50 Shades of Hello!

SPEAK!  I will respond... 

      When you are out and about and see a person with a disability do you assume that because they look a little different, they use a wheelchair, they are non-verbal or are blind, they are not worth the effort of a simple "hey"?  Do you stare? Does your children stare?  Do you tell them that it is okay to speak to that person?  Do you speak yourself? When you see a person with special needs, do you see the person or the disability? 

     You know there's a saying that a smile can brightens someone's day?  A simple hello can do the same.  I often think about a song from "Yo Gabba Gabba" that says something like "no one wants to be left out, everyone wants to be included..."  That is so very true!  That is also the case for families, work, school, and community.  No one wants to be left out, or treated like they don't exist. 

     I believe that children reflect their home surroundings before anything or any other influence.  Personalities come early!  I try to speak to everyone I come into contact with.  Verbal or just a head nod or smile.  It could possibly be what someone is needing at that time.  

     Speak to Kerstin, she acknowledges everyone she comes into contact with.  She has not hearing or vision problems.  Ask her her name...we're working on getting her to hold a conversation with her Dynavox, until then, "Mommy" will tell you for her!  Talk to her! She looks UP for yes, she looks away for no and sometimes manages to verbalize or shake her head no.  Speak to her if nothing else.  She is a person too. 

     Hey, Hi, Hello, Hola, Ni hao, Bonjour, How's it going? or a simple kiss on the hand.  My 1 year old niece is adament about kissing Kerstin's hand every single time she sees her.  Now that she is talking she comes over and is speaking to Kerstin before she walks into our home, she makes her way to Kerstin and kisses her hand.  

     She seems to know that Kerstin can't verbally speak to her, but the smile says it all without a word being uttered.  It's love! It's an act of kindness.  Tell others, disability does NOT matter!  It's okay to say "Hi"!


 "A person's a person, no matter how small." ~Dr. Suess
    

Weight...among other things!

Happy New Year!! This is the time of the year when we start seeing all the commercials promoting diet plans, exercise equipment,  quick weight loss pills, shakes, sprinkles, etc...  We've all seen them, and most of us adults are tempted to try them because we need to or just from the mere popularity of them.  Some of our children could even benefit from a form of weight loss that is healthy and for life not fad.

My little one is the complete opposite, and on a mostly liquid, soft or puree diet; we've been on a battle with weight for some time now! God knows I'm doing my best and will continue to do so.  It just seems so frustrating when it seems as if my best isn't close to being enough.  In my eyes and mind!  In all of this, I can say that she has gained 1 pound from her December check to the January weight check.  I am so thankful to God for that, it just doesn't seem like it's enough for me though.

 It seems that way because we've had to deal with the development of a pressure area on her rear.  Due in part to the weight loss and a bony prominence! You don't know the tears I've shed in light of this. We've had to go get the cushion in her wheelchair "feathered" and cut to have a softer spot.  Her position is changed every so often, she's kept dry...things I was doing and it still happened.  OT doesn't want her seated on a "doughnut cushion" because of the risk of pulling and causing even more irritation.

Through all of this, we're still prayerful and very trusting that tings will continue to work in our favor.  Kerstin WILL continue to gain weight, the pressure area will clear!  I am so proud of my daughter and love her dearly!  She is making great strides at work on her Dynavox...had to treat her to something from her fave store, Target!