Gina Pizzachini here. How are you? Hope this finds you well!
I am happy to report that since my last entry, our youngest child, three-year-old Colby Shane, is doing much better. He's gotten over his bug; he's enjoyed a round of good health. He's his usual sparkly, happy self; it's so good to hear his laughter ringing throughout the house!
Marko (Mark, Jr.), Christina, and Iza are doing fantastic, too: Christina made the cheerleading squad, Iza continues to be her sweet, shy self, and Marko is all boy: he wants to try out for the school baseball team when baseball tryouts start up in about a month and a half. The kids certainly keep me busy!
Mark (the big one, my husband) continues to be supportive of me when I am having my bad days with Colby. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, he always takes over, lets me take a nap or have a good cry. That always helps.
I sometimes feel like I'm the only one going through this: having a child who is seriously handicapped. I know I'm not, but I don't know of any other family going through what we are. I'm sure they're out there. Maybe I ought to join a community for mothers who have children who are seriously handicapped; maybe then I wouldn't feel so alone.
I am reading a very good book about a woman in Tennessee who has adopted a bunch of children; it is very good. Right now they have over sixty children, most of them handicapped. I don't know how they do it, but four children keep us hopping: I can't imagine parenting sixty children!! That must really be something to see!!
I wonder if she belongs to a parent support group? She must if she's taking care of that many children!
I'm sure she has a lot of advice that she can give to me.
The weather here is cold: such as the norm here in Winter Park, Colorado. Great skiing weather. The older kids get so much enjoyment out of skiing; I think it helps them forget of their littlest brother's medical problems. That's always good. They need to have a normal childhood once in a while!
I sometimes feel sad that Colby will never be able to ski. The only way he could possibly do so is if we put him on a sled, bundle him up good, and push him around in the snow, so that the wind blows on his face. I am sure he would enjoy it so much!
Or we could help Colby build a snowman. Or let him feel the snow in his hands, on his face, possibly get him involved in learning how to throw a snowball. Yes, we could think of ways for him to have fun, even though he is seriously limited on what he can do.
Where there's a will, there's always a way! :)
He may not be able to do much, but he's not totally helpless. At least we can give him an opportunity to enjoy life!
We have to take the good along with the bad. As I said in my last entry, our son can see. He can hear. He just can't walk, talk, eat on his own, or do much of anything else. He can smile, love, enjoy the simple things in life. Oh, if we could learn to see life as Colby does: the world would certainly be a lot nicer, less complicated!
Well, Colby's cooing (he must be awake), so I will go for now, tend to him. I will write in here again another day. Until then, this is Gina signing out of here! Take care, and may God bless you mightily!
~Love, your friend, Gina in Colorado. :)
