Category: Lauren

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“Battered n’ Worn”

I have recently completed a painting called, ‘Battered n’ Worn’ (view on my Facebook Page: ‘Harris’ Artistic Designs’). It depicts a scene of an old, weather beaten shed and an overturned ‘punt’ that had seen better days. And the boisterous sea just uncaringly raging in the background. While I was engrossed in the actual painting of the scene itself, I really didn’t give much thought to what I would name the painting or what the painting was actually trying to say to me; not until it was competed! And then I stepped back and viewed it from a distance, it really told the story of my life and how I was actually feeling right at that moment. I had painted my life and it was ‘Battered n’ Worn’.

I have fought this crippling, disabling sea of depression and anxiety for far too long and it was starting to show. That along with ALL of the other winds and weather, had left me battered and worn. I was and is feeling much like that deserted, weather beaten shed; ready to crumble if I had to withstand just one more storm. How much can one withstand before the storms of life just leave you battered and worn; before the shed can take no more and just eventually crumbles beneath the beatings of the storms of it’s life.

If the only battle I had to fight was for my mental health, then maybe I could withstand that. But when the storms of life, and they are many, come beating you down and the winds are taking you off your feet, the rain as saturated your skin, right to the bones. The cold, cold air as left you numb, the raging sea is pulling you down into it’s clutches and you are drowning, gasping, gasping, gasping for air.

But you cannot keep a good ma down, no matter what others may think or say about you; you forgive and move on. You get up and dust yourself off, and we have had to do this many a times, and keep moving on.

One such battle that we have fought and I believe now is the time to let the world know how Lauren was discriminated against by Skate Canada, Skate NL and the CBNSC. I will give them the benefit of the doubt that it may not have been intentional but as defined by Human Rights: ‘Intention to discriminate is not a requirement to a finding of discrimination’. The full story can be found on our website: www.harrislisa72.com called, ‘I Want To Skate Like ‘Bruddy”. But the story doesn’t end there. I filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and won the right to file a ‘formal complint’ against Skate Canada NL. This was no easy journey, filled with anxiety, fear and intimidation. You see, Skate Canada (on behalf of Skate NL and CBNSC) hired a lawyer to fight their battles (an intimidation tactic I’m sure, hoping we would back off, not a chance). I followed through with the Human Rights procedure in settling this injustice.

This is what we were offered to keep our mouths shut and not proceed any further. Sadly to say, we could not proceed any further because we did not have the money to obtain legal counsel of our own and I could not fight anymore. But this is what we were offered and I am quoting Skate Canada’s lawyer, ‘My client is prepared to pay the sum of $2000.00 in settlement of this matter. These funds would be paid in exchange for a release which acknowledges no admission of liability on the part of my client. A condition of the proposed settlement is a confidentiality agreement. This proposal would not see the provision of an apology on the part of my client’. Obviously we did not accept the ‘bribe’ and because we really could not pay for a lawyer, we had to withdraw the complaint.

Did we lose? Not at all. First of all we did pass the requirements and was awarded an ‘Official Complaint with the Human Rights Commission’. That was the first hurdle and we leaped that one, without any problem. We knew we had a legitimate complaint. And although we had no admission of guilt on either of the three clubs involved; we ourselves knew by their actions of hiring a lawyer and offering money for a confidentiality agreement, that we had won.

I write this because it is not Lauren’s Cerebral Palsy that we are fighting against but an everyday fight for her rights as an equal, inclusive and accepted little girl that needs to live a happy life, in spite of the injustices, the stigma, the unfairness and lack of compassion that is still prevalent in our so-called ‘Society’ today. And this is just one example of what we have to deal with on a day to day basis. And yet we have to stay strong because the challenges that come with Cerebral Palsy alone is enough to ‘break’ any man or woman!

So today as battered and worn has we may feel, we will fix up that old shed and polish ourselves off and lift our heads high and be proud parents, that want nothing more then for their children to have the best life possible; against all odds. And we will not give up the fight, we are going to brush ourselves off and start again. It’s not a choice, we have to do it, if we are going to survive the raging storms in our  lives!

