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Deane loves dogs. He reaches over the edge of his wheelchair tray to pet any dog that walks by. He calls out to sit on the floor to try to snuggle up beside them. Years ago he became inconsolably upset after reading a Curious George book in which the monkey gets a dog. He wanted … Continue reading
People don’t say “Thank you” enough. I don’t say thank you enough. Stopping to acknowledge something someone has done for you makes the world a kinder and better place, but in the face-in-a-screen, rush-around society we live in, we seem to have lost this. So I want to take this time to say a huge … Continue reading
“If you could do anything tomorrow, what would you do?” “Skiing,” said the mechanical voice of my son’s voice output program. “If you won the lottery, what would you buy?” Deane pressed “dog.” “If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you take?” “A guitar and drum. A TV (to watch Raptors’ games). … Continue reading
It isn’t a conscious thing. It’s just become a habit, a form of protection against disappointment. Walking by displays for service agencies, the first thing I do is scan the pictures for people with walkers or wheelchairs. It is surprising how seldom the displays meet my criteria. I recently attended a forum put on by … Continue reading
It is very strange to be sitting here at 3:30. For 14 ½ years, 3:30 has been time to drop what I was doing and meet the school bus. Since my son was in preschool, he has taken a school-sanctioned bus twice a day and my day has been regulated by that bus. The arrival … Continue reading
I’m not a weeper. I rarely cry at movies. Kind, thoughtful actions don’t send my ducts into overdrive. I leave weddings dry-eyed. But, in the midst of a conference about science and cerebral palsy, I found tears leaking out under my glasses. I hadn’t heard a great medical break through, it was a song dedicated … Continue reading
There were tears at the beginning and tears at the end. But they couldn’t have been more different. When we left Deane at camp, the tears were stomach-churning, guilt-inducing don’t-leave-me tears. When we went to pick him up, the tears were a huge relief: He didn’t want camp to end. We had been told that … Continue reading
“Everything is fine,” began the message from our son’s camp. This is how calls from school always begin. School – and this time camp – assumes parents have a no-news-is-good-news approach. We certainly have been repeating this to ourselves and everyone else who has asked how our son was doing at his first overnight camp. … Continue reading
It began to pour. There was even some hail. Deane’s mood was playing out in the weather. Deane had been in a good mood the whole drive to camp, enjoying the last piece of a doughnut as we pulled into the parking lot. He grew more concerned as we went through … Continue reading
At least someone is focusing on fun. While I sort laundry and fill out forms, Deane’s 11-year-old sister decided that her brother should set some fun goals for camp. His sister, who is also going to sleep-over camp for the first time this year, had already compiled her own list. There are some similarities, but … Continue reading
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