Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Our First-Ever Sister Weekend Getaway!

Just recently I was able to go away for the weekend - for fun! For the first time in 18 years, I was able to travel to another city, stay overnight, and not have any doctors appointments or procedures. And what made it even better was going with my sisters! 

Faith was well-looked after by respite care. She even had a friend come over to visit and her grandparents, too! Of course getting away did not come without a challenge or two. 

The day before leaving, as I was cleaning the entire apartment and getting ready to pack, a staff member at Faith's day program told me her feeding pump was not working. I only had an hour before I had to pick her up so I cruised down to our DME provider and asked if I could get a loaner pump since hers was not working. 

Unfortunately, they no longer carry the type of feeding pump she uses, so I needed to get a whole new system. This required me to learn how to use it and then make sure Faith's respite staff and her day program staff was going to know how to use it. I wrote down lots of instructions, took photos, and made a video. This took up a lot of time, and needless to say I didn't get to bed until well after midnight, without even packing.

Thankfully everything went smoothly the next morning and I was able to pack and get ready to go. Faith's first caregiver arrived and my sister, Dawn came to pick me up. I jumped into her pickup and we went barreling down the Interstate rockin' out to the Bon Jovi station on Pandora. 

We arrived in St. Paul that evening and met up with our sister, Tesa who had flown in from Nebraska. Since Dawn's birthday was right around the corner, we let her choose the restaurant. That evening we took an Uber (my first ever!) who drove us to Hell's Kitchen (Chef Gordon Ramsey's restaurant) in Minneapolis. I must say the fish tacos I had were some of the best I have ever eaten.

Since we were there for Dawn's birthday they said she would get a free brownie dessert. When the waiter brought out the tiny brownie topped with whip cream and 3 plates and spoons, we about lost it. How in the world was the waiter not embarrassed to serve such a piddly little brownie to three people? 

After getting back to the hotel Tesa and I talked Dawn into watching "Top Gun" since she had never seen that movie before. Wouldn't you know that both of them conked out on me while watching! Unfortunately that night I did not sleep the best. I was really missing Faith, although I knew she was just fine with her overnight respite staff. I have also discovered in recent years that firm mattresses at hotels are not good for my back. Needless to say, I was tired when I woke up but excited for our day. 

We started it off by Dawn being brave and doing the driving. After finding Caribou Coffee, we hit the biggest shoe store I have ever seen in my life (DSW). I found a great deal on a comfy pair of tennis shoes. I do plan to start walking when the weather gets nice. (If that ever happens, as right now much of North Dakota is getting slammed by a major blizzard). 

After shoe shopping, we hit Dawn's favorite store, Maurices and then ventured into other stores Roseville. We found a Chili's and had lunch there. We made one more shopping stop (where I did a video chat with Faith and my parents because Mom had texted me saying the TV wasn't working) and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for the main event. 

 


It was cold in rainy in southeastern Minnesota, and even though the Xcel Energy Center was about half a mile from the hotel, we decided to take a shuttle van. My most anxious moment was using the digital tickets from my phone. It was so weird not being able to hand them paper tickets. I guess it's been a long time since I've gone to a concert! Also, the last time I went to a concert with my sisters was New Kids on the Block in 1990. That concert was also in St. Paul but at Harriet Island Regional Park.

Thankfully, the digital tickets went very smoothly and before we knew it we were sitting in our seats in Section 106 Row 12 listening to the opening band. Bon Jovi usually has local bands open up for the shows, but I do not know the name of the band performing. Bon Jovi hit the stage around 8:30 p.m. singing "Limitless." You can read my concert review on my HubPage


 
 

We were surprised upon leaving the concert venue that the rain from earlier had turned to heavy, thick snow. After walking a few blocks, we ducked into Tom Reids Hockey Pub to warm up and grab something to eat. The waitress was super nice and filled us in on the socioeconomic status of downtown St. Paul. To us, it seemed an interesting blend of the rich and poor. 

