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Time to go (past time actually)...have a great day to you all!

From: Debb:frowy

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N F C said:
Debb:frowy?

Chris, did you have an early meeting with Gordon's?
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Sadly not. Stupid iPad thingy and predictive text - don't ask me why, but it inserts an emoticon after the last letter I type, rather than after the last letter of a word (if I use a suggested word) - got a couple of suggested words for Apple myself!
 
Good grief! I haven't been on much what with taking care of Kendra and getting ready for the cruise, but I finally plop down for a few minutes and have to put on sunglasses to see the screen - all that new bling on some people's names now.......congrats!! Wear those badges well - you earned them.

Bert, thanks for the link. What a fantastic idea for not only the people and pets they mentioned in the story, but also for kids like Katie and Kendra. Hyperaccusis isn't well known, even by the families of the kids who have it. Many don't ever know their kids have it. It's very common in kids with Autism, but Katie was 5 years old before her geneticist even mentioned the possibility to us. Until then, we thought, "Well, some kids aren't bothered by noise, but others are scared, and Katie is one of the scared ones." and left it at that. We never dreamed that it was actually physically painful - sometimes almost excruciating depended on the level and the pitch of the sound. Lots of misplaced guilt after that, I'll tell ya.

But I am beyond thrilled to announce that this year, for the first time, Katie joined me in watching the entire display!! We had just turned off the lights in the house to sit by the living room window and watch when there was a beam of flashlight at the door and a little knock. She thought we'd gone to bed because the house was dark already, or she'd have just walked in. Anyway, she had her lawn chair, her flashlight, and a plastic bag, and reeked of mosquito repellent. "Gramma, can we sit in the old truck and watch the fireworks?" Oh, boy, CAN we ever!!

I grabbed a lawn chair, a blanket, and my pop, and out we went. I lowered the tailgate on the old Ford pickup and we climbed in - what a great vantage point! I have huge - I mean HUGE - trees in my yard and when we watch from the window or the side yard they kinda hinder some of the display. But the old pickup is now parked beyond the trees, on the side of the street, and we had a totally unobstructed view. She got settled in, opened her little plastic bag and took out her foam ear plugs and her noise blocking headphones and set them in her lap, we covered up with our light blanket, and she reached under the blanket for my hand. While we waited for the show to start, I told her that if it started to bother her it was okay to go back inside. But nope, she said she could handle it. She did! She jumped and slapped her hands over her ears at the first volley, then stuffed in her ear foam and put on the headphones. You have to remember we are just a couple of blocks from ground zero, so "loud" doesn't begin to cover the noise level. I glanced over at her from time to time, and once I saw a tear trickle down, but she quickly wiped it away and I didn't comment so she probably doesn't even know I saw it. I can't even convey how proud she was of herself - even during the finale she did great. But she never let go of my hand.

When it was over, she gave me a hug and said, "I did it!! I got to see the whole thing this time! Thanks, Gramma." In the past she's come over and sat in the lawn chairs with me in the yard, but never sticks out the whole time, and that was okay. We packed up our stuff, got out of the truck, and did a couple of high-fives. I was going to walk her home because by then the neighbors were in the vacant lot across the street the other direction, shooting off their fireworks and making a sort of gauntlet for her to pass by, but Jenny showed up to help her. Katie said, "Mom, did you see the ones that looked like hearts? They were my favorite!" and I could hear her chattering up a storm all the way home. I can't describe how huge this is for Katie. Kendra didn't have such a good time, I guess. She finally figured out to keep the headphones on, but even then she was whimpering and trembling during the entire display. She alternated between sitting on Mommy and Daddy's laps, burying her head under her comfy quilt in the safety of her living room. It'll be a long time before she's where Katie is now - if ever - but that's okay too!
 
Blooie said:
Good grief! I haven't been on much what with taking care of Kendra and getting ready for the cruise, but I finally plop down for a few minutes and have to put on sunglasses to see the screen - all that new bling on some people's names now.......congrats!! Wear those badges well - you earned them.

Bert, thanks for the link. What a fantastic idea for not only the people and pets they mentioned in the story, but also for kids like Katie and Kendra. Hyperaccusis isn't well known, even by the families of the kids who have it. Many don't ever know their kids have it. It's very common in kids with Autism, but Katie was 5 years old before her geneticist even mentioned the possibility to us. Until then, we thought, "Well, some kids aren't bothered by noise, but others are scared, and Katie is one of the scared ones." and left it at that. We never dreamed that it was actually physically painful - sometimes almost excruciating depended on the level and the pitch of the sound. Lots of misplaced guilt after that, I'll tell ya.

But I am beyond thrilled to announce that this year, for the first time, Katie joined me in watching the entire display!! We had just turned off the lights in the house to sit by the living room window and watch when there was a beam of flashlight at the door and a little knock. She thought we'd gone to bed because the house was dark already, or she'd have just walked in. Anyway, she had her lawn chair, her flashlight, and a plastic bag, and reeked of mosquito repellent. "Gramma, can we sit in the old truck and watch the fireworks?" Oh, boy, CAN we ever!!

