bountifulplate

Two weeks ago, I helped host a Special Needs Holiday Party.  I had Santa and Nana Claus lined up to make their appearance about 3 p.m. I had told Dominic that they were coming ahead of time, but since I have never taken him in the past to see them, I was a little apprehensive how he would act.  I took Lauren to see Santa a handful of times when she was little, but I guess I thought that Dominic wouldn't be able to handle it, so I never even attempted it. When Santa and Nana arrived, I went over to them and introduced myself because I had never met them in person, we had only corresponded by e-mail. They were so sweet and were circulating around the tables talking to everybody. When Dominic saw them, he decided to get as far as he could away from them. We had a large group and there were many that wanted to sit on Santa's lap. I was busy taking pictures and every so often, I would look over and Dominic was still on the other side of the room. I explained to Santa ...

Back at least two months ago, my dad asked me a question. He LOVES history and as much as he's tried to get me interested, I'm just NOT . He has been at his assisted living facility back in Maryland for a while now. It's been hard on him at times, because he moved out of the family home where he had lived for several decades. Anyways, you're probably wondering what the question was, right?? Well, he asked me something like, "something very important happened on December 7th, it's Pearl Harbor Day." He went on to say that he was thinking of giving a talk to the other residents about that day. This would involve him going to the activities coordinator and getting him on the monthly "schedule." He asked me my opinion of what he wanted to do. Without hesitation, I said, " YOLO ." He asked me what that meant. I told him "you only live once!" My dad and I have had lots of talks this year about the stroke he had a f...

It seems like almost daily, another man is accused of sexual harassment, etc. I can't even keep track of it. It's like a lid has been pulled off a boiling pot and all the men accused are spilling out. What would have happened if all that stuff hadn't come out about Harvey Weinstein? How long would have all those men been kept in the "boiling pot?" I think the individuals coming forward are very brave and it makes me sad that they felt their voices were not heard for so long or that they kept it inside for years and sometimes decades. I told my dad recently about my "#M e Too" moment. I thought I had told him before, but evidently I hadn't. Anyways, in the late 1980's into the early 1990's I worked for a very small company as a receptionist. I was told by the owner of the company I had to always wear panty hose and a skirt/dress. I did it because I liked the job and the people I worked with. After I had been there a few years, the...

Dominic has been going to music therapy for a while at the Michigan State University Community Music School. During his half hour session, I sit in the lobby area along with other parents/caregivers.  There are a handful of tables and chairs and most people either read, use their computers and/or chat with the others at their table. Each Wednesday afternoon, when I came into the lobby, I noticed a table of  four ladies all older than me, chit chatting. They seemed to know each other VERY well. They all had special needs adult children/grandchildren that were also participating in music therapy. I would overhear them talking about topics that I was very interested in, but all the chairs were taken and I didn't want to be nosy, pull up a chair and just plop myself down and interrupt. One day about a year or so ago, one of the ladies didn't show up, so there was an empty seat. I had been bringing my sheet of disability ministry events and knew at some point, I wo...

Last Thursday morning, we had Dominic's Individualized Education Program meeting (IEP). For those unfamiliar with what an IEP is, it is a document laying out objectives, goals and services for your student if they are in the special education system. Dominic has had an IEP since he started in the public school system when he was three years old. When I had talked to the school psychologist recently (before the IEP) about areas Dominic could improve in, I had mentioned that Dominic didn't really hang out or have play dates with other boys his age outside of school, go to sleepovers or do those other things 13-year old boys do. It doesn't really bother Dominic and I, but at the same time, I feel it would be good for him socially to be around kids his own age. I think it's a common thought for special needs parents. Anyways, Dominic's IEP went well and I mentioned it would be great for Dominic to get more socialization. The others at the IEP, which included his ...

When Dominic was a toddler, I would take him to music classes and he would cover his ears or bury himself in my lap because it was so overwhelming. Never in my wildest dreams did I think he would go from that to wanting to play the piano!! Dominic has been getting music therapy from the Michigan State University Community Music School for several years and each of the four music therapists that he has had have each taught him something different. He has "sampled" different musical instruments and now primarily plays the keyboard and/or piano during his once a week therapy session. Last year, when we learned of his high interest in playing the piano, we sought out a used one. We found one that was "free" and only paid to transport it. This past summer, he refused to play every time I "told" him to. I realized I had to "ask" him! Good grief. Dominic doesn't read music, he plays by memory. Anyways, flash forward to this coming Wednesday. ...

I had my first dermatology appointment since my March surgery on August 14. It was recommended to me that I go every six months the first three years after my surgery and then yearly. I went into the appointment thinking everything was fine, I would be in and out quickly and I would have plenty of time to do some shopping! The gal that I had at the dermatology office, examined me quite thoroughly, asked me a bunch of questions and then started circling moles! Hmm, I knew that wasn't a good sign. In that moment, I realized my routine appointments to the dermatologist will never be "typical."  She began telling me, "you do know that since you had malignant melanoma once, you are at a higher risk to get it again and for the cancer to metastasize, don't you?" I knew I was at a higher risk to get malignant melanoma again, I didn't know about the metastasize part. She said, "I need to do two biopsies, you have some moles that I would rather ha...