Mums, Moms and Health

Good morning.

Ryan's still feeling punk but better. I'm glad that his respiration sounds better, that's always a panic. We used to use a nebulizer but found that the rescue inhaler actually worked better than the machine. Ryan's doctor believes the same so fortunately that wasn't a fight. Some are so old-school and believe that the more hairy a machine looks the better it is. However, I would remind those of us with some age that when I was in college computers had huge card decks and filled entire rooms. Now we run around with laptops and i-pads!

This is a mum that Ryan chose for his horticultural beds. He chose two others too.

The one if front is orange and the one behind the other two is yellow. He wanted them out front my his scarecrow for a while first. He also got a small pumpkin and some funky looking mini-gourds out at Klingers. We put the goards in an old apple basket and he lovingly set them next to the scarecrow.

Then, his massage therapist, who lives on a farm, brought in a beautiful pumpkin for him. He was absolutely thrilled to set it next to his little one.

I think his illness this time is passing more quickly and not as severe. I think his being outdoors more and playing with the plants has bumped up his vitamin levels and made him healthier in general. I hope so! Just one more benefit of horticultural therapy. Well worth it if we don't spend money on medical.

Well, I'd better fly. I hear Ryan and need to get him settled.
Have a great fall day, it's another stunner!
Much love and joy,

Karen

Fall is an Event!

Good morning everyone,

Ryan is feeling poorly this morning so my post will probably be shorter than my usual short posts.

The fall has started today on our street. We call autumn Fall but really the fall is an event. Suddenly, the leaves start falling like large colorful snowflakes. You can hear them clicking on their way down to the ground.

In times past, including my grandmother, people would say things like, "We'll see you in the autumn, right before the fall." Meaning September. "We'll see you right around the fall" meant the first two to three weeks of October and "In the autumn, after the fall meant late October and November.

It's fun to imagine planning things around natural events. We still do to a degree but we rely so heavily on our calendars that we've forgotten the events and use the terms synonymously with the seasons.

At any rate, that's my soapbox today. Have a great one, it's GO JUS out there today!
Much love and joy,
Karen

Rising Waters

Good morning,

This is a photo taken of Ryan a few weeks ago, walking on the labyrinth at the park nera the river in our town. You can see the river in the distant background.

Unfortunately, we've had copious amounts of rain and reached flood stage on Saturday. I saw it on Saturday and it creeped me out how close it was to the bridge spans. Yikes!

On Sunday, we went back to this same park. The waters had receded substantially but the water was churning angrily and moving so fast.

The water here was actually up to the rocks around the edges. It had gone down several feet from Saturday. At least you could see bridge parts under the spans decently.

The water has begun to move south and is now causing problems along the Mississippi and it's tributaries.

Sometimes in our lives we find that the floods come and overwhelm us. We have trouble believing that it will all be okay again.

There was a man who, when talking to Jesus, pleaded, "I believe. Help me in my unbelief." I think we forget that when floods come we have a place we can go in refuge. If we're having trouble believing that it'll all be okay we can pray for that belief. Ask and it shall be given. If you want to believe, and you ask to believe, you will be blessed with belief. The next time the waters rise in our lives we can fix our eyes on the one who can comfort us.

Have a good rest of the day.
Keep your feet dry,
Much love and joy,

Karen

Cold Frames

hello there!

Finally, the sun! We're keeping so busy today that this is a quicky blog.

Ryan saw some cold frames at  Menards and wants to try them this fall and next spring. Sheesh! I have to figue out how to do that. He'll have us composting next. Actually, he asked what the cold frame was, when I explained it he was very interested in the longer growing season. He has LOVED his gardening this year!

I'll let you all know how it all turns out. I'd better get going and hope to blog more extensively next week.
God bless and take care,
Much love and joy,

Karen

It's a Doggy World

Good morning everyone,

I decided to post a pic of our puppy, Poppie Yo Yo Neck. Ryan names the dogs and every one is "something" Yo Yo Neck. Don't ask. I just go with it. She looks pretty happy with him scratching her tummy.

