Five years ago was the day Colby had his stroke. How time flies once you get past the first year of recovery. That first year felt like ten. The last year for Colby felt like it was only a month or two long. The last year felt much longer for many other reasons but Colby definitely wasn’t one of them. He’s come a long way in the last year. We’ve tried a couple of different things like Serrapeptase which helped him be a lot more verbal. He’s wanting to do more things instead of just watch t.v. all day. He’s interacting with more people outside of school. I actually left him with a friend the other day for several hours and he didn’t have a complete melt down.
Of course he’s still a total stinker about some things like every week at therapy half way through it, he says he’s all done and won’t work anymore. He threw complete temper tantrums on the bus ride home every day until we figured out he just wanted to watch a movie because he was so bored. I can’t blame him an hour on the bus every day is pretty boring.
He’s still not a big fan of school. That’s pretty much an understatement. He thinks he should be able to stay home everyday and do nothing but play video games with his dad all day. He’s already started glaring at me when I mention the “S” word. School is such a naughty word!
I’ve been thinking today about some of the things I’ve learned over the last 5 years. Colby’s stroke isn’t just his. It’s affected us all. Jahnna is struggling with a friend who doesn’t understand what it’s like to have a brother with disabilities, John is worried about what will happen if his cancer comes back and how that will affect Colby and how he will be cared for, Riley so far hasn’t said to awful much so far but she’s never known any better. However, when I think of all the negative things I could focus on it always gets drowned out by the positive things that have happened.
Colby’s stroke has introduced us to more people than I can count. We’ve had the opportunity to let other’s into our lives in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’ve seen the goodness and compassion of a community come together to support a boy they didn’t know. I’ve felt so much love, more than I could ever express. I’ve learned to appreciate the small and simple things in life. I’ve learned how to be grateful for things I took for granted. I’ve learned the true meaning of exhaustion and have seen will power stronger than I could have ever known to exist. I’ve seen triumph over something as something as seemingly insignificant as a single step or knocking over a tower of blocks.
Every day I am so grateful that I am blessed to be able to care for and love Colby. I’m blessed to be his mother. Today more days than most I am so thankful for the amazing spirit and fight that boy has. I’m so thankful for his stubborn will to live, to fight the odds that were given him, for his smile, his laugh and his mischievous grin when he knows he’s being naughty. Today is the day we celebrate life!
you are amazing! Colby (and John, and Johna, and Riley) are so blessed to have you!
I second that, happy happy day. Enjoy today, and everyday after!