So I think I might be falling into a pattern with my blog since it seems I seem to update it now once a week. Gosh, last year we were still in Chicago and I know I was writing about once a day and sometimes twice a day into the blog. Life sure moves on and while it is much better for us now it is also clear from looking back on my writings then, how much I have changed overall. The one think that is constant is the fact that those who I was close to before JDM I am still close to now :)
To our JDM update I have to say that Hippo Therapy this last Thursday, Feb 10, was a huge success. Amanda, Connor's Therapist, told me that he seemed and looked stronger then he ever was and that in the three years she has been working with children she never had one of them do what Connor did this time. He got to ride on Blinkers again who took him around the arena while he was on the back of the horse sitting up on his knees doing a 360 circle while Blinkers was in motion the whole time. This takes a lot of core strength and balance. I am just so so so proud of all the work Connor has put in and of what a fighter he is. Never in this past year has he acted or said that he just wants to quit. Yes, he does talk about how much he 'hates' JDM and what it has done to him but mostly what it is doing to his little JDM friends.
This weekend started out with mixed happenings. First Ron and I discovered that our line from the well to the house must be frozen again since out cistern was empty :( So we had to go without Water 'again' for a night and we had a Water delivery on Saturday around 11:30 am. Ron had to change his schedule to a trip leaving a day later and left shortly after the delivery was made.
The boys and I then went to meet wonderful friends of ours at Mueller State Park for some sledding. It was so much fun and what a workout!!! I had forgotten how much it took out of a person climbing up the hill after sledding down - haha. Talk about great therapy for Connor as well! I think all the kids went down that hill 20 to 30 times. There was no stopping them and while we Parents might not have gone down as often we still had some fun as well :)
We ended the day with a drive to Cripple Creek and dinner at Ralph's, a tradition now for any evening stop in CC. Jennie, David and Zachy spend the whole weekend with the boys and I and I have to say that I can not recall the last time I stayed up until 2 am talking but it was so worth it :):):) Not sure why I would then wake up at 7 am on a Sunday with a bad headache.... NO we did not have to much to drink. One Mimosa does not give me a hangover yet ;)
So and Sunday we finished with a slow relaxing morning, another trip to CC to see the amazing Ice Sculptures in the theme of Dr. Seuss, Peter Pan and Narnia. Well worth the trip if you live here! The Festival is back next Friday to Monday.
Now I come to the more heartbreaking news. A dear and sweet friend of mines son was admitted to the Hospital end of this week and he is as of now still in the ICU. It still gets to me how fast things can happen and how little control we have over it. My heart goes out to my friends whole family and my heart gets a squeeze just thinking how scared they were and still are. I know how we always want to know the 'why' and I also know how much I was craving to just know what the name was to what was causing Connor all this pain ... Well, I got the name and it gave me something to work with, so my wish and hope is that they will get answers tomorrow and that this wonderful young man will be up and running again soon!!!
Hugs,
R A C A
I am so happy to hear that Connor is doing so well!!! One of the many reasons that I love reading blogs is for the peek ahead. I know, not all stories have happy endings, & you cry with them & send prayers. But hearing about the kids that are doing so well also gives me hope. We had enough medical stress on my daughter before we found out about the JDM. We have a lot of uncertainties. I don't know if she'll ever get to be as strong and active as Connor, but at least I have hope! Thank you for posting as often when things are good as bad. I will keep your friend's son in my thoughts & prayers.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much fr your note! I so admire your writing and I just hope that all of our kids will catch a break! Your precious Emily is just beautiful and I still remember how grateful we were when Connor got his wheel chair. It gave us back some of the freedom we had lst. I know each case s o different but for Connor the Hippo Therapy has been heaven send. He loves the interaction with the horses and also does not look at it as work even thought it is pretty demanding. Many hugs to you!
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