Three years ago...

Three years ago today, Brett and I had a very difficult day. I left work early because we had a doctor's appointment for Jenelle - just the usual 6 month well baby check up. However, on this day, we had a lot of questions and things to discuss with Dr. Patel. While we still had hope that Jenelle was just acting like a "premature baby", we feared there was something more.

At 6 months, Jenelle was not sitting up, she could barely hold up her head, and couldn't even bear weight on her legs. She was as floppy as a rag doll. She was content though, slept well and had just mastered rolling over. There was hope. After a long discussion, Dr. Patel agreed there might be something more and put in for a referral to a neurologist. Basically, the beginning of Jenelle's Journey.

After that appointment, we took the kids to grandma's, and went to a funeral. We barely knew the young man who had died, but we knew his parents well. His Mom was like a mentor to me as a paralegal, and his life paralleled ours in many ways - we got married a month apart, we had babies weeks apart, and he was our age. Danny died of a cancerous brain tumor - his fourth. It was such a difficult day to endure.

I don't really see Danny's Mom Linda as much anymore. Prior to his death a group of us including Linda tried to meet for dinner every other month. They were my "paralegal support group." Things changed that day 3 years ago for all of us. A few months later, Jenelle was diagnosed with Epilepsy, and the only words to describe that time in our life would be chaotic. Linda changed too - I cannot imagine burying your child, even a child at age 30. Parents are not supposed to out live their children. The family remained strong, and her daughter married later that year, but I know it has always been difficult and different since Danny died. And he left a young wife and 2 year old daughter.

Linda has been on my mind so much lately. I really need to email her or call. She has been a source of great support because she can relate to the seizures since Danny had them from his tumor. It's not easy to watch a child have a grand mal - I can't imagine watching a full grown man. Linda tells me that she knows Danny is watching us all - and she often prays to him to take care of Jenelle. The funny thing, I think he is watching her and taking care of us all. And life goes on.

So while today is an anniversary of sorts in that this is where Jenelle's Journey begins, I can't believe its been 3 years. The recent months have been good to our girl, and we'll take it! I hope we have many years to come.