Wheelchair Parenting 101

A New Level in Picky Eating

Hope everyone is having a good summer.  Enjoy the few weeks we have left.

The summer has been filled with the usual bar-b-que food that is enjoyed by all my kids, but sometimes the meal choices are not to their liking.  Two of the three will eat it anyway, but one of my kids, who shall remain nameless, is super picky.  We always keep a can of Spaghetti-os as a backup just in case he rejects the dinner selection. (Okay, I said 'he', so I'm sure you can narrow it down).

Picky eaters are common, but I'm now being introduced to picky food preparation.  Ie..."I don't want these Spaghetti-os because you made them in the microwave and not on the stove."  "I don't want this hot dog because it has black on it" (from being cooked on the grill).

Excuse me, I didn't know I was dealing with demands worthy of Mariah Carey.  Just kidding, they are not that bad!

Who's on Your Pool?

As we (and by 'we', I mean Chris) set up the pool this year, I was reminded of Sabreena at age four telling me  that she wanted a princess pool as she looked through a Toys-R-Us catalog.

"I'll get the Princess pool, Ryan can get the Thomas pool, Daddy and Jared can get a Detroit Tigers pool, and you...you can get a Regis and Kelly pool."

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Stay safe = )

My Little Hero

As my first born turns twelve, I am doing the reminiscing thing that we all do as the years fly by.  But when I think of Jared's early accomplishments, his helpfulness to me is flat-out amazing. 

There has been a few times where he has saved me from falling.  Once, as I was transferring out of bed.  I ended up falling backwards off the edge of my bed and catching myself between the bed and dresser, wedged there about two feet off the ground.  Chris was not home.  I was stuck.  My only option was to lower myself to the floor, then call someone to help me get back into the wheelchair. 

Out of nowhere comes Jared.  I thought he was still sleeping.  Without me directing him, he stooped under my flat back and with his head, he pushed me up enough so I could pull myself back onto the bed.  Very resourceful, and he was about four years old.

Another time, I was in the hot tub, going through some exercises.  I remember Sabreena was a newborn, and I could finally get back into the water after my C-section closed.  Anyway, Bree and Ryan were sleeping in the house.  Chris was on the deck.  I let Jared come in the water for a minute.

The baby started crying, so Chris went in to check on her.  While he was gone, I slipped and my head went under.  I could not get a grip to pull myself up.  My hands kept slipping.

Then I felt Jared come behind me and put his arms under my armpits and pull me up enough for my head to be out of the water.  He held me up, screaming for Chris.  Chris came and so did two cops.  A neighbor acted on Jared's screaming.

Pretty amazing kid.  He was in kindergarten when this happened.  He was recognized with a 'Heroic Deed Award', presented to him by the mayor.

Shortly after this incident, we got rid of the hot tub!

Germs Among Us

I have been helping my son with his sixth grade science project.  The topic he chose is germs.  We enlisted the help of my friend who is a pathologist.  Jared swabbed a few surfaces and my friend took the samples back to her lab to see what disgusting bacteria it held.

Well, let's just say I may never touch money again, or have my family push a shopping cart again.  Both carried heavy amounts of bacteria, no surprise really.  But what was even more disturbing, the handle of the shopping cart we tested carried Staphylococcus Saprophyticus, which is a cause of urinary tract infections.

How many times have you seen a little one sitting in cart a  and putting their mouth on that handle? Ewwwe!

Slingin' Around

I endorse using a baby sling.  I used them for my three.  Really, that is the safest way to transport baby if you're in a chair. 

I have seen the heartbreaking stories on the news that a few babies have died due to suffocation while in their baby sling.  This is a danger I never thought about. 

So to the moms with little ones that are 'sling age', make sure baby stays on their back while in the sling, and the sling material is away from their face!

Comic Relief

David Spade.  Seems like such a random person for me to give props to, but he really cheered me up at a very difficult an painful point in my life...

It was June 1987.  I was in an accident, and in the hospital.  Due to a complication after surgery, I was sent to ICU.  People in the rooms next to me were in comas.  Gurneys would be rolled past my room with the sheet completely covering the patients that didn't make it.  I would hear their family members wailing as they got the news. Death was all around, and there I was, a scared little fifteen-year-old girl with IV's, oxygen, and monitor wires all over me.  No visitors were allowed, except my mom.   TV's were not allowed either.  You get the picture, beyond depressing.

My mom smuggled in a small TV for me.  (The nurses knew, and pretended they didn't.)

Joan Rivers had a talk show, and her guest was this new stand-up comic named David Spade.  He told a joke about Ford,  they were having some kind of brake problems at the time and his joke was, "Guess that's why Ford says 'We stand behind our trucks.'"  Then he went into a Tom Petty impersonation and I just lost it!  I was laughing so hard, my monitors were going haywire an they were setting off alarms!  The nurses came running in, thinking I was dying, only to find me in hysterics.  Maybe all the drugs that they had me on played a part in my out of control laughter, but it took a little bit of David Spade for me to 'come to life' again.

