Anyone can be “in” the community. We can go to the store, live in an apartment, attend school or church and be “in” the community, but still not be “of” the community. Being “of” the community is much more complicated. Unfortunately, it requires a status of “member” be “bestowed” upon the person or group by a majority of the community. It requires membership be recognized, validated and supported by law makers, educators, employers, public and social service, housing, and medical providers, by the various religious communities and by the general population.
Anything short of this broad acceptance, this whole new way of thinking, and we remain marginalized, perhaps “in” but not “of” community. We remain without a sense of belonging or “real” connection, no sense of equity. Without equity, without voice, we (and our communities) have less chance of developing wholly and healthily. Opportunities to participate become less possible and those left out can only struggle against continued marginalization.
Isn't that well-said?
So, if you get a chance, check out the web site and pass it on to anyone you know who may be interested.
Blessings:)
Amy
A few new resources and CP Family on Facebook
Hi all-
I've mentioned it before, but we have a group called Cerebral Palsy Family on Facebook which was created to link people to this blog. So, if you are on Facebook, check us out and please join. It seems we have more followers/readers on Facebook and so far we've only got about 24 people who follow this blog and about 129 on Facebook so far. We're trying to reach out to get more people so sign up and follow the blog, share stories and info. via the blog with us and readers, etc. So, if you would like to check us out on Facebook, the link is:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156197995068
Also, I've found a few new resources:
Cerebral Palsy Publications: www.cerebralpalsypublications.com/index.html
Cerebral Palsy Social: www.cerebralpalsysocial.org
These may (or may not) be of interest to you! I've added all three links above to our "Useful Links" section on the right side of the page on this blog. I think we've got a pretty thorough list of links to resources started and I will continue to add things as I find them. Please contact me if you know of any useful resources that may be of interest to individuals with CP and/or their families. Thank you!
Blessings:)
Amy
I've mentioned it before, but we have a group called Cerebral Palsy Family on Facebook which was created to link people to this blog. So, if you are on Facebook, check us out and please join. It seems we have more followers/readers on Facebook and so far we've only got about 24 people who follow this blog and about 129 on Facebook so far. We're trying to reach out to get more people so sign up and follow the blog, share stories and info. via the blog with us and readers, etc. So, if you would like to check us out on Facebook, the link is:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156197995068
Also, I've found a few new resources:
Cerebral Palsy Publications: www.cerebralpalsypublications.com/index.html
Cerebral Palsy Social: www.cerebralpalsysocial.org
These may (or may not) be of interest to you! I've added all three links above to our "Useful Links" section on the right side of the page on this blog. I think we've got a pretty thorough list of links to resources started and I will continue to add things as I find them. Please contact me if you know of any useful resources that may be of interest to individuals with CP and/or their families. Thank you!
Blessings:)
Amy
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
School's Out For Summer!
**Pics of Bella at dance pizza party and before and after her recital, and with Nick and her cousins, and a misc. pic of Nick.
Hi all,
Just a few updates on what's happening with Team Hyndman.
Isabella did GREAT, really great, in her dance recital! It was a long day for her and us, but this year she seemed to be SOOOOOOO into it, much more than previous year, excited, and confident. The new dance studio owner and teacher did a fantastic job this year. It was put together really well. Yeah Bella!:) Afterwards, we had a fantastic dinner at Carrabbas with both sets of our parents, my sister and her family (16 of us!). What a great night.
Last weekend (5/29), we celebrated Greg's 42nd birthday at his Mom and John's house with our entire family once again. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO nice and we even had family come from Michigan. Lots of food, great conversation, and playing with the kids. This is the 28th year Greg and I have celebrated our birthdays together. June 30th of this year will be our 20th wedding anniversary and our 28th year together as a couple. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They say the 40's are now like the new 60's. That's what I've heard at least!
I went to the doctor to follow up on my broken ankle. I was REALLY hoping to get a walking cast but she put me in a compression cast for another three weeks, no putting ANY weight on it or driving still. I'm trying to remain patient. I really want to start moving, being able to do things, and get back to work! I know I should be enjoying this down time because in a month or so, I'll be wishing I had some down time I'm sure. Anyhow, I go back in a few weeks a hopefully this time, I can get a walking cast and get back to work!
