Be your own advocate.  Be your child's advocate.  If not, all your worries are ignored and questions are left unanswered.

Four days after waiting for a neurosurgeon to dismiss my mother from the hospital - or to tell us if she needed surgery asap, the doc was no where to be found.  So we found ourselves sitting in the hospital needlessly while others needed care for two extra days.  Finally, I called the neurosurgeon's office and had him paged.  Boy, was my mother mad!  But if you are not your own advocate, who will be?!?

The same with Jaiden.  The first neurologist we visited was negative and very "we'll just have to see."  Not good enough.  Lie to me.  Cheat me.  Make me believe my daughter will be okay.  I need that.  I need positivity.  I need a "glass half full" type of person to help my daughter.  So, we switched neurologists and our new one, while lacking in people skills (with adults), is amazing with our daughter and very informative (while avoiding eye contact).  Amazing!

If no one will fight for you, YOU fight for you.  If no one will fight for your child, YOU fight for your child.  Life is too short to wonder "did we do enough?!"  Do enough.  Be the advocate!  It will make all the difference in the end.

Last blog was in March!  I've obviously fallen behind!  It's not that we lack dedication as we are very dedicated to our dream to recycle durable medical supplies for kids . . . it's just been crazy.

Back to the sandwich . . .

It was the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.  I got a call from my dad.  "Don't freak out," is always an unpleasant way to start a conversation.  "Mom's heading to the hospital."  My mother, a relatively healthy 62-year-old half-retired golfing fool was having chest pains.  Oh, no, not chest pains.  Maybe.  But half of her body wasn't working.  STROKE!

I kissed my kids and halled it to the ER in Wichita.  After a few days of doctors arguing, trying to figure out what was wrong, they finally ruled out a heart attack and a stroke.  As my partner in crime, PT Amy Alley Foster, called it, it was stenosis.  Stenosis is narrowing of the spinal cord and it pinches the nerves.  Loose definition.  Her stroke-like symptoms were because of stenosis - which also explains why nothing was affected from the neck up.

One month and one neck surgery later, I find myself joining the "sandwich" generation . . . those who take care of their children and their parents.  I don't really mind.  I've always strived to be the "favorite."  Now, it's happened naturally.  So, while juggling my special needs child and my high-maintenance "genius" child, I feel compelled to take care of my mother.

A lot has changed since January.  A lot has changed since March.  And that's how life is.  Ever-changing.  Jaiden's improvement since she started school in October has been amazing.  My mother's decline since January has also been amazing.  I find myself taking care of two generations and falling behind on everything else.  After all, it's all about family. 

So, while I humbly ask for forgiveness for neglecting this blog and this site, our eyes are still on the prize . . . recycling your stuff and finding you "new" stuff to help your kids.  Life just got the best of me . . . and I can only juggle so much.