However, neighborhood businesses were not happy about a recent homeless shelter established in the area as it was attracting drugs and prostitution to this part of town. The waitress said she no longer felt safe walking to her car after work and often used an escort. It's sad because we saw a homeless guy making a fire in a barrel just trying to keep warm. What are they supposed to do and where are they supposed to go?  After a very late supper, we walked the remaining few blocks in the snow to our hotel.


Sorry Minnesota!!

The next day, it was time to rise and shine and get back home. We hugged Tesa goodby at the hotel just before her Uber driver picked her up. About six hours later, Dawn and I arrived back home. It was perfect timing because we rolled into the parking lot just as one of Faith's respite staff was bringing her home from her Day Program, where she happily spent the entire day. 

Needless to say, she was very excited to see me! We spent the rest of the evening filling each other in on our time apart and with me promising it would be a while before I went away again.  But all in all, our first-ever sister getaway was a great success and I look forward to the day we can do it again!



Thursday, January 13, 2022

Faith Has Graduated!


I can't believe I am the mother of a graduate! It seems I have waited a long time for this. At the same time, however, it has come very quickly. I still very vividly remember the days of walking her to school from our apartment building to Centennial Elementary. She had some wonderful teachers there but when she was in 4th grade we decided to homeschool her. 

There were definitely a lot of positive things about homeschooling. One was that she didn't tire so easily so she could focus more. The other is that she didn't catch everyone's germs so she was sick less often. Another was that I could give her one-on-one attention. Faith's biggest goal was to learn how to read. It took a long time, and although she can only read simple words and very simple sentences, she exceeded expectations 

One major drawback of homeschooling is that she missed being around other kids. It didn't help that she is an only child. When I found out about Inspire Collective, I thought it would be perfect for Faith! Unfortunately, at the time it started Faith had some medical stuff that we needed to resolve. But finally in October 2017, Faith was doing better and we decided to give it a go. 

There were two girls, who were sisters, that she automatically clicked with. Those two girls remain her best friends. She made other really good friends as well. Many of these girls have invited Faith to their birthday parties and they have come to hers. I love that her disability was never a barrier to making new friends in this group! Besides making great friends, she studied history, science, STEM, music, and arts, she has participated in Christmas programs, field trips, and other special courses. We are so thankful to Nicole Elliott, for founding Inspire and also to Mandi Wilhelm for taking it over. All of the teachers made learning so much fun. Even I learned a lot from them over the years! 

Because Inspire played such a huge role in Faith's homeschooling education, it seemed appropriate to present her diploma there. I must say, that as I gave the presentation, I was overcome with emotion. I felt so grateful that God had provided everything throughout the years to help us in this endeavor. I was so thankful for my "Inspire family" and their love and support. They truly went out of their way to make the day very special day for Faith. Some of her classmates showered her with cards, special gifts, and even the perfect balloon! I was also thankful my parents could come to the event, even though we all made each other cry! As we rolled out the door when it was all over she yelled, "Yay!! I did it, I graduated!" She was so proud of herself! 




Since Faith is already 18 and has graduated, the next step will be attending a day services program for adults with disabilities. She is excited about this opportunity. However, she is also feeling a bit anxious. She knows I am going to have to leave her there. Since she was homeschooled, this is going to be new for her. I have never really just dropped her off somewhere and left her there. She has had respite care look after her while I'm gone, but that is in here home, where she feels safe and secure. Even when we go to therapy twice a week, I am there with her. 

It will definitely be different for both of us. I know, though, that this is the right thing to do and that she will probably end up loving it! I'll probably be the one having a hard time with it! 

I am still going to do a graduation open house for her but it won't be until spring. Maybe by then, we will be done with the cold, snow, and sickness that seems to be hitting everyone we know. For now, I'm going to process the reality that my daughter is all done with school and that she is taking the next big step in her journey! 

Keep scrolling to see pictures each year of school! 