She's twelve now but healthy as a horse. We had a bout with Lymes disease a few years ago that nearly killed her but she's fit as a fiddle now. She has a little more trouble seeing at night (as Dr. Flynn used to say ... "She's probably having a little trouble reading the paper these days." She's a good dog except for when company comes over ... then she's like, "Watch me do this flip off your chest!" or "I'm only 70 pounds, I can fit in your lap." I've read dog training book after dog training book ... apparently I need Cesar the Dog Whisperer. I gave up and now I just put her in my son's room if someone comes to the door.

Pets are such a huge part of our lives, aren't they? I get frustrated with the hair, the wet dog smell (which is non-stop lately, thank you) and the other little idiosyncrasies our dog has but we love her dearly and she makes us laugh, a lot. She's a perfect playmate for Ryan and she worships him. When he goes to his grandmother's for the day she's sad. She doesn't eat, barely drinks and lays around sighing. When he gets home she leaps up, grabs a toy and tears over to him, smiling (yes, she smiles) ready to play, love in her eyes.

A lady I knew bought her son with autism a dog and said that he was getting too familiar with the dog so they ended up getting rid of it. I don't know what that meant but I don't want to know either. They'd never had pets, however, so perhaps the amount of work involved was a factor. I don't know. I just think people should ALWAYS start with an older dog from the pound/humane association. Don't start with a puppy please. Puppies are a he**ish amount of work! Start with a dog about five years old and then make the second dog you get a puppy.

When this dog goes, we'll struggle to do without for a while, talking about the benefits of not having that kind of doggy committment and responsibility. About a year into life without a dog ... we'll get another one. I get sucked in by those big soulful eyes and Ryan is no better.

Poppie is a mutt. She's half golden retriever and half springer-cocker mix so she has that mutt longevity factor going. My brother had a pure breed, a Gordon Setter that was gorgeous. Jack had problems, however, that mutts typically don't have. One more argument for the human assn.

At any rate, the rainy day moves on and so must I.

Much love and joy,

Karen

Autumn Fun

Good morning folks,

I hope that today finds you happy and safe. I've been pondering the topic of my next column for Family Times and think I might do one on fall fun. What does your loved one with special needs like to do in the fall? Ryan, for one, can't quit picking up pretty leaves. He brings them home, they curl and fall apart. It's no big deal because there are more to replace them.

If you leave a comment on what you like to do in the next day or so with your first name and last name initial I may quote you in the article. For example, "Karen O. says that her son, Ryan, loves to gather fall leaves so they travel to the Knapp Hill to make sure he gets some great ones."

It'll be fun to see your name in print! You can also privately send me the comment at Life Comments if you'd like.

It seems like the autumn colors have popped in the last ten days. It always takes me by surprise and takes my breath away as well. The deep azure of the sky, the intense yellows, reds and oranges. I never tire of looking at it. My Hop Hornbeam tree in the front yard experiences "the fall" of leaves early. Actually, that's awesome because my neighbor across the street has a stunning sugar maple that we loves to look at.

I'm a baked potato LOVER and it's potato season!!!! We were at Klinger's the other day and they were bringing them in by the tractor loads. I bought a butternut squash too and it was delicious. I got these cute little goards (in the photo) three for a dollar. Honeycrisp apples are hitting the stores too.

I need to join my Real Life here so I'll say hasta luego.

Have a wonderful day and stay high and dry, okay. Looks like we're due for copious amounts of rain! Time to set up the scrapbook table!

Much love and joy,

Karen

Fall Maple

Good morning everyone,

We're in fast forward this morning as Ryan's nurse is coming at 9:00. I'll keep this short.

Isn't that a great fall tree? IRL it's much more vibrant! It's across the street from our house and one of  the earliest maples. It was taken during a rare day of sunshine so it's a little washed out. I've learned that fall foliage is better taken on a blustery day ... like today!

Hey, I'm looking for good restaurants that are disability friendly ... anyone know of any? Please comment and leave the name of the place and the town it's located in. A great steak is always appreciated!

Like I said before I'm going to cut this short. Today I pray that you are blessed hugely by teachers and staff at school.

God bless,

Much love and joy,

Karen

One of those days ...