Today was Nick's official last day of school of his Junior Year. He had his last exam today, and the last day of school is tomorrow so he doesn't have to go. He's done! So, he's a senior now! Isabella's last day of school is tomorrow and she'll be done with 4th grade and next year she'll be a 5th grader in her last year of elementary school and Nick will be graduating from high school! Hard to believe. We're really proud of them for having a great year in school this year!:)
Greg and I have been talking and we are feeling like time is going by TOO fast and the kids are growing up so fast. We want to enjoy every single second we can together as a family. We feel like this time is precious and we'll never get it back. So, we intend to soak it ALL up. Every bit of family time we can get, we'll take it! We're really hoping to take a family vacation to Florida this year, Disney, Universal, etc. Greg has his vacation time this year in November, over Thanksgiving now. We just found this out. He was supposed to have Christmas off and found out he can't take it, so we had to change our plans for a family vacation to November. We really try not to take the kids out of school for vacations now that Nick is in high school but we are going to do it as it is our only time to take a vacation together as a family this year. We feel it's important. We have to do it when Greg can take time off. We also hope to take Nick to Florida, to the beach for his spring break his senior year. He's never gone on a spring break trip to Florida and doesn't have the opportunity to go with friends, so we're going to try to take him and go as a family for his senior year! Family time:)
So, school's out for the summer and we are looking forward to doing some fun family things on the weekends and the kids have some fun things planned as I talked about in my last post. We'll be posting pictures and updates of the fun! We hope everyone has a safe and fun summer with lots of time with the people you love!:)
Blessings:)
Amy
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Link to Exceptional Family TV
Hi all,
I found this information on FB today.
eFamilyTV will focus on stories of exceptional families around the country and world.
Topics will focus on the realities of raising children with special needs.
http://www.exceptionalfamilytv.com/Welcome!
www.exceptionalfamilytv.com
They have a FB page too for those of you on Facebook.
Blessings:)
Amy
I found this information on FB today.
eFamilyTV will focus on stories of exceptional families around the country and world.
Topics will focus on the realities of raising children with special needs.
http://www.exceptionalfamilytv.com/Welcome!
www.exceptionalfamilytv.com
They have a FB page too for those of you on Facebook.
Blessings:)
Amy
Is it really almost summer?
Hi all,
Is it really almost summer???? I don't know about all of you, but time is flying by for us! The end of the school year is FULL of activities.
I am looking forward to my doctor's appt. next week for my broken ankle. It's been three weeks since my surgery and hopefully, next week I'll be able (fingers crossed) to get a walking cast on. That would make things a lot easier.
We've been so lucky and grateful for everyone's help while I'm laid up. We found a wonderful young man who works at Nick's high school (thanks to a wonderful professional at Nick's school) who is providing respite for Nick in the mornings to get him and Charger up, fed, dressed and ready for school. It's been working out great and he's been bringing them home from school too.
As I've talked about before in the blog, Nick has played baseball for over 10 years for the Greater Toledo Challenger Little League (www.gtcll.com) and he loves it. He decided that this year, he wants to help out coaching or with whatever else they need him for, but definitely wants to still be involved. He said he enjoys watching the kids play and loves it but wants to start coaching if he can. So, that's the plan. Then we got a call from the Miracle League (www.mlnwo.org) and Nick was asked to play. This is another league, newer to our area than GTCLL, but has teams in cities nationally. (www.miracleleague.com). It's also a league for kids with disabilities. Nick decided to play, to try it, as something new and still be involved coaching and helping out with GTCLL as well. We know other kids who play on both leagues, which anyone can do. So, Nick had his first game for Miracle League this past Sunday and had a lot of fun. He plays for the "Bulls" team. The teams were small, there were only four kids on Nick's team, and we're not sure if they'll have more. Anyhow, he hit the ball all the way out to the fence and it hit the fence. Nick always surprises people with his arm, how strong it is and how he can hit. He loves that! We are looking forward to both leagues this year. It will be busy, but we know Nick loves it!
