OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREAT…
Author Alisha Prien
Man, what a week… Spencer ended up on antibiotics because the sickness he got last week went straight to his chest, which is standard when he gets unwell . ☹ Unfortunately, as with any child, you can only protect them so much, till eventually they are exposed either way to sickness and germs. Its either completely isolating him and keeping him away from everyone to stay healthy, (which means a very sad, boring and lonely life) or it’s encouraging him to be a part of society and inclusive in everyday activities apart of life, which in turn poses risk to illness and germs (particularly for those like spencer who are already immune compromised).
I swear there’s a movie about keeping a sick child in a house never to experience life and all its beauties… what a depressing story. I have never been one to let Spencer’s disability stop him from living a normal childhood. Do I worry constantly because of this… Yes, but I would feel worse if I didn’t give him every opportunity to experience being a kid as I do his siblings. I know there will be times where he cannot participate in certain things due to the restrictive nature of his body, but in the meantime, I will always do everything I can to make it work even if that means at times, I must be his body for him.
Sometimes I can see it in his face, the want and will when we go to the playground, as he sits in his chair observing all the children running around and playing tiggy smiling. His eyes and smiles often speak a thousand words. I see this as an opportunity, and pick him up even though he weighs about 16kg, and I know one day my back may scream at me for this… I run around with him and join in on the game the other kids are playing. Spencer’s smile brightens during this time, and he laughs almost the entire time we are playing. My arms meanwhile are begging me to put him down. The burning as my biceps take a hit is honestly torture, torture still worth the happiness of a smile and laugh. I’m pretty sure its not just the gym that has kept the old upper body strong so far, but also carrying Spencer around constantly.
I made a promise to myself after Spencer’s initial diagnosis at 3 weeks old. I made a promise that no matter what the outcome, I would do everything I could to give Spencer a great life, a normal and happy childhood. I feel like with this mentality, I’ve often applied it to my own life. The last few years have been brutal, and there are many times where I thought I honestly wouldn’t make it through such pain, but with that came so many opportunities to be better and do better and make something of my own life, just as I make something for my sons… 😊