 

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Wings To Fly

When Lauren was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy at the age of one, little did we realize just what we were about to encounter. Lauren is now six and the battle still rages. It’s not just about the actual struggles that we have to encounter with Lauren’s physical, psychological and emotional needs that are associated with cerebral palsy. But it’s also the strain that CP puts upon the whole family unit. It’s the financial strain and stress that it places on the parents to provide even the basic needs for a disabled child. It’s the worry of being able to provide adequate care when your limited resources are just not enough.

Lauren’s kindergarten year has been anything but smooth. It’s now April 2019 and she is just starting to readjust to being in school. Lauren as spent all Fall and Winter recovering from two hip reconstructive surgeries, it’s only now that she’s feeling much better. Her transition back into the classroom is going really well, as long as we take it slow and steady.

One of the more difficult challenges would be the financial burden it places on  us. For example, Lauren requires much needed equipment and aids in order to care for her properly and safely. But we don’t qualify for any Government assistance whatsoever. So anything Lauren requires, we have to find a way to purchase it and that would be through fundraising. And we as her parents should not have to depend on fundraising to meet her needs; Government funding should be available for all disabled children, not just a few. This is why we have advocated so diligently on her behalf because she and others like her deserve every opportunity that every other child avails of.

This is why we have advocated through every means available including; social media, television, radio, internet, and newspaper. This is one of my post that I published recently on social media:

I don’t consider myself a political person, I really didn’t have any reason or motivation to get involved. To be honest, I rarely voted. But I will certainly make my vote count in this election! And it certainly won’t be for the present party. Right now I have lots of reason and motivation to get involved. When our now, six year old little girl got diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, little did I know just how involved in politics I would have to be. I have advocated on her behalf, to every Government Department and Level available to me; with absolutely no success. All we needed was some respite care to help us with Lauren who needs 24/7 care, all we got was, ‘you don’t qualify’. Yet here we were two parent on disability, caring for a disabled child; who could be more qualified for assistance? But to this present day we have received no help, no funding, no nothing from a ‘Disabled Government’! We are so desperate for help in caring for Lauren but our present Government as just turned their backs on us but not just us but a six year old little girl who is so deserving of so much more. Shame on our present Government and present MHA who’s last correspondence to us was (and I’m quoting her), ‘Here’s some federal info-‘ Need I say any more! This post stirred up a lot of interest and public awareness of what parents of disabled children really need. Shortly thereafter CBC Here & Now and CBC Radio did amazing stories of our struggle and fight for Government support.

Another great need would be respite care, for which we qualify for none. And sad to say, ‘we are not the only parents that are struggling for the same basic needs’. We are taking care of Lauren 24/7, around the clock care. The toll this as had on us has her parents is both physically and mentally draining to the point where you are surviving, not living. This is no way for anyone to live, both our children deserve so much better but sad to say, ‘both suffer because our Government will not intervene’. If Government is not willing to listen and to make changes to our present system, then these helpless children from all across Newfoundland and Labrador, will be deprived of the proper care that they require and deserve.

Maybe what is needed is for all parents with disabled children, who are not able to financially provide  and care properly for their children due to lack of finances, is to drop our children off at the Premier’s Office and say, ‘Now you take care of them and you decide which ones should ‘fall through the cracks’ (direct quote from Premier Ball). And maybe the MHA could offer him some respite care. But the message needs to get out there, loud and clear, that we are not going anywhere and we will continue to advocate for our children (speaking for all parents in the same situation as we are) until we are heard.

The road that Lauren is travelling, is a road with many twists and turns; you never know what’s around the corner, it’s a road that never ends. Cerebral Palsy is so unpredictable and ever changing, each day brings with it new challenges and new road blocks. But Lauren is a Warrior Princess and will fight for what she needs. She is strong, courageous and brave and will overcome any obstacle that is put in her path.  She may not walk (right now) but she does have wings to fly!

 

 

 

 

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Living In An Unjust World

When Lauren was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the age of one; I knew we were in for the challenge of our lives. What I didn’t know was what those challenges would entail. We have had many obstacles, uncertainties, and battles that no human should have to fight. We have been bombarded by policy, protocol and ‘the Systems'( there are more then one).