Isabella is looking forward to her dance recital this coming Saturday. She will be performing her routines for Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop. The theme is "Going Green" and they are doing a "stomp-like" number for one routine. The kids had a big pizza party this past Saturday at the dance studio to make all of the decorations for the recital, which I thought was a GREAT idea. It gives them "ownership" over it, they used recycled materials, and they had a blast! We can't wait to see her in her recital on Saturday! This will be her 5th year taking dance. (plus a few more years if you count the little classes she took at the YMCA as a toddler/pre-schooler:) ) Bella is also taking Nick's service dog, Charger, in to her class this Thursday for a book report presentation. She read the book "Working Dogs" and so Charger will be perfect for her presentation. She is excited and has been practicing with him a lot. She'll be finishing up 4th grade in a few weeks. Time just flies! Next year will be here last year at elementary school:(
Nick plans to work at The Ability Center of Greater Toledo as a volunteer staff person for Camp Cricket like he did last summer. (www.atbilitycenter.org) He also plans to attend camp with the Ability Center at Camp Storer again. Isabella plans to attend Camp Cricket at The Ability Center for two weeks as well, during which Nick will be a counselor. Camp Cricket is a day camp for kids with and without disabilities and they do a lot of fun activities at the center and out in the community. Nick's attended since he was six (minus a few summers when we were in Canada at Ability Camp, www.abilitycamp.com for 6 weeks for therapy for Nick, etc.) and Isabella, who does not have a disability, has attended since she was six as well and loves it. Isabella is also attending two three-day camps at the Toledo Area Humane Society (www.toledohumanesociety.com) and she has done this for the past couple of summers and loves it! We also hope the kids get some down time this summer to sleep in, hang out, and just enjoy their summer.
It's hard to believe that Nick will be a senior next year and we are
going to be getting senior pictures taken and touring college campuses this summer. It doesn't seem real yet because as a Mom, I still remember him as a little boy, but also because it's taken a lot of work on his part to get to this point and sometimes we wondered how things would turn out. It's one thing to know he's capable and smart enough to go to college and say that and talk about it. It's another thing to get to this point and then realize all of the things that he'll need to have in place (assistance, etc.) to allow him to succeed. It can be done, is done, for sure. We just haven't done it before. It's all new to us, like most parents, with the added layer of "disability stuff, services" we need to put into place. It's yet another transition. Transitions are something often talked about, written about in the disability community. Transition from early intervention services (birth to three) to preschool, then to elementary school, jr. high and high school, to work and/or college. Each of these steps is a big step for anyone. Add the disability on and it then involves a whole new "system" and group of professionals to work with, new services, new "plans" (IFSP, IEP, IPE, etc.), so you have to learn a whole new language and culture of services. I'll write more about transitions another time. The point it, here we are beginning one of the biggest transitions so far in Nick's life. We are facing it with a bit of fear of the unknown, but also a lot of excitement for Nick and his future. Like I said, it's just hard to believe we're HERE already!:)
So, I'll be keeping everyone updated. I always say, "it's all for the journey" and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Blessings:)
Amy
Is it really almost summer???? I don't know about all of you, but time is flying by for us! The end of the school year is FULL of activities.
I am looking forward to my doctor's appt. next week for my broken ankle. It's been three weeks since my surgery and hopefully, next week I'll be able (fingers crossed) to get a walking cast on. That would make things a lot easier.
We've been so lucky and grateful for everyone's help while I'm laid up. We found a wonderful young man who works at Nick's high school (thanks to a wonderful professional at Nick's school) who is providing respite for Nick in the mornings to get him and Charger up, fed, dressed and ready for school. It's been working out great and he's been bringing them home from school too.
As I've talked about before in the blog, Nick has played baseball for over 10 years for the Greater Toledo Challenger Little League (www.gtcll.com) and he loves it. He decided that this year, he wants to help out coaching or with whatever else they need him for, but definitely wants to still be involved. He said he enjoys watching the kids play and loves it but wants to start coaching if he can. So, that's the plan. Then we got a call from the Miracle League (www.mlnwo.org) and Nick was asked to play. This is another league, newer to our area than GTCLL, but has teams in cities nationally. (www.miracleleague.com). It's also a league for kids with disabilities. Nick decided to play, to try it, as something new and still be involved coaching and helping out with GTCLL as well. We know other kids who play on both leagues, which anyone can do. So, Nick had his first game for Miracle League this past Sunday and had a lot of fun. He plays for the "Bulls" team. The teams were small, there were only four kids on Nick's team, and we're not sure if they'll have more. Anyhow, he hit the ball all the way out to the fence and it hit the fence. Nick always surprises people with his arm, how strong it is and how he can hit. He loves that! We are looking forward to both leagues this year. It will be busy, but we know Nick loves it!
