First of all, we think Wilson is fine. The “lump” on his leg kind of comes and goes. It seems like a muscle thing, it doesn’t bother him, so we are leaving well enough alone. 

I have another cold…

I tried last week to shake it; stayed home, lots of immune boosting herbs, thyme and eucalyptus in my diffuser, enough water to drown a salmon, hot tea with lemon, ginger and honey, laying low and taking care. I felt like I was holding it at bay. But then Saturday night we went out.

It was Maggie’s school auction. APL (Academy for  Precision Learning) is a private school that provides individualized programs for all students. It is an integrated program that includes kids on the autism spectrum and typically developing kids. In Maggie’s K/1 classroom there are 16 kids, 8 of them are typically developing and 8 of them have special needs of varying degrees. Some of the kids with autism need 1:1 assistance at all times and some of them require much less assistance. There are 8 adults in Maggie’s classroom providing this highly individualized instruction. It is a fabulous program where the goals are very data driven and there is a great deal of success. The tuition is quite steep and the people at the auction were people who can afford that school, if you catch my drift…we were rubbing elbows!!

The auction was at Bell Harbor on the waterfront. There was a good selection of silent auction items (including a gorgeous set of 3 nesting bowls crafted and donated by Mike Oliver) and we bid on a few items that quickly got bid up and we let them go. There was a full bar and I saw a couple of martinis and lemon drops and so badly wanted to imbibe…oh well, maybe next year! Appetizers were yummy and the dinner quite impressive. I had a generous portion of halibut with crab meat on top. I did have a little wine with dinner and could eat the berries and custard off the top of my tart, yum! The keynote speaker was the father of a 5 year old in Maggie’s classroom. She is a darling little girl who is highly impacted by her autism. This dad had us all in tears. It is so hard to hear someone tell a tale of a baby and toddler developing typically and then at some point around the age of 2 losing so many of those skills and becoming so very different and challenging. He was a brave man to get up there and share his feelings so openly.

It turns out at the table next to us were many of the families from Maggie’s classroom. The woman sitting closest to me is the mom of the little guy Maggie is working with right now. She was singing Maggie’s praises and we were telling her how much Maggie loves their son. It was great to see Maggie in this role, as teacher and co-worker. We are just so proud of her. She is a natural teacher and she is honing the fine art of this profession.

We stayed too long at the auction, for sure, and I’m still paying the price. My cold seems to have kicked in a little stronger, moved into my sinuses and set up camp. Back to the couch for me! Back to the diffuser and the herbs and cuddling up with Wilson. Oh well!

The auction was awesome and I’m glad I didn’t have to miss out.

I have two great brothers and a very sad story. I can’t stop thinking about this and so I am going to write it down here.

Paul is about 4 years older than me. He lives not far from my mom, in Kansas City and does a great deal to help her out. My little brother, Matthew is 17 years younger than me, has Down’s syndrome and lives with my mom. Matthew is hilarious. He knows just how to make all of us laugh. He is very loving and truly, on most days, a joy to my mom. Matthew, I believe, is one of the factors that keeps my mom so young and vital. And Paul is there to help her.

Matthew goes to workshop every day. The bus picks him up and drops him off at home. He goes bowling every Saturday morning with a group of kids with a varying abilities and disabilities and swims with a similar group every Sunday. My brother Paul also bowls. He bowls in a league one night a week but also goes with mom and Matt on Saturday mornings. 

Yesterday morning my mom called me with tragic news about one of Matthew’s friends that he bowls and swims with, Rachel.  Rachel’s mom, Mary Pat and my mom, spend a great deal of time together at a table at the bowling alley and on the bleachers at the pool. They talk and talk and keep one eye, at least, on their “kids” and turn and reprimand, encourage or cheer them on as needed. Matthew and Rachel are very competitive at bowling (and their moms are a little competitive about them, too). When I visit KC I’ve enjoyed my time talking with Mary Pat. She is a single parent, just a little older than me, loves music and BBQ, definitely has a wild streak and has survived a hideous battle with breast cancer. Mary Pat is in the process of having a flower garden tattooed across her chest.

Last week Rachel had been complaining to her mom about a pain in her leg. Saturday before bowling she complained again. Mary Pat asked her is she’d like to stay home from bowling but Rachel wanted to bowl, so they did. Sometime during the second game, Rachel got up to bowl, sent her ball down the lane and then on her way back she dropped to the floor. My brother Paul was right there and immediatly started CPR. It took 10-15 minutes for paramedics to arrive and Paul never gave up on Rachel. They took her to the hospital and my mom drove Mary Pat. After a short time they came out to let them know that Rachel had not made it. 

Rachel was about 10 years of so younger than Matt. She was very fit and worked at staying that way. She was a fabulous swimmer, so sleek and smooth in the water. Her shoulders were broad and strong. She was quite capable and was able to get around Kansas City on the buses and work in the community. She had been living with Mary Pat but hey were in the process of looking for a place for Rachel and her fiancé to live; Rachel was going to get married in July.

Mom and Matt and Paul are all just devastated as you can imagine. Yesterday this story just crawled up into my heart and I couldn’t really shake my sadness all day. I’m crying again as I write this. I’m just so sad for Mary Pat. Fortunately Mary Pat has a large supportive family. Mom also talks about the bowling moms as another family. She is planning to drop Matthew off at bowling next Saturday and take Mary Pat a bottle of Jameson and offer to escort her to her scheduled tattoo appointment.

So, another piece of evidence, as if we need it, to live today.

On Sunday we are headed to Orcas Island for 2 nights with Betty, Mike, Gillian and Conor. We have a big house on the North side of the island, on the water. I am so looking forward to getting away and getting to the San Juan’s. There is not a single time I’ve visited one of those islands and not spent part of my time fantasizing about living there. I don’t really want to live there full time there are too many people here whom I love, but I do so love to visit. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Please add Rachel and Mary Pat to your prayers, however it is that you pray. 

Love to you all,

Janet