Louisiana, on break from her nursing job (she gets an hour-long lunch break), writes her friend in Arizona on her computer she uses at work.
Monday, the 20th of September, 2004, 10:46 a.m., C.S.T.~
Dear Greta:
Hello! Thank you for your wonderful letter; it is good to hear from you again! I am at work now (I work at Nashville Memorial Hospital, where I am a registered nurse [R.N.], but I am on break; so I can write this letter to you. I just got on break, and I am going to spend part of this break typing you a letter!), and it hasn't been too bad, really. I have been taking care of a woman named Athena Constantinos, who is getting ready to be moved to a rehab hospital, where she will undergo an extensive regimen of physical and occupational therapies. She was shot while jogging, and right now, she is partially paralyzed; but hopefully, therapy will get her back onto her feet. It's been a very long and hard struggle on her part, but she is ready to get started on her therapies. She is the only patient I have; it has been rather slow this fine, sunshiney Mohday morning.
I hope this letter finds you well and happy. I am well, other than my usual aches and pains; but I am afraid that it is something I will never completely get rid of. I suffer from osteoarthritis, and I have it in my legs, hips, and feet, and I also have it in my lower back. I walk with a cane, but will use a scooter or wheelchair if I have to do a lot of extra walking. In addition, I have always had back problems, ever since I was small, and I also have sciatic nerve pain running from my lower back to my legs; and it's just something I have always lived with. No, being in pain is NOT fun, but I still go on, and I refuse to let my pain or my physical inadequaties get the best of me. I am a fighter, and I always have been. Call it stubbornness or Cajun pride; I don't know, but I am one who just doesn't give up all that easily! LOL
As for my husband, Bill, he has his own set of physical disabilities. He has osteoarthritis and back problems, too, just like I do, but he has had two back surgeries (both met with only minor success), and he also has asthma, high blood pressure (both controlled with medication), and he also has bone spurs in his spine, hips, and feet. (OUCH.) He walks with two Lofstrand (forearm) crutches; but for longer trips, he uses a wheelchair or a scooter, as it is easier for him to get around. He also has mental problems: he suffers from chronic bouts of depression, and he is on medication for this too; but he seems to be doing well, especially when he is on his medication. If he isn't, then he is sad, and it is hard for him to function. He'd just as soon stay in bed and feel sorry for himself, but as long as he is on his anti-depression medication, he does very well!
Greta, there is nothing wrong with being uncomfortable around people who are disabled; but like it or not, we are there, out there, and chances are, if you are out in the world, you are going to run into people who happen to suffer from disabilities. Sure, we may not act/look/function like you do, but we are people too, and we are a lot more alike than you may think! I have had to live with disability most of my life, ever since I was a child (actually, since my birth: I was born a little person; I am not much over 4 1/2' feet tall! I am only 4' 7 1/2" tall!), but I really never let it bother me. People with disabilities can offer so much to the world, and they can make people think about how much better they have it, and they can make people realize that they don't have it as bad. I don't have it as bad as a lot of people with disability: I can walk--albeit on a cane--, and I can see/think/hear/reason/talk with little problems. I am not stuck in a wheelchair 24-7, and I am not bedridden (I was once, but that is another story!), and I know what is going around me. I am very blessed, and I thank God for all that He has done for me!
If you have any questions or concerns about disability issues, I will be more than happy to offer you tips or assistance. I know a lot about disability because I am a person who happens to be disabled, and I see it on a daily basis, not just with me, but my husband and also my kids. Yet, I don't see the disability, even if it may be obvious: I just see my husband and my children, and I happen to love them all very much!
The reason we adopted children with disabilities is because they need love and a home too; and they need a chance to succeed in life, just like any healthy person. Too many kids with disabilities are languishing in orphanages or hospitals, with nobody to love or care for them, and they need a family environment, just like any other kid who is in foster care or is awaiting adoption. They can teach us so much, and they can offer the world a lot if they are given a chance, and people have learned that kids with disabilities are just like any other kid: they laugh, they love, they dream, they cry, and they have feelings. They love to play, they love to watch tv or play games, and they have varied intereste, too, just like any other kid. Sure, they may use crutches or be in a wheelchair, or they may not be able to see/hear/reason as well as a kid who is blessed to have their health, but they are kids just the same, and they deserve to be loved and shown compassion! My kids have taught both Bill and myself about life, and they are a great group of kids! They can surprise us when we least expect it, and they have flourished under our guidance and love! We couldn't have asked for a better group of children, and they are our life and our world!
I don't know why we adopted fifty kids, but once we started adopting, it seemed that we couldn't stop, and the whole thing just sort of snowballed! Now we have fifty Miracles, and we are so blessed! We are a happy family, and we have had so many wonderful things happen since the kids came into our lives! Now, we probably won't adopt any more children (much to our regret; but raising kids is expensive!), but we will take in foster kids from time to time. We had two foster kids last year, for a few months, and they were both wonderful, and they still are! They are visiting us now, and it is so good to see Hanh and Linn again; we have missed them so much, but they now have a family, and they are adjusting beautifully! (Hanh and Linn live in Texas, in Fort Worth, with their parents and nine brothers and sisters.)
If you want, I will send you a copy of my book, "A Family Made Out of Rainbows and Miracles: The Sandusky Family Story--A True Story of Love and International Adoption", which I wrote last year. That way, you can learn more about myself and my family, and also see pictures of the kids. That way, you can see what a very large family looks like, and you will find out that we are just like any other family, only there just happens to be more kids than usual! LOL Let me know if you want the book; in the meantime, I will personally autograph it to you, and I will send it to you at no cost to you whatsoever. I think you will find it interesting reading. At the end, in the appendix, I affixed some information, including web-sites, adoption agencies, and parent support groups, and I think you will find it a useful tool in your research. Good luck on your research! It will take time, but in the end, it will be worth it! I also included some disability information and organizations that you can contact; they will be more than happy to assist you with any questions or concerns that you may have!
Thank you again, Greta, for writing; I would write more, but I am going to get myself something to eat while I still can, and I will also get the book ready for you, to send to you. So be expecting a package from me in a week or so! Until I hear from you, take care of yourself and your family, and give your kids (((HUGS))) from me! Also God bless you all, and if you have ANY questions at all, don't hesitate to contact me! I will be more than happy to help you!
It's almost Christmas. Lynn Basil is writing her last book about a secret entrance into the magical doll land of Sha Bebe that she loves so much. Bagannos have taken over the world! Lynn finally meets her dolls in real life. Can she write in a Secret
Monday, the 20th of September, 2004, 10:46 a.m., C.S.T.~