Isabella is looking forward to her dance recital this coming Saturday. She will be performing her routines for Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop. The theme is "Going Green" and they are doing a "stomp-like" number for one routine. The kids had a big pizza party this past Saturday at the dance studio to make all of the decorations for the recital, which I thought was a GREAT idea. It gives them "ownership" over it, they used recycled materials, and they had a blast! We can't wait to see her in her recital on Saturday! This will be her 5th year taking dance. (plus a few more years if you count the little classes she took at the YMCA as a toddler/pre-schooler:) ) Bella is also taking Nick's service dog, Charger, in to her class this Thursday for a book report presentation. She read the book "Working Dogs" and so Charger will be perfect for her presentation. She is excited and has been practicing with him a lot. She'll be finishing up 4th grade in a few weeks. Time just flies! Next year will be here last year at elementary school:(
Nick plans to work at The Ability Center of Greater Toledo as a volunteer staff person for Camp Cricket like he did last summer. (www.atbilitycenter.org) He also plans to attend camp with the Ability Center at Camp Storer again. Isabella plans to attend Camp Cricket at The Ability Center for two weeks as well, during which Nick will be a counselor. Camp Cricket is a day camp for kids with and without disabilities and they do a lot of fun activities at the center and out in the community. Nick's attended since he was six (minus a few summers when we were in Canada at Ability Camp, www.abilitycamp.com for 6 weeks for therapy for Nick, etc.) and Isabella, who does not have a disability, has attended since she was six as well and loves it. Isabella is also attending two three-day camps at the Toledo Area Humane Society (www.toledohumanesociety.com) and she has done this for the past couple of summers and loves it! We also hope the kids get some down time this summer to sleep in, hang out, and just enjoy their summer.
It's hard to believe that Nick will be a senior next year and we are
going to be getting senior pictures taken and touring college campuses this summer. It doesn't seem real yet because as a Mom, I still remember him as a little boy, but also because it's taken a lot of work on his part to get to this point and sometimes we wondered how things would turn out. It's one thing to know he's capable and smart enough to go to college and say that and talk about it. It's another thing to get to this point and then realize all of the things that he'll need to have in place (assistance, etc.) to allow him to succeed. It can be done, is done, for sure. We just haven't done it before. It's all new to us, like most parents, with the added layer of "disability stuff, services" we need to put into place. It's yet another transition. Transitions are something often talked about, written about in the disability community. Transition from early intervention services (birth to three) to preschool, then to elementary school, jr. high and high school, to work and/or college. Each of these steps is a big step for anyone. Add the disability on and it then involves a whole new "system" and group of professionals to work with, new services, new "plans" (IFSP, IEP, IPE, etc.), so you have to learn a whole new language and culture of services. I'll write more about transitions another time. The point it, here we are beginning one of the biggest transitions so far in Nick's life. We are facing it with a bit of fear of the unknown, but also a lot of excitement for Nick and his future. Like I said, it's just hard to believe we're HERE already!:)
So, I'll be keeping everyone updated. I always say, "it's all for the journey" and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Blessings:)
Amy
Friday, May 7, 2010
Happy Mother's Day
Hi all,
I want to say Happy Mother's Day to ALL the Mom's out there from my heart!
I was sent the most beautiful e-mail today from a friend. As I was reading it, I had tears streaming down my face, a lump in my throat, and a smile on my face all at the same time. When reading it, I felt it was being written "to me" and to people I know personally, as if the writer knew the exact experiences we've lived. I must share this beautiful e-mail with you.
Blessings:)
Amy
Here it is:
From: "Camden, Mandy"
To: "amyhyndman@buckeye-express.com"
Date: Today 8:18 AM
Subject: Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother’s Day
Thoughts of a Mom
Many of you I have never even met face to face, but I've searched you out every day. I've looked for you on the Internet, on playgrounds and in grocery stores. I've become an expert at identifying you. You are well worn. You are stronger than you ever wanted to be. Your words ring experience, experience you culled with your very heart and soul. You are compassionate beyond the expectations of this world. You are my "sisters." Yes, you and I, my friend, are sisters in a sorority. A very elite sorority.