Good morning everyone,

Do you ever have one of those days when you feel like you get the fuzzy end of the lollipop every time? Yesterday was one of those days for me. Normally, I can just let things go, but once in a while I revisit every slight that's ever come my way and as the day wears on the cumulative effect weighs me down until I'm slouched over and grumbling. it's just better if I go to bed and stay there.

It started with stubbing my toe to the point that I may visit the ER today to make sure I didn't break a bone in my foot because of it. We went to the International Fall Festival. We ordreed lunch ... and they forgot mine. We went to our favorite farm to get squash and the employees there were positively snarky. By the time late afternoon hit, I'd dredged up slights from friends, family and strangers to such an extent that I had a substantial pity party going.

We finally gave up and came home. There I was able to relax and regroup ... and pray. I prayed that I would forgive those who had offended me, that I would see things with humor and tolerance and that I would recognize when it was time to go home and cocoon with my son.

We spent time enjoying each others company, watching a movie with popcorn. Thank God for our families, they make those awful twisty days straight and true. Along with them, our friends and faith, we can do anything.

Have a wonderful sabbath,

Much love and joy,

Karen

Weekends and crowds

Good morning everyone,

Since it's so gloomy and rainy today I decided to send you a sunny day pic. Looks amazing doesn't it? There's something about the color yellow that just makes us feel good. Must be tied to the sun somehow.

How are you doing today? It's the end of the week. Are you looking forward toward the weekend? Or are you wondering what to do with the kids? I recommend picking up Family Times or Volume One in this area. They list things to do. Family Times, especially, lists kid-friendly options.

Because Ryan and I are able to take advantage of places during the uncrowded weekdays we used to stay home on weekends to avoid the crowds. Then I realized that I needed to teach Ryan how to operate in a crowd situation. We've always participated in festivals, which are crowded, but not Saturday afternoon crowded. So we've started moving with the masses so that he can learn coping skills.

We still go on the non-busy days so we can take our time and truly enjoy the experience but we don't avoid the crowds anymore. My advice, tackle a crowd once in a while. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. You might be surprised as your loved one grows up, however, and it means heading out on the weekends all over again!

Have a great weekend

Much love and joy

Karen

Bridges Between People

Good morning everyone,

How are you? We got 2+ inches of rain again last night. I'm weary of it. Everytime we get over a couple of inches of rain, which lately has been ALL the time, I get a little moisture in the basement. No more than a couple of gallon jugs of milk's worth but annoying nonetheless. What irks me is that I have to deal with it the minute I get up or it stinks. The minute I get up is not the best time for me to do manual labor. My joints need to loosen up, you know? Arthritis is so stupid. At any rate. Two rolls of paper towels later I'm done, showered and talking to you.

Building bridges between people is so important. Ryan has found that by pursuing his hobbies, he is meeting people of all ages and developing relationships that will last. He doesn't, however, have a close friend, which is something he'd love. Sam, his Best Buddy, is wonderful. He picked up Ryan last week and they ran all over campus taking photos of the bridge, the water, Owen Park and other things that were interesting for Ryan. A couple of hours later they strolled in drinking pop and laughing together. That bridge is a strong one.

If you've hesitated to put your young adult in Best Buddies I really think you should reconsider. We had a couple of no shows but then we got Sam 4+ years ago. (He graduates in December .... oh no!) Ryan and he chat on the phone, and do things together outside of the required elements of the program. If the program is followed like the Kennedy set it, it has unlimited potential for nurturing and change of attitude.

At any rate, they'll be starting soon so you'll want to contact your local chapter by accessing the main website. Just Google Best Buddies.

Have a marvy day and see you tomorrow,

Much love and joy,

Karen

Verbal Processing of Physical/Kinesthetic Actions

Good morning everyone,

This is a picture of Ryan, delighted that he could stand on this rock. He couldn't make the step up without support but when I instructed him that the step up from the back  was a much smaller rise he was able to get where he needed to be and was so happy with himself.

We forget how some of those easy things we do can become so difficult for someone with disabilities. We take those blessings for granted. I recently had a reminder with my hip replacement surgery but my disability was temporary, his is permanent.