If there ever was a day when I felt I failed my little girl, it was today. If there ever was a day I felt that the ‘systems’ failed her, then that would be every day. It’s been one disappointment after another, but why does it have to be that way? You would think a child with a disability would come first, no matter what; if it meant it was going to improve the quality of life for that child. But that’s not the way our society/world works. Agenda, policy and protocol supersedes the rights and privileges of even a little child. When you are faced with the real world, with a child who has a disability, you soon learn and experience things you would never believe otherwise.

I could share with you many injustices, discriminations, unfairness, inequalities, exclusions and the list could go on. I could name names of people from the school system, the School Board, the Dept. of Education itself, owners of public buildings, including Government buildings, all levels of Government from MHA’s-MP’s, Skate Canada; to name a few. But for our own sakes and the protection of our children, I won’t go there (right now anyway).

I have learned that we live in such a corrupt world, that human life is nothing more than a name or number on a piece of paper. We have fought many battles, that no parent should ever have to fight when they are already fighting against the biggest  battle of  their lives  already, by raising a child with no supports, with so many needs. But I have found that some battles are never meant to be won. And at this point because I have failed to win some of those battles, I feel I have failed.

Just to give you an example, here is an excerpt of an email that I sent to the Human Rights Commission (kind of ironic in a way that I felt I was fighting the Human Rights Commission for human rights!). “So it is with great regret that we wish to withdraw our complaint: not that I don’t believe we don’t have a solid and valid case but we just don’t have the money to pay for a lawyer to represent Lauren. We live in a very unjust Society, when a five year old, disabled child is denied legal counsel because we are not rich. I believe I have failed my little girl but I will not take all the blame, I also feel The Human Rights Commission as failed her because they have failed to provide her with the rights she so deserves as a human being, the Legal  System as failed her and Society as an whole. I will close this matter with a saddened and broken heart on behalf of Lauren. I am tired of fighting for Lauren’s rights and getting nowhere but I can say with certainty that I have tried with all I have, but there comes a time when you know you can do no more and I have reached that point”. This is just one of the many battles that we have been fighting behind the scenes, that nobody knows about and there are more.

The energy, the stress and stamina that is required to fight such needless battles is overwhelming. We are tired and exhausted but we have to go on and make the best life we can for Lauren, despite the forces that are against us.  She deserves so much more, but lives in an uncaring world (for the most part, not all); that policy, protocol and agenda come first. I feel nothing but sadness for those who enforce these policies and protocol. I don’t know how they sleep at night, when they would rather protect their own agenda over that of a five year old, disabled child. And that my friend, is why we live in an unjust world!

 

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My Letter To Santa

My Letter To Santa

 

                                                                                                                         Hey Santa,

 

I don’t have a Christmas wish this year.

What I want you can’t pull out of your magical bag.

Your elves can’t make it.

You can’t wrap it in pretty paper and tie it in a bow.

 

What I want this Christmas is not a wish but a prayer.

You see Santa I need a Christmas miracle.

But Santa you would have to say a Christmas prayer.

And when you do could you ask Jesus for a gift that can’t be tied with a bow.

 

You see Santa, my little girl needs Jesus healing touch; not a doll this year, not a stuffed toy, nor an iPad.

I believe Santa if you ask, maybe, just maybe she would get her Christmas miracle.

A gift that will take away all her tears of pain, no more surgeries, no more walkers, standers, wheelchairs.

Please Santa tell Jesus to just let her walk this Christmas. That is my Christmas prayer this year.

 

My gift you see comes in the form of a prayer.

And I believe that Jesus is listening, even to Santa this year.

 

So Jesus, tell Santa we won’t be needing gifts or presents that can be wrapped under our tree.

But this year we’re going to receive our Christmas Miracle.

 

But Jesus, we won’t be greedy and forget all the other boys and girls that are sick, hungry, abused, extorted and even alone this Christmas.

Could you please visit them for me and sit them on your knee and tell them you love them and everything is going to be alright.

 

Maybe Jesus you can tell Santa that when he makes his rounds this Christmas; that he would make their Christmas wishes come true.

Take away their hurt, Jesus, their pain and hunger too,

may this be their best Christmas ever.

 

I’ll leave that up to you Jesus because I still believe; miracles do happen!

