There are little windows in our world that we can peer through and clearly see from this world all the way to Heaven. Gazing through these little windows you will, no doubt, come upon the reflective eyes of God. --Allen L
Friday, August 21, 2020
Friday, August 14, 2020
When Joy Pierces Through
Even within the extreme limitations of a medically fragile classroom, the heights that can be scaled and claimed through tears of joy and happiness are beyond imagination. I constantly find myself in awe when joy pierces through the strained moments of daily routines and maintenance. Somehow (daily) a few moments of joy happen to occur. The good news is that joy and laughter are contagious in my classroom. The students feed off each other; they all want to be a part of the happy, chaotic, commotion. No one wants to be left out. Even those with severely limited vision and hearing are fully aware when happiness is in the air!
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Expanding Boundaries
When Kevin was still three, I can recall Kevin's mother, Susan, expanding his boundaries, away from the normal elements or comforts of bed and wheelchair.
One day, I arrived for my shift and Kevin, from his bed, was trying to communicate something concerning a large swivel chair that was positioned near his bed. Previously the basket-shaped swivel chair had been across the living room in a different spot. When I couldn't figure out exactly what Kevin wanted, his mother approached Kevin's Bed. I thought he wanted to put the chair back to its original place; but that was not the case. His mom quickly understood what Kevin wanted. He wanted to be moved into the swivel chair. I was a little hesitant as I was relatively new and had never really transferred or moved Kevin.
Susan asked me to give Kevin manual breaths (with an ambu-bag) while she extended the tubing from the ventilator to reach all the way to the large chair. She also put a couple pillows in the chair to better prop Kevin up. Once everything was in place, Kevin's mom lifted him and gently placed him in the chair. Kevin glanced at me while his mom reconnected him to the ventilator and adjusted the pillows. His eyes showed great joy and happiness. His mom explained that Kevin had enjoyed spinning in the chair (as far as the tubing would allow) the evening before. And now, I was being introduced to his expanding world. This would be a repeated pattern of joy in Kevin's life: always finding new ways to change, adapt, and enjoy the world around him. He spun in that chair for 3 hours that day.
One day, I arrived for my shift and Kevin, from his bed, was trying to communicate something concerning a large swivel chair that was positioned near his bed. Previously the basket-shaped swivel chair had been across the living room in a different spot. When I couldn't figure out exactly what Kevin wanted, his mother approached Kevin's Bed. I thought he wanted to put the chair back to its original place; but that was not the case. His mom quickly understood what Kevin wanted. He wanted to be moved into the swivel chair. I was a little hesitant as I was relatively new and had never really transferred or moved Kevin.
Susan asked me to give Kevin manual breaths (with an ambu-bag) while she extended the tubing from the ventilator to reach all the way to the large chair. She also put a couple pillows in the chair to better prop Kevin up. Once everything was in place, Kevin's mom lifted him and gently placed him in the chair. Kevin glanced at me while his mom reconnected him to the ventilator and adjusted the pillows. His eyes showed great joy and happiness. His mom explained that Kevin had enjoyed spinning in the chair (as far as the tubing would allow) the evening before. And now, I was being introduced to his expanding world. This would be a repeated pattern of joy in Kevin's life: always finding new ways to change, adapt, and enjoy the world around him. He spun in that chair for 3 hours that day.
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