Papers from the first week of school

I think I need to track down Harrison Ford and let him know there is a little 8 yr old boy that wants to meet him!

1st Day of School

August 26, 2009
Kindergarten-the beginning of a beautiful friendship

1st grade
2nd grade

3rd grade

3rd grade. Not possible. We are so happy for this year because while he did well academically in 2nd grade, let's just say we had some issues with the teacher. This year his teacher is young, so incredibly sweet and very patient with the kids. Evan is thrilled. Here's hoping for another great year at Colerain. And yes, again I'm posting the pictures of Evan and Andrew from the first days of school. :)

Anything to keep from cleaning

April 2001

While I was dusting today (hate it), I decided to take out the picture about of me holding Evan to scan it (some day I need to take the time and scan ALL the pictures from his baby/toddler years) and behind it was a picture I had forgotten about from Feb. 2001. Looking at the date, I realized it was during a brief period of time that Evan was getting by on nasal cannula only-no vent, no CPAP and we were so hopeful that he would not need the trach. I think he probably crashed just a few days later and he was re-intubated again. It was just a sweet time for us in the hospital when we were able to see his face. The 2nd picture is from Evan's first trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house. First trip anywhere except for doctor's appointments! We were so nervous, taking him 40 miles away from home. Oh God, the stuff we had to bring with us just to enjoy an afternoon with family. Oxygen, apnea monitor, air compressor/tubing for the cool mist collar, emergency bag, diaper bag, feeding tube stuff-it took us 30 minutes just to load up the car! That trip was well worth it though. Even though it took alot of work, we needed to do it to know that we could start to have somewhat of a normal life outside of our house. Somewhere I have another picture from that day of Evan by his tree that my dad planted for him. :) I'll have to find it.

Cruise In To Defeat ALS

Good article by Jeff Gates of the Madison Press. Boo hoo.
August 21, 2009

Get your popcorn ready.

Or at least a milkshake or ice cream sundae.

This Fall, the Buffalo Bills are celebrating year number 50 as part of professional football. The Bills were one of the original American Football League franchises along with franchises in New York, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City.

It was more than 40 years ago when Jim Blakeslee and Les Takacs met in that great Western New York sports town. This Sunday, Takacs helps honor the memory of his friend with a Cruise-In (as well as raffle and auction) at Takacs Family Ice Cream, 129 W. High St. in London from 5-8 p.m. The proceeds of the day will benefit amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the disease which claimed Blakeslee’s life in 2005. This is the third year that Takacs’ business has hosted the event.

The Blakeslee/Takacs bond began when both worked at the famed Roswell Park in Buffalo, America’s first cancer center. At the time, Blakeslee was working on his doctorate, while Takacs described his duties as less glamorous.

“I was a flunky,” Takacs said. “I worked in the lab taking care of animals.”
Even when Takacs departed for the Army in 1967, the two kept in touch. As fate would have it, they would be reunited in Central Ohio in the early 1970s. Starting in the 1980s, both families lived in the London area.

While Sunday’s car show is free to attend, there will be several opportunities for people to donate to ALS on that day. According to Blakeslee’s daughter Liz — who has spearheaded many ALS-benefiting events — her father was a big sports fan including the Buffalo Bills and hockey’s Buffalo Sabres, and of course, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Therefore, it seems only fitting that highlighting the raffle will be an exclusively-autographed photo of London native and NFL legend Dick LeBeau (who served as a coach for one season with the bills during his 51-year tenure in the NFL), commemorating the dinner held in LeBeau’s honor at London High School in June. Other raffle items include prints from local artist Kim Lattimer, and Ohio State University print signed by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, donations by local merchants (including Ronetti’s, Picadillies, Gabrielle’s of London, etc.) and gift certificates to such places as Ann and Tony’s, Montgomery Inn, and the Red Brick.

The live auction items include Cincinnati Bengals tickets, a pair of tickets to the OSU-Wisconsin football game, a stay at Alexandra’s Bed and Breakfast, and Longaberger Baskets. The baskets were donated by Walt Keigley, whose wife Karen succumbed to ALS last year.
Since Jim’s passing less than four years ago, the Blakeslee family has continued its fight against this yet-incurable disease. To date, the Blakeslee fund raising efforts have totaled more than $20,000.

The Blakeslees hope to add to that total Sunday with this great event in memory of an even greater man.

Seven years ago

8/17/02
8/19/02

Just came across these pictures and realized that both were from 7 years ago almost to the day! I also realized that these were taken just about two weeks after his major airway surgery where he spent 4 days in the ICU. Amazing how resilient he was, how resilient so many of our kids are. What a blessing he is to me.