Sincerely Yours,

A Loving Father, Harris   

 

 

 

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Waiting For Lauren

I’m standing at the kitchen cabinets, sipping on my coffee; my holy water. But from the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of something that wasn’t always there. I quickly turn my eyes back to my mug of coffee, I don’t want to look at ‘it’. Why can’t I be just dreaming? I guess it wouldn’t be classified as a dream but a nightmare. I  capture another glance, maybe this time it’ll be gone. But no, there they both appear; motionless ,empty, just waiting…. waiting for Lauren. Her ‘Zippy’ (I guess it’s supposed to be a more glamorous word for wheelchair) and her borrowed ‘Stander’. I hate them both, I hate Cerebral Palsy, I hate what it has done to our little girl and what it is doing. There is no end in sight, no happy endings, no happily ever after. Just uncertainties, pain and the great unknown. Because with CP you never know what a day will bring forth.

But still from the corner of my eye I see ‘it’. It really looks like something from the movie; Silence of the Lambs, where Hannibal Lecter is strapped to a chair for transportation while in prison for various murders and cannibalism. This chair is to immobilize it’s occupant, while the chair I’m looking at is to mobilize it’s occupant; but yet they look the same; ugly! But we have to look pass the ugly and see what this chair can do for Lauren. In reality, no child should have to be strapped to any chair but sometimes some children don’t have any other options. So now we have to see the beauty in these mobile apparatuses and look pass the unfairness, the confinement and the not so pretty side. And look at what these chairs and apparatuses can do for our child’s mobility and benefit; despite what we really feel inside .When really this morning, I can’t focus both my eyes on either. When really I’m screaming on the inside; Why? Why? Why?. Please don’t tell me you have an answer because I believe there are some things in life there are just no answers. When really what I would like to do with all of it is to take a sledgehammer and beat it up, piece by piece.

But in reality I know I can’t do that. I just wanted you to feel our pain and to understand, even just a little of what this does to a parents heart and soul. But  for those out there who don’t have a disabled child, you cannot feel our pain, you can only imagine and that doesn’t even come close. I don’t blame you, it’s just the way it is. So today if you have healthy children; be thankful, never take it for granted and teach your children that kids with disabilities are children too and are to be respected and loved. And not looked upon has having some contagious disease or less of a person because they are sitting in a wheelchair or some other mobile device. They are human beings with an heart and feelings that are greater then what I can ever imagine. No matter what diagnosis they may have, whether that being Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Down Syndrome, etc. we are all the same, we are all human beings and that label you cannot remove.

It’s still so sad that we live in a Society that stigmatizes anyone that is outside what Society defines as being ‘normal’ We are all different and that’s a good thing; acceptance and love for all is our biggest obstacle. So today I will try with all I have in me to look at these mobile apparatuses as being a good thing because without them whether we want to believe and accept it or not; Lauren needs them. And for her sake, I will do whatever it takes to make her life has pleasant, happy and mobile as it can be. Because  she’s a ‘Princess’ that only rides in her ‘Chariot’.

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Lord I Believe

‘The quality of being thankful, readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness’. That’s how google defines gratitude, that just doesn’t do it justice. Gratitude doesn’t just come from your mouth has words but from your heart. It’s an overflowing of thankfulness that is felt only from deep inside. There were days I thought I would never feel gratitude again.

It’s been years since I’ve been able to live a normal, functional life. The disabling, crippling disease of mental illness has stolen from my life immensely. But everyday I live my best life, despite my illness, some days better then others. And everyday, little by little I have fought to regain some of my ‘normal life’. Times when I wouldn’t be overwhelmed with anxiety and fear when I attempted to perform life’s simple task. For me, the simple task that I would  normally just do without even thinking; now have turned into a mountain of anxiety.

But today I am so grateful for the simple things that I now can perform. One in particular I have to share with you, to help you understand my point. It’s been six years since I have driven on the Trans Canada Highway. Lauren is presently admitted to the Janeway Children’s Hospital. Lisa stays with her and I visit when I can because one of us as to stay with Logan. I was forced into a position where if I wanted to be with Lauren while Logan was in school, I had to overcome this phobia. How am I ever going to do this? When my brain says, ‘you can’t!’