We are special. Just like any other sorority, we were chosen to be members. Some of us were invited to join immediately, some not for months or even years. Some of us even tried to refuse membership, but to no avail. We were initiated in neurologist's offices and NICU units, in obstetrician's offices, in emergency rooms, and during ultrasounds. We were initiated with somber telephone calls, consultations, evaluations, blood tests, x-rays, MRI films, and heart surgeries. All of us have one thing in common. One day things were fine. We were pregnant, or we had just given birth, or we were nursing our newborn, or we were playing with our toddler. Yes, one minute everything was fine. Then, whether it happened in an instant, as it often does, or over the course of a few weeks or months, our entire lives changed. Something wasn't quite right. Then we found ourselves mothers of children with special needs. We are united, we sisters, regardless of the diversity of our children's special needs. Some of our children undergo chemotherapy. Some need respirators and ventilators. Some are unable to talk, some are unable to walk.
Some eat through feeding tubes. Some live in a different world. We do not discriminate against those mothers whose children's needs are not as "special" as our child's. We have mutual respect and empathy for all the women who walk in our shoes. We are knowledgeable. We have educated ourselves with whatever materials we could find. We know "the" specialists in the field. We know "the" neurologists, "the" hospitals, "the" wonder drugs, "the" treatments. We know "the" tests that need to be done, we know "the" degenerative and progressive diseases and we hold our breath while our children are tested for them. Without formal education, we could become board certified in neurology, endocrinology, and psychiatry.
We have taken on our insurance companies and school boards to get what our children need to survive, and to flourish. We have prevailed upon the State to include augmentative communication devices in special education classes and mainstream schools for our children with cerebral palsy. We have labored to prove to insurance companies the medical necessity of gait trainers and other adaptive equipment for our children with spinal cord defects. We have sued municipalities to have our children properly classified so they could receive education and evaluation commensurate with their diagnosis.
We have learned to deal with the rest of the world, even if that means walking away from it. We have tolerated scorn in supermarkets during "tantrums" and gritted our teeth while discipline was advocated by the person behind us on line. We have tolerated inane suggestions and home remedies from well-meaning strangers. We have tolerated mothers of children without special needs complaining about chicken pox and ear infections.
We have learned that many of our closest friends can't understand what it's like to be in our sorority, and don't even want to try. We have our own personal copies of Emily Perl Kingsley's "A Trip To Holland" and Erma Bombeck's "The Special Mother." We keep them by our bedside and read and reread them during our toughest hours.
We have coped with holidays. We have found ways to get our physically handicapped children to the neighbors' front doors on Halloween, and we have found ways to help our deaf children form the words, "trick or treat." We have accepted that our children with sensory dysfunction will never wear velvet or lace on Christmas. We have painted a canvas of lights and a blazing Yule log with our words for our blind children. We have pureed turkey on Thanksgiving. We have bought white chocolate bunnies for Easter. And all the while, we have tried to create a festive atmosphere for the rest of our family. We've gotten up every morning since our journey began wondering how we'd make it through another day, and gone to bed every evening not sure how we did it. We've mourned the fact that we never got to relax and sip red wine in Italy. We've mourned the fact that our trip to Holland has required much more baggage than we ever imagined when we first visited the travel agent. And we've mourned because we left for the airport without most of the things we needed for the trip. But we, sisters, we keep the faith always. We never stop believing.
Our love for our special children and our belief in all that they will achieve in life knows no bounds. We dream of them scoring touchdowns and extra points and home runs. We visualize them running sprints and marathons. We dream of them planting vegetable seeds, riding horses and chopping down trees. We hear their angelic voices singing Christmas carols. We see their palettes smeared with watercolors, and their fingers flying over ivory keys in a concert hall. We are amazed at the grace of their pirouettes. We never, never stop believing in all they will accomplish as they pass through this world.
But in the meantime, my sisters, the most important thing we do, is hold tight to their little hands as together, we special mothers and our special children, reach for the stars.
By Maureen K. Higgins
I want to say Happy Mother's Day to ALL the Mom's out there from my heart!
I was sent the most beautiful e-mail today from a friend. As I was reading it, I had tears streaming down my face, a lump in my throat, and a smile on my face all at the same time. When reading it, I felt it was being written "to me" and to people I know personally, as if the writer knew the exact experiences we've lived. I must share this beautiful e-mail with you.