It was such a blessing when someone would anticipate what I needed without going overboard, or make a simple comment or suggestion that changed my perspective. Someone holding a door when I was on crutches was a big deal. Someone not parking too close to the handicapped spot so I could get out with all my gear, another biggie. Someone leaning down, unasked, to retrieve something I'd dropped. All those things helped make life easier.

With Ryan, I've learned to self talk and verbally process what I'm doing. I've always liked to verbally process my emotions and ideas, now I've generalized that skill into my physical/kinesthetic awareness to assist Ryan.

When we climbed onto the rocks, I had one crutch. Ryan sat on the rock and I said, "Let's stand on them." He looked at me, uncertainty furrowing his brow. I looked at the stone, "This too high for me to step up, I wonder if I can get onto it from a different side. At a glance I could see the back was lower but I wandered to the side, examined it, then walked to the back. "Hey, this is littler. Maybe yours is too." He watched me get onto the stone and journeyed around his chosen rock. He stepped up and gave me a brilliant smile. I snapped his photo.

By verbally processing my actions, and suggesting that his situation might be the same, he was able to accomplish what he wanted to do with minimal help from me.

As you move through your day today, try to verbally process what you're doing to your child with special needs. I'm not talking about our normal dialog, but a carefully thought out way of doing something.

Good luck and see you tomorrow. I have to get busy writing my column for Family Times. Don't forget to pick up a copy. They're available the first part of October.
Happy Fall!
Much love and joy,

Karen

Olfactory Memories

Good morning everyone,

Sorry I didn't blog yesterday, life happens, you know? I usually blog the minute I get up, lately that's been derailed a little.

The Canadian geese are on the move today. I love listening to them. I've always kind of felt that they are MY bird. Funny how we do that. Probably some memory from my childhood that I only recognize in their call.

Ryan used to make olfactory memories when he was younger. I'd see him race up to a family member and inhale deeply. When he was old enough he'd ask for permission. We were in WalMart with my grandmother and she'd been fooling with him because he was riding in the cart and she was pushing it. They were having a grand time. He looked at me, still in diapers, mind you, and asked, "Can I smell her?" Rather, "Tan my 'mell her?" Great Grandma laughed and moved closer. He hugged her and inhaled deeply. They shared a moment afterwards as he looked into her eyes. It was such a blessed moment.

He smelled Grandpa, Grandma, me ... anyone he cared about. I remember when he was little. He was so sick. I'd been unable to get him to sleep. We'd been to the emergency room ... again ... and I was exhausted. I laid him in my bed. I often slept him with me, especially when he was sick. I was changing into my jammies. When I turned around Ryan was out like a light, my grubby, sweaty sports bra in his little fist, jammed up to his little nose. The next day he wouldn't be separated from it, even in my lap. I suppose, because I'd sweated in it, my smell was strong and it comforted him.

After that if he couldn't settle down I'd hand him a t-shirt or something I'd worn and he'd gradually drift off.

When Ryan was born and airlifted to Minneapolis Children's Medical Center the first thing I did when I finally got to hold him was to smell him. I couldn't get enough of his smell. I guess we're closer to animals than we think, especially when we're just trying to survive.

It goes back to sensory memories in general, but then, that's a topic for another blog.

Have a great day. Remember, I'm praying for you and your special someone.

Much love and joy,

Karen

New Floor Prep

Good morning,

It's a great day to get outside and do something. Visit a pumpkin patch, rake, mow, play croquet ... whatever. Me? Well I have to clear out my kitchen. Yeah, I know. What a drag. We're finally, after a bazillion years, getting a new kitchen floor so I have to have everything except the stove and frig off it.

Now under normal circumstances that's not much, however, I have a free standing pantry, a microwave cart filled to the brim  and ceramic tile stored on the floor of the real pantry. I figure I'll put the microwave card in the entrance to the bathroom, the freestanding pantry in my bedroom and the stuff in the bottom of the other pantry in Ryan's room. The chairs can go in the living room as can the table, frig and stove.