I grabbed a lawn chair, a blanket, and my pop, and out we went. I lowered the tailgate on the old Ford pickup and we climbed in - what a great vantage point! I have huge - I mean HUGE - trees in my yard and when we watch from the window or the side yard they kinda hinder some of the display. But the old pickup is now parked beyond the trees, on the side of the street, and we had a totally unobstructed view. She got settled in, opened her little plastic bag and took out her foam ear plugs and her noise blocking headphones and set them in her lap, we covered up with our light blanket, and she reached under the blanket for my hand. While we waited for the show to start, I told her that if it started to bother her it was okay to go back inside. But nope, she said she could handle it. She did! She jumped and slapped her hands over her ears at the first volley, then stuffed in her ear foam and put on the headphones. You have to remember we are just a couple of blocks from ground zero, so "loud" doesn't begin to cover the noise level. I glanced over at her from time to time, and once I saw a tear trickle down, but she quickly wiped it away and I didn't comment so she probably doesn't even know I saw it. I can't even convey how proud she was of herself - even during the finale she did great. But she never let go of my hand.

When it was over, she gave me a hug and said, "I did it!! I got to see the whole thing this time! Thanks, Gramma." In the past she's come over and sat in the lawn chairs with me in the yard, but never sticks out the whole time, and that was okay. We packed up our stuff, got out of the truck, and did a couple of high-fives. I was going to walk her home because by then the neighbors were in the vacant lot across the street the other direction, shooting off their fireworks and making a sort of gauntlet for her to pass by, but Jenny showed up to help her. Katie said, "Mom, did you see the ones that looked like hearts? They were my favorite!" and I could hear her chattering up a storm all the way home. I can't describe how huge this is for Katie. Kendra didn't have such a good time, I guess. She finally figured out to keep the headphones on, but even then she was whimpering and trembling during the entire display. She alternated between sitting on Mommy and Daddy's laps, burying her head under her comfy quilt in the safety of her living room. It'll be a long time before she's where Katie is now - if ever - but that's okay too!
Click to expand...
dang dust is blowing everywhere around the office today!!

great story gal, but even better on Kendra!!
 
Blooie said:
Good grief! I haven't been on much what with taking care of Kendra and getting ready for the cruise, but I finally plop down for a few minutes and have to put on sunglasses to see the screen - all that new bling on some people's names now.......congrats!! Wear those badges well - you earned them.

Bert, thanks for the link. What a fantastic idea for not only the people and pets they mentioned in the story, but also for kids like Katie and Kendra. Hyperaccusis isn't well known, even by the families of the kids who have it. Many don't ever know their kids have it. It's very common in kids with Autism, but Katie was 5 years old before her geneticist even mentioned the possibility to us. Until then, we thought, "Well, some kids aren't bothered by noise, but others are scared, and Katie is one of the scared ones." and left it at that. We never dreamed that it was actually physically painful - sometimes almost excruciating depended on the level and the pitch of the sound. Lots of misplaced guilt after that, I'll tell ya.

But I am beyond thrilled to announce that this year, for the first time, Katie joined me in watching the entire display!! We had just turned off the lights in the house to sit by the living room window and watch when there was a beam of flashlight at the door and a little knock. She thought we'd gone to bed because the house was dark already, or she'd have just walked in. Anyway, she had her lawn chair, her flashlight, and a plastic bag, and reeked of mosquito repellent. "Gramma, can we sit in the old truck and watch the fireworks?" Oh, boy, CAN we ever!!

I grabbed a lawn chair, a blanket, and my pop, and out we went. I lowered the tailgate on the old Ford pickup and we climbed in - what a great vantage point! I have huge - I mean HUGE - trees in my yard and when we watch from the window or the side yard they kinda hinder some of the display. But the old pickup is now parked beyond the trees, on the side of the street, and we had a totally unobstructed view. She got settled in, opened her little plastic bag and took out her foam ear plugs and her noise blocking headphones and set them in her lap, we covered up with our light blanket, and she reached under the blanket for my hand. While we waited for the show to start, I told her that if it started to bother her it was okay to go back inside. But nope, she said she could handle it. She did! She jumped and slapped her hands over her ears at the first volley, then stuffed in her ear foam and put on the headphones. You have to remember we are just a couple of blocks from ground zero, so "loud" doesn't begin to cover the noise level. I glanced over at her from time to time, and once I saw a tear trickle down, but she quickly wiped it away and I didn't comment so she probably doesn't even know I saw it. I can't even convey how proud she was of herself - even during the finale she did great. But she never let go of my hand.

When it was over, she gave me a hug and said, "I did it!! I got to see the whole thing this time! Thanks, Gramma." In the past she's come over and sat in the lawn chairs with me in the yard, but never sticks out the whole time, and that was okay. We packed up our stuff, got out of the truck, and did a couple of high-fives. I was going to walk her home because by then the neighbors were in the vacant lot across the street the other direction, shooting off their fireworks and making a sort of gauntlet for her to pass by, but Jenny showed up to help her. Katie said, "Mom, did you see the ones that looked like hearts? They were my favorite!" and I could hear her chattering up a storm all the way home. I can't describe how huge this is for Katie. Kendra didn't have such a good time, I guess. She finally figured out to keep the headphones on, but even then she was whimpering and trembling during the entire display. She alternated between sitting on Mommy and Daddy's laps, burying her head under her comfy quilt in the safety of her living room. It'll be a long time before she's where Katie is now - if ever - but that's okay too!
Click to expand...

Sent a tear trickling down my cheek, for sure!
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