Feeling so grateful...

All it takes is one Dateline story about the deplorable conditions at an orphanage filled with special needs children in Russia to remind myself of how grateful I am that Kaitlyn continues to get taken care of by so many truly amazing people. Those of you who have children with special needs will understand just how many people have to come together to help give our children the best lives possible. Today I am thinking of some of those very special people...

The first is Lisa, a charming, sweet, caring and beautiful southern lady who exudes grace, warmth, and compassion. Lisa was one of the very first nurses to take care of Kaitlyn in the NICU. She worked the overnight shift, and spent more than one night literally keeping Kaitlyn alive. I can recall one night in particular when Lisa spent 12 hours walking back and forth from her paperwork station to Kaitlyn's isolette. Evidently every time Lisa stepped away, the alarms on Kaitlyn's monitors would start sounding because she stopped breathing. Lisa spent the entire night giving her oxygen to keep her breathing. She was the first person to give Kaitlyn a bath and brush her hair. When Kaitlyn was finally able to have her feeding tube removed, Lisa was the first person to feed her a bottle. It was such a huge relief for me to know that Lisa was there with Kaitlyn during those overnight hours when I couldn't be there. She referred to Kaitlyn as the "sweetest and petite-est" baby in the NICU. There was a very clear and special bond between Kaitlyn and Lisa from the day she was born. The best part about all of this is the fact that 7 years later we are still touch with this very special lady. We continue to exchange Christmas cards, and not a year has gone by that she hasn't sent Kaitlyn a birthday card. Lisa will always hold a very special place in all of our hearts.

The second person is the simply awesome Miss Pam. Pam was Kaitlyn's physical therapist in North Carolina. Following Kaitlyn's surgery when she was 2 years old, we were given a very strict and intensive physical therapy program to follow for the next 3 years. For the first year, the therapy was daily. Miss Pam brought her signature energy and enthusiasm to every single appointment. It was clear to me that she was every bit as invested in Kaitlyn's success as I was. Being a mother of 3 gorgeous children herself, Pam had the ability to understand that some days were going to be better than others, and adjusted each workout to Kaitlyn's demeanor that day. In the weeks immediately following the surgery, Pam came to our house and handled Kaitlyn in the most gentle and caring way, while still providing her with the important therapy she needed. When we moved from NC, it was harder to say goodbye to Pam than anyone else. She had truly become part of our family, and the thought of leaving her behind was heart-wrenching. To this day, she still checks in on Kaitlyn, and Kaitlyn still talks about Miss Pam, and misses her as much today as when we left nearly 3 years ago.

Finally, there is one more person who has come into our lives more recently, although it's hard to remember a time when we didn't know her! Miss Cheryl is Kaitlyn's physical therapist at school. She was one of the very first people we met when we moved into town, and we were blown away at how quickly she hit the ground running! She and Kaitlyn clicked immediately, and she quickly made several recommendations for equipment, classroom set-up, and schedule changes at school to make sure that Kaitlyn was comfortable, safe, and able to enjoy school just as much as the next child. She always keeps her therapy sessions fun for Kaitlyn, but still manages to get her to work her little butt off! With a very busy family of her own, she has one of the busiest schedules ever. However, she ALWAYS makes time for Kaitlyn. I can e-mail her at 6:00 am or 10:00 pm and she will immediately get back to me. She has worked tirelessly to complete the ridiculous amount of paperwork involved in getting Kaitlyn every piece of equipment she needs at home and at school. As Kaitlyn grows and her abilities improve, Cheryl is right on top of things constantly making suggestions for changes at school to keep up with Kaitlyn's changing needs. It is my hope that we will be able to live in this town until the kids graduate from high school. I have told Cheryl in no uncertain terms that I expect her to keep this job at least until 2022 when Kaitlyn graduates from high school!

So there you have it. Today I am taking some time to appreciate these amazing ladies. These are just three shining examples of the incredible group of people who have helped Kaitlyn reach so many of her goals!