If you haven't figured it out yet, our kitchen is the core of the house. In order to go anywhere you have to cross the kitchen. We can't even go to the bathroom without crossing the kitchen! If we have to go, we have to leave! I'm cutting off my liquids because, as I age, I pee hourly sometimes. Too much sharing? Sorry about that. I figure Ryan and I will play Wii in the living room for one of the hours. Maybe watch a movie for a couple more. Apparently it can take a while.

At any rate, I'm excited to finally be moving on it. Ryan has asthma but the "guy" assured me that the glue and sealer don't cause any respiratory problems, that was a relief. The minute I tell Ryan he can't go to the restroom, he'll probably have to go. Can't blame the kid, I probably will too. Our church is about a block away however, so we can jet up there.

Wish me luck! God bless you and yours today. May he wrap his arms tightly around you and show you his amazing love.

Much love and joy,

Karen

Self Important Parents

Good morning,

How are all of you? I see I didn't get flamed after my tirade on Disney flicks in school yesterday, maybe someone out there agrees with me?

Have you ever run into those moms of kids with disabilities who think they (a) know it all (b) aren't going to tell you about it, and (c) have an attititude of superiority? Sometimes they have jobs in disabilities and have lost all their power as parents and advocates because they have to do what their boss tells them to do, without complaining. That's a hard line to walk, and I feel for them. Sometimes they're just know-it-alls. ;-)

Parents go into disability jobs thinking they'll make a difference, and many of them do make wonderful differences, but make no mistake about it, they are walking a line between being a parent and being a professional in the helping field with all the garbage that comes with that. It can't be easy.

Then we have those parents who think they are "entitled". I spoke for an adult services program a while back and there was a mother there who just about had kittens. It was a new program, she was there to get information for her child and it just ticked her off that she was getting information from me. She even said (sotto voz of course) "I would think with all my years and experience that I would have ...." A direct look from me stopped her but she spent the rest of the meeting trying to "put me in my place." Sheesh!

The thing is, our kids are close in age. How she thinks she could gain such expertise in everything and I would gain none is beyond me. It's hurtful and frustrating. I've worked on projects statewide, albeit quietly and with less "stage" presence in front of other parents. A lot of that is through my writing. There will always be those parents who are puffed up in self-importance.

This woman and a lot of the people in that room hadn't gone with this new program initially because they listened to a different parent, instead of making up their own minds.

Ladies and gentlemen, please do your own research! This program has been hard work because it's new but it has been AMAZING for Ryan. It has truly started integrating him into the community in a way I couldn't have foreseen.

YOU are your child's best advocate. YOU know what fits him or her. YOU are the expert on services that blend with your lifestyle. And you know what?   It's all about YOU and YOUR child with special needs.

Remember ... YOU are a ROAD CROSSING MOMMY DUCK (look in the blog archives for this post if you haven't read it). Blaze trails! Try things out, if they don't fit, discard them and move on!

 I pray that you find exactly what you need to give you confidence and contentment as an advocate for your child. God bless you. Have a wonderful weekend.

Much love and joy.

Karen

Disney Videos should not be shown at School!

Good morning everyone,

TGIF, right? This week just flew! How is your child with special needs adjusting to the school year? Are you happy with the way things are going?

It's hard sometimes to trust others to notice what we so easily see in our kids. We know our children so well, often times communicating without words. When they go to school we wonder who will understand them, what they want, or need.

One thing I had to do when Ryan was in elementary school was to pull him out on Fridays. Ryan is highly visual and the amount of Disney video watching at school was horrific. I kept up my end of the bargain, so to speak, by not letting him watch videos on school nights. The films made him too hyper and affected his sleep. Instead we did projects, read books and worked on a chore based philosophy together.

Typically he'd watched some kind of Disney flick at school each day. I'd ask him which one and he'd tell me then we'd spend the first couple of hours after school reining him back from Disneyland. However, when Friday night arrived, my son was an exceptional mess. Wondering if he'd watched a video at school I'd ask "Which Disney show did you watch today?" (Not only that we had some echolalia going on with lines from those movies, a dead give away.)

On Fridays he always listed anywhere from three to five movies. His teachers were using Fridays as a "recess" or "planning" day and the kids were watching nearly back to back Disney videos. I had the luxury of pulling him out of school on Fridays every week and he did much better overall. Seriously, he was a quivering MESS on Friday nights after that much TV. I probably would have been one too!