So when I need to cheer up, I often times think back to that occasion.  Yes, David Spade almost killed me with comedy.  What a way to go!

Warning: May Cause Drowsiness - Do Not Operate Heavy Machinery

We have been blessed with good health through this cold and flu season.  Despite the kids bringing notes from school saying someone in their class has Strep or H1N1, they have avoided illness and not missed a day of school...until today.

This morning, Ryan woke up with a fever.  We gave him Children's Motrin, and sent him back to bed.

I hate taking medicine.  Why would anyone take some of these medications they advertise on TV?  I guess if the benefit outweighs the possible side effects, but, come on, have you seen some of these commercials with ridiculous side effects..

~risk of heart attack

~risk of stroke

~you might want to commit suicide

~occasional fainting

...and my favorite...

  ~ runny bowels, and the inability to control them

Sign me up!  Please.  Sounds like the devil's in the details to me.

Early Style

 I truly enjoy having a girl.  I must admit that when I found out I was having her, I was nervous.  I was comfortable raising boys, low maintenance, no drama, not into details.  Not to mention when a girls' emotions kick in, ugh!  I am just amazed at how different they are in personalities from such young ages.

I knew I was in trouble when she told me, "I want to wear my skinny jeans, and my hair in a messy bun."

Skinny jeans, what?  You're six, how do you know the term 'skinny jeans' ?

The boys will throw together whatever to wear, whatever shirt is on top in their drawer.  No second thought about it.

Bree, on the other hand, lays out her outfit the night before.   Matching everything, from socks to hair accessories, to jewelry, and of course, shoes.  She gets her 'diva' wear from a very stylish cousin. 

Any of you that have boys know the clothing selection for toddler age boys is usually, a number, a dinosaur, or a vehicle.  I've noticed their selection doesn't get much better as they grow.   But the selection for girls is like when Dorothy opens the door to color in Munchkinland!  (Sorry for another reference to The Wizard of Oz!)

Beam Me Up - I Wish it Was That Easy

Chris' surgery went well.  He will be in the sling for many more weeks.  He can get me in and out of the truck one handed, but, needless to say, it's difficult.  So I pretty much just stay home.  I have thought about calling a wheelchair transportation company, just to get out for a few hours.  But I had an unpleasant experience with that in the past.

I had a meeting at EMU, which is a good 30 minutes away.  I got a sitter and found a transportation company.  The driver picked me up right on time, got me loaded on and strapped my chair down.  I gave him directions, and we were off.

"Do you mind if I pick up another client in this area?", he asked.

As I looked around, there seemed to be enough room for another chair.  So I told him, "Sure, that's fine."

We drove to a gas station and picked up this able-bodied woman and her toddler.  Now we had to take them home, "it's on the way".  Not really though. 

I noticed he was driving into a not-so-nice suburb of Detroit and he turned down a not-so-nice street. We drove deep into the sub.  My brain was recalling the many car-jackings and drug busts that I've seen on the news from this area.

He pulled in front of the lady's house so she could get out at the curb.  But wait, the baby fell asleep.  So the driver gets out to carry the sleeping child into the house for the twenty-year old, able bodied woman.  Now, I know that's a nice gesture, but come on.  Not very professional to leave your paying client in a running  vehicle with the drivers door wide open.  Sound like an invitation to be car jacked   to me.

I made it to my meeting and back home with no further incidents. 

A friend of mine started her own business of home health care, so she could be her own client.  I think that is pretty cleaver, maybe I'll follow her lead with a transportation company!

Can You Say, "Industrial Strength Febreeze"?

Later this week Chris is having outpatient shoulder surgery. He was told he will be in a sling for six weeks after.  I am doing my best to figure out how to keep this fort running while he is out of commission.  Our church family will be bringing meals for a couple weeks, and the kids know that they will be stepping up a bit with their chores.  I know we'll be fine.

I had outpatient surgery, years ago.  There was a little bit of planning that went into that as well.  Chris had to take the day off work, and we had the kids spend the night at their cousin's house.  But the problem started as we were leaving.

I had to check in to the hospital at 5 am.  Just as we were heading out, Chris let the dog back in.  When the dog ran by, he began rubbing his face on the carpet.  He had been sprayed by a skunk!

Chris quickly grabbed the dog and put him in the garage to deal with later.

We got to the hospital on time, signed in and waited in the waiting room.  Within five minutes, the lady called my name and asked us to follow her into the hallway.  She introduced herself as the supervisor.

"I am sorry, but we are going to have to reschedule your surgery.  You've clearly been sprayed by a skunk and we have received complaints from other patients that are already unwell and awaiting surgery.  Please leave and call to reschedule."

Well, that was not gonna fly!  We were able to compromise...Chris had to leave with my clothes in a bag.  So they stuck me in a room, wearing a hospital gown.  I had to sit there for hours to 'air out'.  My surgery went fine that afternoon.