Our special Pattys

Angel

Evan and Patty F. Jan. 2006

I got on the shuttle the other day at work (it goes from the parking garage to the hospital-it was way too humid to walk) and I see Patty G. We talked a bit and it got me thinking about the first time I met her. Patty was the 1st special Patty to come into our lives after Evan was born. At the time, she worked for Interim Healthcare and she was a homecare nurse who made visits post-discharge. She wasn't someone that provided nursing care for us but she came every few days for the first couple weeks to check his weight and make sure his trach and g-tube site looked okay. We brought Evan home about 11:30 or so and Patty was at our door that afternoon. I'm sure Mike and I looked like deers in a headlight as we sat on the bed in the nursery/hospital room and talked with her that first day. I'll never forget that first meeting. She not only directed me to tracheostomy.com (which became my lifeline and as a result of connecting to that site, I have made some life long friends) but she also reassured us. She knew how scared we were to have him home but she made us feel that we COULD do it-we COULD care for this little 5 lb. baby who was so, so fragile. She shared with us Welcome to Holland, something all parents of special needs kids know. I think she only came maybe for a couple weeks as an Interim nurse BUT she stayed in our lives much longer than that. She offered to watch him on my first Mother's Day so that I could go to church. She offered to watch him one night in June so that Mike and I could go out for dinner and a movie. She never wanted money-she did this out of the goodness of her heart. She directed me to a ministry at her church that had a moms group for mothers of children w/special needs/medical issues, something I so desperately needed at that time in my life. Here's something really crazy, she even made a home visit as a nurse to my mom and dad's house when he was sick. It was one of those, wait, I know you situations and I think she saw a picture of Evan too. Anyhow, we've been in and out of touch over the years and believe it or not, she now works at Nationwide Childrens in the neonatal clinic! We were brought together all those years ago and who would of thought we'd now both be working w/NICU families at the hospital.

Patty F. I honestly don't know where we would of been without Patty F. About a month after Evan had been home, we had finally been approved for some nursing hours courtesy of our county board of MRDD (had to wait 18 months to be approved for Medicaid, something that doesn't happen now for a trach baby). Anyhow, while it was the agency's job to send potential nurses to us, it was MY job to make sure I picked someone I could trust and that could truly care for my baby. Many talked the talk about being able to care for a trach and feeding tube but could not walk the walk. Talk about alot of responsibility. Patty was the first and last nurse I interviewed. She came into our home and I knew she was the one. She went to nursing school later in life and you could tell she had a passion for it. Her last client had been a little girl who passed away on the same day Evan came home from the hospital. At that time, Patty didn't think she wanted another case for a long time. The agency told her about us, about Evan and she decided to go ahead and come to our home to meet me. She was kind, she was gentle and oh so caring. I had heard horror stories about home nurses and was terrified to have someone come into my home although I knew I needed some help or else I would of lost it! She started on April 16th, 2001 and stayed with us until the end of August 2003. Evan's trach came out in May 2003 and Medicaid wanted to yank our nursing care at that time but I fought to keep her over the summer JUST IN CASE. It seems alot longer that she was with us now that I think about it! Patty came only about 20 hours a week or so but boy, did I look forward to her being there. Not only so I could shower and go grocery shopping but so I could have someone to talk to. Other than Mike, she was sometimes the only adult I would have contact with in any given week. We got to know each other very well very quickly and she became my confidante; she became my friend. We laughed together, we cried together. She made the trip to Cincinnati to see Evan when he was in the ICU after his airway reconstruction surgery, she got to know my family, she came to Evan's birthday parties. I needed her as much as Evan needed her. On her last day with us, we exchanged gifts. I gave her a Willow Tree angel and she gave us the little boy angel in the picture above. That shelf was right above Evan's bed at the time so he watched over Evan for years. It's still in his room, although not above his head anymore but I will make sure it remains there forever.

My quick trip to Florida

Florida in the summer-no thank you!

Kathy, Gary, Karen and me (or is it and I?) I don't know

Karen and me

The happy couple

They combined different color sand rather than light unity candles

I went to Florida on Friday for my friend Karen's wedding. We went to high school together-we were both in marching band and very involved in youth group at church. Her parents moved to Atlanta after graduation in 1981 but we've stayed in touch through the years. I made many trip to Atlanta during my single days (including the 1996 Summer Olympics-tickets courtesy of her dad). Many trips to Fripp Island SC w/her parents (whom I adore) and we even took a trip together to San Francisco-one of my favorite places as a result of that trip. Anyhow, this is her first marriage and I really wanted to make sure I was there for it. We had a great time. It was wonderful to see her parents and siblings as well as meet some of her extended family. I was "adopted" by her Iowa cousins-we met Friday night in the hospitality suite that Karen and Tim had for everyone and just hit it off. I ended up hanging by the pool with them Sat. afternoon (Blue Margaritas-2 for 1) and then went to dinner with them Sat. night. Just really nice, friendly and funny Midwesterners! We laughed so much. Karen and Tim didn't leave after the reception-they actually stayed in Florida until today so they were at the pool Sat. afternoon as well. It was just really a fun and casual wedding. It was also great to see my friend Gary and his wife Kathy. They also came down from Columbus but as you know how it can be, we don't see them as often as I'd like. Gary and I have known each other since 3rd grade if you can believe it! Other than it being unbearably hot and humid (I'm surprised no one fainted during the ceremony-85 degrees and 90% humidity at 10:30 a.m.), it was a good weekend. I would of kicked myself if I hadn't gone so thank you Mike for insisting I do!