Tag: inspiration

Heroes, Little Will, Willie@4EverLeave a comment

Outings With Willie: A New Day

blkkat49

It’s the second day of a new school week. Willie woke again today saying he didn’t want to go to school. It was another morning where he was awake around 4:30 a.m. We have no idea why he wakes during these wee hours each night. He did return to sleep after about 40 minutes. This was better than returning to sleep minutes before the alarm goes off. He asked for Cheerios, which we don’t have…then he asked for chips which we did have. His choice of foods is so limited. Willie’s mom found articles regarding the effect of Autism on … Continue reading Outings With Willie: A New Day

Little Will, Willie@4Ever2 Comments

Outings With Willie: Snacks

blkkat49

So Willie wanted small chocolate chip cookies and Cheez-its. It was a beautiful day and his mom and I took him to ‘The Corner Store’ a couple of blocks away. The book bag carries Willie’s ever present bears. Willie felt pretty independent taking in the sights without his hand being held. A good tip we learned for taking Willie to the store is discussing with him exactly how many items he can get. In this case he wanted 2 specific items. After the store visit we all headed home. Willie carried his own goodies. At one point he even let … Continue reading Outings With Willie: Snacks

Autism, Heroes, Little Will, Willie@4Ever6 Comments

Outings With Willie

blkkat49

It has been a long while since I last blogged about Willie. There have been so much going on with him. We took Willie on the bus with his niece La’miya before the weather warmed up and headed for the park. After getting off the bus, we took a detour to the ice cream stand. Willie had ice cream, La’miya watched. (Secret. La’miya did taste ice cream with her mom.) We then walked to the park where Willie and La’miya both got on the swings. Willie watched a couple of guys playing catch. Then he climbed a tree. Back home, Willie … Continue reading Outings With Willie

Autism, Little Will, Willie@4Ever7 Comments

Willie At Home

blkkat49

A lot has been going on with Willie. He returns to school Monday from Christmas vacation, and he will be wearing his helmet and harness. With all the bus difficulties, they’ve switched bus aides. Willie now has the bus aide he started with in September…already there has been less complaints. Compatibility is everything. I was concerned about the harness…but the bus aide had the right idea…she told Willie it was his new bus uniform and he accepted it with no issues…the helmet he wears…but…he doesn’t like it…he tried to break it…but now seems to have accepted it. Before Christmas break, … Continue reading Willie At Home

Angels, The Rewards & Heartaches of Home Care8 Comments

You Don’t Have To Be Mobile To Move Someone

blkkat49

I have a friend named Michael, he’s a quadriplegic, and he leads a remarkable life. Though mute, and blind in one eye, Michael taps out short stories, directs photo shoots and prints out the pictures. All this he does with Morse Code and his chin to a switch. There are dozens of abbreviations in his head for sentences, phrases and paragraphs. He creates these, and puts them in his computer to use for communicating with others. His computer is his voice. Michael burns CDs to give as Christmas presents, birthday presents and just being nice to someone presents. He then goes a step further … Continue reading You Don’t Have To Be Mobile To Move Someone

what I see, what my camera sees1 Comment

Stealing Cars

blkkat49

I don’t have a driver’s license, never had one, but I steal cars as if it’s my job. My camera is my accomplice. We see them, we have to capture the image. . A Volkswagen in a nearly deserted parking lot, looked good in red. I glanced around, I saw no one. We stole it, my camera and I. Too many cars here. I drive a little, but not enough to get out of a tight space. My camera, however, can get into almost any space. This one tried to hide, We found it, we stole it. One car thought it … Continue reading Stealing Cars

Loving ChrisLeave a comment

Don’t

blkkat49

Don’t say that you miss me, just because I miss you. Don’t tell me you love me, if it isn’t true. Don’t send me the kisses, you send someone else. Don’t put yourself out there, while I’m on a shelf. Don’t let me shed tears for you, night after night. Don’t give me false hope, because that’s just not right. Don’t let me pray for you, to heaven above. Don’t let me feel sadness, as I feel this love. Don’t think that these feelings, are going away. Don’t think I won’t love you, til my dying day. Don’t think I … Continue reading Don’t

The Rewards & Heartaches of Home Care9 Comments

Can You Really Walk a Mile in The Shoes of a Quadriplegic?

blkkat49

“_* _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _* _ _ * * ***_ * *_* _*_* _ _ _ _ *_ _* _ _* * ***.” “Nothing ever changes.” “Twelve years is too long. I’m tired of nurses. I’m tired of my family. I’m tired of wishing I were dead.” I couldn’t escape Michael’s words, or the image of him lying there using Morse Code to tap out his emotions. What could I say? How could I respond? Webster’s definition of empathy: “the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions: the ability to … Continue reading Can You Really Walk a Mile in The Shoes of a Quadriplegic?

Angels, Musings10 Comments

Always On My Mind

blkkat49

12 years ago today, my beautiful niece was murdered by her boyfriend’s brother. It was the forth murder involving a family member, in my lifetime. People sometimes ask ‘do you remember what you were doing when…blah blah blah. I remember that day because it was my patient’s mother’s birthday, and I was at work when I got the call.Today brings the memories back of my brother and his ex-wife coming to Niagara Falls to arrange their daughter’s funeral. It brings to mind the trial that my brother could not be a part of, as my sister-in-law traveled constantly from Virginia … Continue reading Always On My Mind

Musings9 Comments

I Wonder What It Would Be Like To Be a Tree?

blkkat49

Last year my son L.D. came up with this concept and asked me to turn it into a story. Here is the result of our collaboration. A tree stands tall in a field, and every now and then it drops a leaf on the flowers below. The tree thinks, “I wonder what it would be like to be a flower?” After ten years the field is cleared for housing. The tree is felled, up-rooted and removed. It returns as a flower, never knowing it was once a tree. The flower sits in a garden, adding to its beauty to its … Continue reading I Wonder What It Would Be Like To Be a Tree?