I don't know about you, but unless a video is educational it has NO place in the classroom. When I saw what it did to Ryan? Sheesh! Not only that, how do you even visually process FOUR OR FIVE movies in one day??? I'd be a hot mess too, to say nothing of someone who doesn't have my coping mechanisms. Fridays became a very restricted environment when he was in school, so having our Fridays together, engaging in the real world,  made more sense.

Now, if you're a teacher and angry about reading this ask yourself ... "Why am I angry?" Is it because you're showing Disney videos?

As a mother, here's a plea from my heart. Please stop. Please please please. Please teach my child, work with my child.  If you HAVE to have some time to prep, then show a Nat Geo flick on something. Get college interns to take over that section of your day.

If you're a parent reading this and you think, "Disney videos don't affect my kid." Take a moment. How do you know? Try going ONE month without them on weeknights. Write down changes in the quality of sleep and behavior.

I have NOTHING against Disney, we especially love the Pixar flicks. However, we save them for a special movie night on the weekend.

Try it, you just might like what you see.

Today I'd like to offer up a prayer for all teachers and parents of children with special needs. May God gift you with inspiration, patience and strength as you move through the school year.

Much love and joy,

Karen

Meditation is good for our children with special needs

Good morning everyone,

Ryan and I walked the Phoenix Park labyrinth yesterday. I'm teaching him meditation and labyrinth walking is one way of doing that.

First we picked a mantra, Ryan chose, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I Shall Not Want" and started walking. I walked in front of him or he got confused visually with the lines.

It went well for the first time I think. We didn't get into the reasons get. I just asked him how he felt when he was done. I loved that he wanted to totally feel the brick and center himself (literally) when he was done walking.

I asked if he wanted to meditate again and he did. This is phase one. Learning to meditate with the help of a task. We'll move on and generalize from there.

I think it's important to teach coping skills to our children with disabilities and meditation has physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual benefits. Even a repetitive sound, rather than a phrase, can be helpful.

The park is beautiful right now. We ran into a man who claimed to be an Indian Shaman and had an interesting conversation with him regarding mother earth. I  love diversity. What a wonderful patchwork this world is.

Have a wonderful day,

Much love and joy,

Karen

Very Special Arts Choir Starting Soon!

Very Special Arts Choir Starts Soon!

When:   Every Tuesday starting September 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Where:  Peace Lutheran Church EC

Who:     Anyone who want to sing, regardless of ability

Please consider joining. It's an amazing group of people. You can contact Jen Martin Davis for more information.

Have a great day and we'll see you soon.

Much love and joy,

Karen

Aging and Disability Resource Centers are helpful!

Good Morning everyone!

It's another rainy cool day. Its like we have a monsoon season, right?

We've got a lot going on today. With homeschool we always do.

First, however, we get a visit from ADRC regarding Ryan's annual functional screen. The woman from ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Center) is so sweet. She totally gets it. I guess that's what happens when you're raised by parents who "get it" and she was. Because there is no suspicious, "what are you trying to get away with" attitude, there is true help for us. She has great suggestions and is so caring about Ryan's feelings in the whole process. A breath of fresh air.

If you haven't contacted the ADRC as a resource, I recommend that you do. They are all over the state and YES you do have one, even if you think you don't. Call any department at Human Services and they should know how to get in touch with them.

Have a warm and snuggly day,

Much love and joy,

Karen

Winner!

The winner for the second Autism Inclusion tape is Casey Watkins! Congratulations Casey! Thanks for all the entries and keep your eyes peeled for my book ... coming soon!!

Behind the Disability

Good morning everyone,

I bet you're wondering why Ryan has the pink umbrella inthe car window.

We went fishing one day at Coon Forks and stopped by Teps Drive In for lunch. Grandma was with us so Ryan was in the back. If you're like me you need an extra person along so that if you have to visit a restroom, there is someone to hang with your special someone.

This day the sun was warm and the flies were bugging him (pun intended). I glimpsed the thinking person behind all the disability crap as he poked the umbrella out the open window and opened it for a sunshade.