Blessings:)
Amy
Here it is:
From: "Camden, Mandy"
To: "amyhyndman@buckeye-express.com"
Date: Today 8:18 AM
Subject: Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother’s Day
Thoughts of a Mom
Many of you I have never even met face to face, but I've searched you out every day. I've looked for you on the Internet, on playgrounds and in grocery stores. I've become an expert at identifying you. You are well worn. You are stronger than you ever wanted to be. Your words ring experience, experience you culled with your very heart and soul. You are compassionate beyond the expectations of this world. You are my "sisters." Yes, you and I, my friend, are sisters in a sorority. A very elite sorority.
We are special. Just like any other sorority, we were chosen to be members. Some of us were invited to join immediately, some not for months or even years. Some of us even tried to refuse membership, but to no avail. We were initiated in neurologist's offices and NICU units, in obstetrician's offices, in emergency rooms, and during ultrasounds. We were initiated with somber telephone calls, consultations, evaluations, blood tests, x-rays, MRI films, and heart surgeries. All of us have one thing in common. One day things were fine. We were pregnant, or we had just given birth, or we were nursing our newborn, or we were playing with our toddler. Yes, one minute everything was fine. Then, whether it happened in an instant, as it often does, or over the course of a few weeks or months, our entire lives changed. Something wasn't quite right. Then we found ourselves mothers of children with special needs. We are united, we sisters, regardless of the diversity of our children's special needs. Some of our children undergo chemotherapy. Some need respirators and ventilators. Some are unable to talk, some are unable to walk.
Some eat through feeding tubes. Some live in a different world. We do not discriminate against those mothers whose children's needs are not as "special" as our child's. We have mutual respect and empathy for all the women who walk in our shoes. We are knowledgeable. We have educated ourselves with whatever materials we could find. We know "the" specialists in the field. We know "the" neurologists, "the" hospitals, "the" wonder drugs, "the" treatments. We know "the" tests that need to be done, we know "the" degenerative and progressive diseases and we hold our breath while our children are tested for them. Without formal education, we could become board certified in neurology, endocrinology, and psychiatry.
We have taken on our insurance companies and school boards to get what our children need to survive, and to flourish. We have prevailed upon the State to include augmentative communication devices in special education classes and mainstream schools for our children with cerebral palsy. We have labored to prove to insurance companies the medical necessity of gait trainers and other adaptive equipment for our children with spinal cord defects. We have sued municipalities to have our children properly classified so they could receive education and evaluation commensurate with their diagnosis.
We have learned to deal with the rest of the world, even if that means walking away from it. We have tolerated scorn in supermarkets during "tantrums" and gritted our teeth while discipline was advocated by the person behind us on line. We have tolerated inane suggestions and home remedies from well-meaning strangers. We have tolerated mothers of children without special needs complaining about chicken pox and ear infections.
We have learned that many of our closest friends can't understand what it's like to be in our sorority, and don't even want to try. We have our own personal copies of Emily Perl Kingsley's "A Trip To Holland" and Erma Bombeck's "The Special Mother." We keep them by our bedside and read and reread them during our toughest hours.
We have coped with holidays. We have found ways to get our physically handicapped children to the neighbors' front doors on Halloween, and we have found ways to help our deaf children form the words, "trick or treat." We have accepted that our children with sensory dysfunction will never wear velvet or lace on Christmas. We have painted a canvas of lights and a blazing Yule log with our words for our blind children. We have pureed turkey on Thanksgiving. We have bought white chocolate bunnies for Easter. And all the while, we have tried to create a festive atmosphere for the rest of our family. We've gotten up every morning since our journey began wondering how we'd make it through another day, and gone to bed every evening not sure how we did it. We've mourned the fact that we never got to relax and sip red wine in Italy. We've mourned the fact that our trip to Holland has required much more baggage than we ever imagined when we first visited the travel agent. And we've mourned because we left for the airport without most of the things we needed for the trip. But we, sisters, we keep the faith always. We never stop believing.
Our love for our special children and our belief in all that they will achieve in life knows no bounds. We dream of them scoring touchdowns and extra points and home runs. We visualize them running sprints and marathons. We dream of them planting vegetable seeds, riding horses and chopping down trees. We hear their angelic voices singing Christmas carols. We see their palettes smeared with watercolors, and their fingers flying over ivory keys in a concert hall. We are amazed at the grace of their pirouettes. We never, never stop believing in all they will accomplish as they pass through this world.
But in the meantime, my sisters, the most important thing we do, is hold tight to their little hands as together, we special mothers and our special children, reach for the stars.
By Maureen K. Higgins
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)