Faith starts Kindergarten


Pumpkin Patch in 1st grade

My sweet second-grade schoolgirl

Pajama Day in 3rd Grade

Faith's desk in 4th Grade

5th Grade at the Library

Big smiles for 6th Grade

7th Grade and no glasses necessary!

8th Grade and first time at the Nutcracker Ballet

9th Grade

History project in 10th grade

11th grade getting some fresh fall air




Faith made it to 12th grade!



Sunday, May 16, 2021

Ready for Summer (And Some Rain)


Every year in May, Faith and I run into the same problem. It's hard to focus on school this time of the year! I know most families are probably in the same boat. What makes it extra hard for us is that Faith's homeschooling group, Inspire Collective, ends the last week in April.  In her mind, Faith is already done with school! This beautiful weather does not make doing school any easier. However, it is great for doing some fun activities, like the things we have done this weekend.

On Fridays, Faith and I usually take a trip to the library. It was during this past Friday that I realized in the evening the Band Day Parade would pass close by the library. 

We have gone in the past and Faith loved the marching bands! This might sound strange considering she gets startled by loud noises, but for some reason, she just loves them! She also really likes parades. It was the perfect evening for one. 

Faith and I enjoyed "dog watching" and seeing all the different kinds of dogs people brought to the parade. I fell a little bit in love by an orange puffball of a Pomeranian that came over to say hi to us. The parade itself was fun, and the marching bands were great. (Like this band in the video, that represented several schools from the southwest corner of the state. Can you guess what song they are playing?)

Besides taking in the parade, we also took in the kindness of others. One lady in front of us made a point to move so Faith could see better. Another lady offered Faith some of the candy that had been thrown her way. One lady that was in the parade came running over to us, said "Hi" to Faith and gave me a hug saying, "God bless you." Faith just looked at me and said, "Why did she say God bless you, it's not even Sunday!" I honestly don't know why she did that, but it did bless me! There was also a five-year-old boy who made friends with Faith and introduced us to his older brother and younger sister.  

The next day, Faith was super excited to finally go to the Northern Plains Dance production, "Sleeping Beauty." This has become a tradition for us ever since the mom of Faith's friends gave us complimentary tickets one year to "The Nutcracker." We have gone to that production every year since then and also their spring productions.

Me with Faith and my great niece
Last year, the spring production was canceled and we also had to watch "The Nutcracker" via livestream. That was fine, but it's just not the same as being at the Belle Mehus in person! This year, Faith's grandma and cousin came along. It's always special to share these wonderful experiences with others. (When Faith asked where grandpa was, grandma said he was home watering trees). Faith also saw a few of her Inspire friends after the program. 

Honestly, we don't usually do so much in one weekend, so I wasn't sure if Faith would be up to going to church the next day. She said she wanted to go, however. I'm so glad we did! We went to a church we had visited last week. When we pulled into the parking lot, where they actually had an open handicap parking spot, there was another van just like ours! Same make, model, and color.  (Note to churches: those handicap spots fill up fast, maybe think about adding more!) 

When we rolled into the sanctuary, I was trying to find a place in the back and a lady came over and asked if we wanted to sit with her family. She grabbed me a chair and Faith sat next to her son, who was also in a wheelchair. Turns out, they got their van in the same way we got ours, through a fundraising effort. It was nice to share stories about how God provided for every one of our children's needs! 

Still thankful to my brother for helping us get our van (and the paperwork taken care of!)

 We truly had a blessed weekend. Tomorrow is Monday and Faith heads to occupational therapy (OT), which she does twice a week. I will have to write a separate post about that, because it's been really interesting and helpful for her. We will also try hard to finish our last 10 days of school!

It's supposed to be nice all week in our neck of the woods, so hopefully everyone can get out and enjoy the nice weather. Although, if it rains, nobody will complain, as we desperately need it.


Thursday, November 12, 2020

Faith's New Van

Finally, on November 4th, the day the elevator in our building was fixed, I was able to take Faith downstairs so she could check out her new van! It happened to be a beautiful day, close to 80 degrees, which is rare for North Dakota in November. We had respite care that day, so I had her record me getting Faith loaded up for the first time.  

