Things are good!

I haven't written for a while because 'Kenna hasn't been feeling well. We spent Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday getting her feeding/vomiting back on track. Sheri and I have had plans to attend a PEP (parents encouraging parents) conference for months. I have actually wanted to go for years. Then I settled into the "no diagnosis" cruise mode. Then I got a diagnosis and wanted to go again. I could write a book about that conference. It was worth the time and energy spent to attend. I will write more later to give thanks to the people who made it possible. Our daycare: Kidz Construction has really earned my respect and gratitude and deserves more credit than they will get here, on this one post.
But it would not have been possible without Tanya and Jason Gardner! Tanya was Makenna's first childcare provider....And I mean when NO ONE ELSE would take her in their home. I suspect many of 'Kenna's "quirks" can be directly linked to that. But that is why she is so fun now! I doubt if I would have totally quit work to be a, full time, stay at home dad that Makenna would be much fun now. And I doubt we could have survived without Sheri keeping her job and the medical insurance Makenna was "born into". I have checked. No one else will write a policy on our family. I don't mean "high deductible". I mean, "sorry your family doesn't qualify, period!" If you have ever considered how the "Gerber Baby" would look once the load in its diaper has gotten, "cold and uncomfortable" you know what I mean.
Back to the conference. The PEP conference is put on by the Nebraska Department of Education. Similar things are available in other states in the US and probably world wide? Find one and attend if at all possible! No, you won't probably meet parents who understand what you go through every day, but you will share a lot and learn a lot.
I also believe the Dept. of Ed. thinks it is much easier to get a bunch of parents in one room to hash it out then have those same parents dump on the local school, or state department of education. But I digress. The conference was awesome!
Sheri got what she wanted out of the conference. She actually posted a message on the board seeking a reply from a specific question or audience. I got what I wanted out of the conference and then some. I really like talking to parents of children with disabilities and I like talking about disabilities. My head still hurts from my inability to detach from that goal and enjoy some "down time". I have never had that opportunity and treated it "like a free buffet for the mind", but my mind wasn't up to the task.
A couple of other great things that have happened in the last week: Muuwired made contact with me! If you don't know what that means read further down in my blog. Then go to Makingcontact.org and send him a message. The second thing would be "Rob" replied to my email. I heard his story three weeks ago on NPR and immediately dashed off an email. NPR's story was mostly about his book, Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with His Wordless Daughter (Hardcover). The real story is in the blog he has created. Robert Rummel-Hudson (robert@schuylersmonster.com I will buy the book! But want to digest the blog and the comments first. So when this blog is too slow go there for a "pick-me-up"! He says many things I think but just can't write. Rob started his blog early, before Schuyler's diagnosis so he can say what he still thinks now. Clyde