Happy Fall to You All

Baby Christi, Fall 1997 (5 months old) This picture always makes me laugh; it's of our adored baby Christi in the pumpkin patch!

Yesterday we had an amazing guest from Arizona over for lunch. (He was changing planes in Cleveland, rented a car, drove all the way down to our house (1 1/2 hours each way) to deliver something very special to us made by Christi less than 24 hours before her precious little soul returned Home to our Savior. I've yet to hear if he made his flight back, but I hope so. I also hope to tell you more about "Christi's Charms" in the future. (How appropriate for "the little charmer", eh?!)

Last night we watched the DVD of the funeral. Even though we were disappointed with the sound quality during the entire Mass, the rest of it is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! It captured more than we could have ever recalled from our memories of that day. We were incredibly touched by all of the sweet people who attended and how hard the Trauneros work. The day was truly a blurr for us so to cuddle up last night with a big bowl of popcorn and to watch it was very comforting. Shayla had a great overnight with her good friend, Amber, and they even attended the YMCA's fall party. (Thanks, Sherri!)

Shayla picked out darling pink glasses, which she needs to be wearing all the time now. They should arrive in two weeks. (We had no idea she even needed glasses, oops!) I think before "cancer" I would have thought, "Oh no, my poor little girl needs to wear glasses," but since 2002 I look at things much differently! Unfortunately, in our haste of being so wrapped up in Christi and her care, Shayla's needs were once again pushed aside. (Yes, remember last year I sent her to school with countless ear aches until her ear drum actually ruptured at school- all because I was out of sick days and I couldn't let her have her third surgery for tubes until Christmas vacation. Ugh! I've yet to forgive myself for that!)

The glasses will be on top of the vision therapy I'm taking her to each week in Toledo (1 hour 45 minutes each way). I'm so glad I now have time to focus upon her needs and hopefully, after six months of six days a week of eye exercises and six months of driving to Toledo her "excessive convergence" problems will be solved. We are so grateful to Dr. Schader for examining her while we were in San Francisco and telling us, "I know exactly what's wrong with her reading." And the brilliant Robin hit the nail on the head! While Shayla didn't qualify for extra reading services at school, we knew she wasn't at the top of her class. Additionally, her IQ and other areas are so much higher than her reading area we didn't know why she was struggling so much and why she didn't enjoy it. Robin showed us that because her eyes do not focus correctly it's like three lines of text all blurring together as one and is making her eyes tire and giving her the headaches she complains about. (It's no wonder reading has been so hard for her!)

The developmental eye doctor in Toledo told me that it was 100% cureable - something I'm not used to hearing. She also told me insurance wouldn't cover it and it is extremely expensive - something I am used to hearing. When I asked how much she said, "$2,800". I chuckled to myself thinking, "We paid thousands more for stuff that didn't work; this seems like a tremendous bargin!" Shayla has been great about doing her eye exercises every day and we have hope this will help her. She's a champ!

I continue to reflect with amazement and to be most grateful for the kindness and support we've been so richly blessed with for so many years. THANK YOU!