Faith is all smiles about her new van!

Faith is ready to roll!
After loading her up, the three of us went for a fun drive including a trip through McDonald's so Faith could get a chocolate chip cookie. Faith was having so much fun as we drove around. She kept randomly shouting out things like, "Happy Birthday!" and "Merry Christmas!" (I am looking forward to driving around and looking at Christmas lights with her this year!) I guess she really does think her van is the best gift ever! 

Faith inside the van.

Earlier this week, we used the van to take her to an appointment with the general surgeon. She wanted to check Faith's stoma for her feeding tube. I'm glad to say we are making progress with getting her skin back to normal. 

We also used the van to take Faith to Inspire Collective, her homeschooling group, which finally started up this month! It is a very small group this year, but we are okay with that. Two of Faith's best friends aren't going this year, so we drove to their house so Faith could see them from a distance. It had been 8 months since we last saw them in person! 

After visiting them, we drove out to her grandparent's place. My great niece said she wanted a van likes Faith's for her 5th birthday! Faith has a few more upcoming appointments this month, and it so nice for me to take her to these appointments by myself. 

This van is such a huge blessing, and makes life so much easier. A few of my favorite features are the heated steering wheel and seats, as well as the remote starter. These features will help us get through out brutal winters! One of Faith's favorite features of the van is that the doors open and shut all by themselves. Of course we both love the ramp that comes out and goes back in with just a push of a button. One feature I have yet to show her is the DVD player! 

 




I will never take our van for granted and will always be thankful to those of you who donated to our NewWheelsForFaith fundraiser. There were also many people who shared the fundraiser on social media and prayed that this van would become a reality for us. It floors me that people we have never met also gave to or shared this fundraiser. I will also always be eternally grateful to my brother Todd, and his wife for everything they did to make this happen. We appreciate you all so much!

One more thing: for those who are wondering, the van is a 2015 Chrysler Town & Country with about 49,000 miles. The conversion is new enough that it is still under warranty. We got the van from Cummings Mobility in Albertville, MN. If anyone needs a new conversion van, I highly recommend them, as they were very accommodating and gave us a great deal!

Sunday, November 1, 2020

October: A Memorable Month and Birthday

Oh. My. Goodness. What a month! It's certainly been challenging, but thankfully there were a few bright spots to help us through. At the very end of September, both Faith and I came down with colds. They would not go away! Faith was really stuffed up and seemed pretty miserable. I thought she might have a sinus infection so I took her to the walk-in clinic. Although I didn't think we had COVID, I asked to be tested just to help give me a peace of mind. 

They only had the nose swab available. I was nervous about it being traumatizing for Faith. As we waited for the nurse to come back in the examination room with the test, I prayed for Faith that she wouldn't have a tough time. I should have remembered to pray for myself! 

I told Faith I would go first so she would know what to expect. When they stuck the swab way up my nose, I nearly started crying. It gave me flashbacks to when the breathing tubes got pulled out of my nose following open heart surgery. It was sort of the same icky, awful feeling.

Next, it was Faith's turn. The nurse was fully expecting Faith to fight the swab going up her nose. She held Faith's hands while I held her head in place. The lab technician put the swab up Faith's first nostril and I counted to 10. The lab technician did the other nostril, and I counted to 10 again. She didn't try to fight it or anything. She was so brave and didn't even cry! I was very proud of her! I told everyone afterward that she had done better than me. 

My brave girl!

It took four days for the test results to come back, both of which were negative. Faith did have a sinus infection so she began a round of antibiotics. It took her about six days of being on the meds before she finally started feeling better. 

A couple of weeks after she was finally better, I had to take her in to get the Mic-key button for her feeding tube replaced. When we had tried to put in a new button at home, we found out it was defective. Thankfully we had a second one, but that one was defective as well! We ended up having to put her old one back in. Because of this, the skin around her stoma became very red and sore. When I took her to the surgeon, she told me it wasn't infected, but there was granulation tissue that was beginning to form. She replaced it without any problem and prescribed an ointment for her skin.

