Aasha Singh here.  Thought I would update you on our family's lives.

While we miss him dearly, ever since we had our son Sanjeet placed into a home, our lives are (nearly) back to normal.  Sanjeet is getting the best of care, and we enjoy visiting with him several times a week if we are able; if not, we see him just about every Saturday.  He is looking good, and he is always so glad to feel our presence when we do come.

Sanjeet was left horribly brain damaged after an accident two and a half years ago.  He accidentally hung himself while playing.  He's now unable to do anything for himself; others have to care for him now. 

It's been a long, hard struggle.

I was at the store when it happened.  Manjeet was home with him when the accident took place; I still blame myself for not being there to protect him.  If I had been home, maybe Sanjie wouldn't have ended up in the sad predicament he's now currently facing.

I still love my son, don't get me wrong; but when my relatives in India blame me for how he is, then what am I supposed to do??  Kill him??  Abandon him??  What????

It is nice, though, to live our lives as a normal (Indian) American family.  I still have my husband, Manjeet, and our ten-and-a-half year-old daughter, Vida Chunarum, to tend to.  They keep me sane; they are the glue that holds me together whenever I stress out about Sanjeet and what he must be going through at the home.

We go to our daughter's sporting events, take in a movie, go out to eat, even take our evening walks if it is not too cold outside.  Now that Christmas is coming, we also have to get the house in order, just in case some of our relatives back in India decide to pop in for a visit.

While we really don't celebrate Christmas (due to our Hindi belief), it is good for the children to have something to look forward to.  We do get Sanjie and Vida something to enjoy:  new books, new clothes, perhaps a toy or two.  I know Vida enjoys the twinkling lights; we do too; they are so pretty.

Unfortunately, Manjeet's job as a neurosurgeon sometimes requires him to work on Christmas or Thanksgiving.  That is okay.  We can work around it.  We're flexible people.

At the same time, we try to see Sanjeet as often as we can.  We want to let him know he is still part of our lives and that we haven't "forgotten" him.  I mean, how can we??  I think of his beautiful black eyes, his gorgeous wavy hair (he has his father's hair), and that lovely, ear-splitting grin of his, and I melt, each and every time.  He is a most beautiful little boy, even with all of his disabilities!

One of the things I look forward the most when we see him is holding him in my arms.  He loves the sensation of being rocked and held; he purrs with happiness.  He also loves it when we sing Hindi songs or play games with him, like blowing on his belly, or playing simple games with his fingers and toes.

The doctors and nurses do such a wonderful job in trying to keep him as healthy as possible.  With all of this swine flu going around, we've worried our minds silly about Sanjie because he's so medically fragile; amaingly enough, he hasn't had even as much as a sniffle!  He's remained incredibly healthy, which has been an answer to our prayers!

I am off to bed now.  Manjeet just got home from the hospital; he worked eighteen hours (he had five major surgeries to perform), and he's exhausted.  I will write in here again soon, with another update; until then, this is Aasha saying so long!  Take care!

~Aasha Singh.  :)