A Journey from Darkness into Light
Yesterday, the one-year anniversary of Oliver’s Odyssey slipped quietly by. I had planned to do something big, in celebration, but true to the current theme of our life, the month leading up to this special day was filled with chaos and little opportunity for creativity. But this only solidifies in my mind one of the greatest... Continue Reading →
https://videopress.com/v/RLNv5T4y?preloadContent=metadata Let’s be honest. In the world of severe disability, there are not too many good choices. At each crossroads there is a decision to make and rarely is it clear which path to choose. Three years ago, sleep deprived to the point of near collapse, we finally gave into the option to give Oliver... Continue Reading →
For me, the strangest part of having a non-verbal child, is not really knowing who they are and what they think. Sure, on many levels, I do know Oliver. But as his little brother Nicco grows up before my eyes and I hear the speech that flows from him so naturally, it reawakens the burning questions slumbering in... Continue Reading →
It has been said that the grieving process is like peeling an onion. As each layer falls away, it gives the gift of deeper understanding and also reveals the next level of processing. The stages don’t go smoothly from 1-5… denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance. They are interwoven and revisit you many times even after... Continue Reading →
Receiving this unwelcome comment seems to be unequivocally loathed among many special needs (SN) parents. Most people are well intentioned and share a genuine desire to offer support to others going through hard times. But the statement “God will never give you more than you can handle” is one that comes up frequently in the SN community... Continue Reading →
Most of us share the basic human desire to escape pain. It is weeks like this one that illuminate the desperate attempts my mind makes to transcend my own. Our HIE community was shaken by the passing of 3 of our children over the last week. This unbelievable loss has thrust me hard back into... Continue Reading →
I was in rare form this morning. Well, let's be honest, it's not so rare these days. LOL After all of the craziness of the last couple weeks, I completely forgot about our Gastroenterology appointment at UCLA this morning. Luckily I had glanced at my calendar last night and caught my oversight before missing it... Continue Reading →
Being the little brother of a special needs sibling has it's perks and some downsides too. On one hand, there's tons of super cool equipment to climb on, swings bolted to the ceiling of the living room, a therapy center that seems to be your own personal playground and PLENTY of trips to the doctors... Continue Reading →
Today was hard. I was inarguably consumed by the anger stage of grief. Before I write though, I want to preface this post by saying… I do not share our experience for pity or attention. My writing is a way to help me process through the harder parts of our journey. Sharing what I write fulfills a different purpose... Continue Reading →
It’s our first day home from the hospital and while I do feel great relief, there is also a weight of sadness plaguing my heart. I know this feeling. I recognize it because I’ve experienced it many times before. It is the resurfacing of grief. The unique thing about having a child with a brain... Continue Reading →
The early hours of this morning felt like something right out of a twisted psychological thriller. Oliver’s schedule is pretty off and he was still wide awake at midnight. I lied down in the parent chair next to his bed, put on the tv and tried to rest, hoping he would fall asleep too. We both started to... Continue Reading →
Hospital life is a crazy life. The pace of the people there is fast but the process is slow. The stakes are high. Reactions are quick and things can shift unexpectedly. Ironically, the hospital is the last place you’d want to go if you actually needed rest. There are rounds, vital checks, meds, meals, treatment protocols, social workers, dieticians,... Continue Reading →
Oliver's Odyssey 