During all of this, I was busy trying to finish raising funds for our new van. I really wanted to raise enough so we could get it for Faith's birthday. Amazingly, we ended up raising about $25,000!!! I am also applying for funds to help cover the conversion cost of the van. I will do a separate post about the van, but long story short, my brother Todd found one for us at Cummings Mobility and had it delivered to our front door 2 days before Faith's birthday!

Thanks to all the donations, New Wheels for Faith became a reality!

While preparing for the van delivery and Faith's birthday, I found out Bismarck was supposed to get our first major snow storm. I was concerned the snow was going to deter our birthday plans. Thank goodness we only ended up getting about an inch of snow but it did dip down to about 14 degrees F.

Even though the weather cooperated, the elevator in our building did not. Two days after I had taken Faith to get her button replaced, the elevator went out. Needless to say, I was pretty devastated. Without a working elevator we would not be able to get Faith downstairs to see her new van when it arrived. We also wouldn't be driving around to see her family and friends on her birthday. (A pandemic-friendly birthday plan I had come up with).

The van was still delivered, but instead of being able to get inside, Faith could only watch out the window when it arrived in the parking lot. We tried to make the best of things and had a tiny party in our apartment with cake and ice cream. For her birthday weekend, she did video chats and phone calls with some of her best friends and other family members. 

Happy 17th Birthday!

Faith with Grandma and Grandpa 



Faith's cousin and favorite dog even came to the party!


Faith's beautiful birthday flowers!

We went through the rest of the week with no elevator, and it is not supposed to be fixed until Monday or Tuesday. I have been in contact with our building manager and even the regional property manager. I think they are finally beginning to realize that we are in need of a new elevator! 

Despite some of the challenges and disappointments, my heart is filled with gratitude. I am so thankful for our van. I promise to do another blog post as soon as Faith is able to get downstairs and we go for a spin! I'm also thankful to the friends and family who have supported us during this challenging month and also for the many prayers. 

If nothing else, Faith's 17th birthday was definitely a very memorable one!

Saturday, September 12, 2020

New Wheels For Faith


Faith in her "new" van in 2011
It was back in August of 2011 that we got our first accessible van. Before that, we had a purple special needs car seat called the "Special Tomato." Eventually she got too big for her special tomato and we needed to graduate to an accessible van. We were thankful to have found one in Bismarck for a decent price. While it suited our needs, there were still some concerns. For one, the electrical system was really wonky, which affected the ramp. 

 Even with the weird electrical system, it got us to where we needed to go. We even had some fun family adventures like driving all the way to Toronto and back, and also to Winnipeg. The van also got us to some of Faith's medical appointments in Minneapolis and Fargo.

Despite its quirks, the 2006 Dodge Caravan was a good van. Except for when it rained. It seemed the electrical system went super berserk when it rained. One day we were on our way home from a physical therapy appointment in the pouring rain. We were driving down Century Avenue (one of the busiest streets in town) when the van stalled at the light. The van refused to start. Thankfully, a guy in a pick up truck who pushed heavy equipment around for a living, was right behind us. He managed to push our vehicle with his to our apartment. 

Faith on a trip to Fargo a couple of summers ago.

We put thousands of dollars into getting the electrical system fixed, but the only thing that seemed to help was to disconnect the ramp. This made transporting Faith very inconvenient, to say the least. While Faith's dad could still push her chair up into the van, I could not. We muddled through, however. It just meant that I could not really take Faith anywhere by myself. 

Eventually our air conditioning also went out. I thought it might simply need to be recharged but this was not the case. It was going to cost several hundred dollars to fix, so we just went without. When we had a choice, we chose not to take Faith anywhere on really hot days. Then there is the issue with the battery and not starting well in the winter. There are other issues, but I think you get the gist of it. 

I don't know if Faith's van will make it through another winter!
 

"Thanks everyone!"