For those of you reading this, yes. It's just that simple. To see a normal action on the part of your kid really is something to write home about. Sometimes even if that action is something that is a tad manipulative. For example. Amy was Ryan's third grade teacher. Ryan and I both loved her. She had three or four boys of her own so recognized "boy behavior" which I loved. Since I grew up with brothers and mainly boy cousins, guys don't hold much mystery for me either.

At any rate, one day she approached me and asked if we could work on Ryan learning to tie his shoes. Apparently, after lunchtime and recesses, Ryan came in and took off his boots. He then put one foot on each desk and had two little girls working on each foot to get his tennis shoes back on. I laughed. Being Amy, she smiled and wanted in on the joke.

The fact was, Ryan's g'ma had spent every moment she was with him teaching him to tie his shoes and he'd learned the task some time ago. He was loving the little girl attention. We both laughed at the "little boy" thing. She wasn't offended and totally understood my perverse pleasure that Ryan had managed to get himself a little positive attention.

He did tie his own shoes after that, a task mastery that still comes and goes. Once again, we saw the child behind all that crud that is his disabilities. Sometimes I'll even do a double take. But it's gone. I wish other people would look beyond that disability. I wish that others would get to know him and see those tiny flashes of Ryan.

Behind the disability, there's an amazing young man.

Have a great day. I might not blog tomorrow because we're on the fly. But I'll be back on Sunday. Hang with me then!

Much love and joy,

Karen

The Dentist

Good morning everyone,

This is a photo of the town square in my historical fiction book, Prairie Autumn, except that in my book, there is no brick platform and the benches are roughhewn logs. Plus the tree is a mighty big cottonwood. The premise is the same. A central town park in an old western town. Love it.

While we were at this museum I saw an old dentist office. Ryan has always loved going to the dentist. Everyone is nice and his teeth are shiny and clean when he leaves. I've been taking him since he was three years old.

Here are some tips for taking your child with disabilities to a dentist:

• First, go to a dentist every six months yourself. Get any necessary work done. I've gone to the same dentist for years and I've only ever had one emergency. THAT was pricey. If you maintain your teeth you do two things: you prevent emergencies for the most part, something no professional likes and secondly, you build a relationship with the dentist. He or she knows that dental care is important to you.
• Start taking your child every six months for cleaning and work. Sealing of the molars is a good idea. Ryan's never had a cavity. If the dentist says that your child needs work, get it done in a timely manner.
• Pay your bills. Always. If you can't pay the whole thing at once, make standard payments each month. Still keep your six month appointments, even if it isn't paid off. Keep going to prevent further problems.
• Maintain good dental records. I scrapbooked Ryan's appointments. (Plus they took his pic with a cartoon character each appointment.) It was that important. They've found that gum disease can affect the heart and just about everything else in your body. I've recently had hip replacement and when I go to the dentist now I have to take antibiotics before I go. It's THAT important.

Good luck with your dental appointments and here's smiling at ya ... I've gone off the deep end ... I'm officially old and corny!

Much love and joy,

Karen

The Boat Sank!

Good morning everyone,

This photo is of the Julia Belle Swain paddleboat as we cruised on the LaCrosse Queen paddleboat for one of my employers.

Last night I heard on the news that, with all the rain, the LaCrosse Queen sank. Yep, sank. I don't even want to know how much it'll cost to raise and repair her. Can you imagine finding a paddlewheel technician in this day and age?

I read a book one of my friends loaned me lately that contained a paddlewheel and I found it interesting that whenever they needed to do work they blocked the wheel and put up a sign "Man in Wheel" or something similar. Gives me shivers thinking about the reason for the implementation of that sign.

Wish the rain would stop, Ryan's lungs are having a hard time handling the moisture and mold spores. We need the air to dry a bit. The AC doesn't help a whole, unfortunately. I check on him a lot at night. Apnea is a factor and sometimes I shake him into breathing again. I don't think we're at the C-pap stage because typically his oxygen saturation is fairly good, unless, like I said, we're dealing with extended allergens. It's always something, isn't it?

Well, I'd better get to work. Have a great day,
Much love and joy,

Karen