As you can see, we have needed a new van for a while now. When I discussed our van issues with my brother Todd a while back, he suggested doing an online fundraiser. I honestly didn't know how I felt about asking other people for help to fund a new van for us, especially with the whole COVID mess going on and it being a hard time financially for many. After thinking about it for a long time, and praying about it, too, I felt we didn't have any other choice. Todd told me to write something up for a GoFundMe and he would take care of the funds, etc.

When we set our goal of $29,000, Todd was very optimistic about reaching it. I knew my brother was an optimist. I tend to be the opposite (sometimes). I thought it would be nice to reach $10,000. Needless to say, our efforts thus far have far surpassed my hopes and expectations!



I know there are many people in need of things right now, which is just one reason I'm so blown away by everyone's generosity! All I can say is THANK YOU!!! 

 

For those who have given, shared, or said a prayer, may this proverb ring true in your life: Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25 (ESV) 

By the way, at the time of this writing, we are at $16,001 between on and offline donations, as well as 500 shares! We are well on our way to meeting our goal. Also, it would be a dream come true for Faith to have a new van for her 17th birthday, which is at the end of October!

Click here to donate to #NewWheelsForFaith or to share this fundraiser.

 


Tuesday, October 29, 2019

A Cold But Fun Filled October

As I'm writing this blog post, it is currently 25 degrees outside. With the windchill, it feels more like 12 degrees. That's cold for October. Even in North Dakota! Winter definitely seems like it's here. Earlier this month we had a historic blizzard that dumped 13 inches of snow on Bismarck and over 2 feet of the white stuff in other parts of the state. As a result, the public schools had their first official snow day. I was ready to give Faith the day off from her lessons at home, but she still wanted to do them!
First major snowfall of the year - in October! (Thanks mom for the pic!)
It could have been a snow day for Faith but she still wanted to do school!
It did warm up soon after and all the snow melted but the October blizzard created quite a mess for farmers and ranchers who still had crops in the field and cows in the pasture.

I was very grateful that we didn't have to go anywhere - for school or for work. I am still freelance writing from home. Recently, I began doing some freelance work for a local company called the National Day Calendar. I currently write their articles for the International days that get observed around the world. It's been a fun change of pace and much more exciting than writing about septic systems and other mundane subjects!

Besides homeschooling and freelance writing, Faith finally started Inspire Collective again. It's her most favorite activity in the world. She has made some of her best friends through this faith-based homeschooling group.

Faith's class learning about plant cell walls in science.
Faith's class checking the speed of their LEGO cars

Faith's LEGO car ended up being the 5th fastest out of 12 cars! I was really thinking her dad should have been there for this event, but Faith and I actually did pretty good!

Along with enjoying science and STEM, Faith also likes her history class. They are learning about one of my favorite time periods, which is the mid to late 1800's. I am thankful that she watches Little House on the Prairie, which helps with her comprehension of the subject matter.



This past weekend, we had a momentous occasion in our household as Faith turned 16! We ended up having a party in the lobby of our building with some of her friends and neighbors. Because we had to limit the number of people, my mom came up with the idea of having a 2nd party for just the family, which will be next month.

Despite the fact we already had plenty of people on our guest list, Faith continued to invite people in our building. One day we were sitting in the lobby and a lady who had recently moved in went to check her mail. Faith said hello to her so she came over to where we were sitting. She told us she is a nursing student. (Faith always makes connections with the care-giver types!). 

Faith ended up inviting her to her party. Not only did Faith's new friend show up, she gave Faith a very nice card with money inside. It was so incredibly sweet. Everyone who came to celebrate with Faith was so kind and generous. She received clothes, nail polish, art activity kits, gift cards, and even homemade cookies! We are truly blessed to have such wonderful friends and neighbors.

 A few of Faith's neighbors even brought their dogs!
One of Faith's favorite families!
Chris and Faith with her beautiful birthday bouquet.
Faith with her friends.  


Faith blowing out her birthday candles.
She did it!!! Happy Sweet 16 Faith!