I stayed home one day because Logan had to go skating with his school class and a parent had to be present. I knew I couldn’t stay away from the hospital for two days and my pride didn’t want to ask anyone to give me a lift to the hospital (only an hour away). But to me that seemed like a six hour drive. But I was determined.

The problems, trials, sicknesses and uncertainties, have moved in, in abundance. Making it next to impossible to feel gratitude for anything. When everything else was so overwhelming and drowned any feelings of gratitude that tried to seep in. Lauren’s Spring/Summer/Fall was basically spent in bed, lying on her back; due to one surgery after another. And we has her caregivers/parents were feeling the weight of the load. We were at the bottom of a very dark hole.

I knew we were running on empty, hope was depleting and our human strength was failing us. We were beginning to question, how can we go on? There was nothing humanly possible that anyone or ourselves could do, we were at, what felt like, a dead end. But I remembered my Dad (who is now passed) was a prayer warrior, a man of faith and strength. I was home alone, what did I have to loose. So to my knees I fell, if I could pray Heaven down to us, it was going to be today. And pray I did, for every ugly situation in our lives, that was out of our control. And do you know what? Heaven did come down! I prayed from the depths of my heart and soul, for the power of God to take over, I was done, now it was up to Him.

You may call it coincidence and foolishness. You may call it what you like, but I call it a visitation of the power of God. ‘He came to me, when I could not come to where He was, He came to me’. That night before Logan and I went to bed, Lisa texted me a picture of Lauren sitting in her wheelchair (a miracle), we hadn’t seen Lauren sit for months; she was always in a lying position when in cast or out. An here she was just the next day sitting, my heart leaped for joy ad gratitude. I could not believe what I was seeing, that’s impossible. But then again we serve the God of the impossible, anything is possible with Him. My hope was renewed.

And today I made that one hour trip to  visit Lauren at the hospital, all by myself. It’s ironic because prior to my severe depression and anxiety; I could drive across Canada and probably wouldn’t think twice. But today I was not alone, I had an unseen passenger. There were many times  in the pass six years I have questioned God’s presence and power but today I know He is present and is ever present.

Today I am filled with gratitude to God. “To God be the Glory, Great Things He Hath Done”. And great things I believe He will continue to do, if we just believe. Lord I Believe!

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It Can’t Be In Vain

It’s kind of ironic that it’s when I’m in the most pain, it’s then I can write the most. It doesn’t take away the pain, it just helps to alleviate it a little. Gives me the feeling that I’m talking to someone, that I’m baring my soul to them, which in turn lightens the load a little.

Today my heart is broken, the pain that I (we) bear is so overwhelming. Up until yesterday, Lauren as been in bed not wanting to be moved because every time she did, she was thrown into an ocean of unbearable pain. Has her parents, we have been drained, emotionally, physically, psychologically and spiritually. How long can we stand by and watch our helpless five years old angel just not want to move and cry screams of terror if she did. We plead with God to make it stop! What is the purpose of al this pain; she is innocent, helpless and fragile?  Please just make it stop!

Early yesterday morning the phone rings. Lisa answers, it was Lauren’s Orthopedic surgeon. I knew by the look on her face, something’s not right. How often do you get a call directly from your doctor? Pretty much never. But here he was calling us personally; he wanted Lauren to be admitted again, immediately, today. Lisa finished the conversation and told me the news. But how are we going to do this again was her plea? When you are already broken, hanging by a thread but yet you have to face another mountain. How can we climb yet another? There is just no end in sight.

The doctor said, ‘we have to save these two hips or if not, all that we have done (the surgeries on both hips) will be in vain.’ We are now in a panic because in order for Lauren to even have a chance of walking she has to have two good hips because if not the Children’s Shriner’s Hospital in Montreal will not even consider her for the other surgeries that she needs done there. This as to work, she as got to get these hips moving and right now they are not. All this pain and suffering cannot be in vain.

Lauren is now settled into her ‘hotel’ room, as she calls it, once again. I do believe it’s where she needs to be, despite how difficult it is. Her x-rays came back good, the doctors had feared that something had moved out of position, which could give her all this pain. But thank God everything is fine. So I guess now it’s weeks of physiotherapy; that will certainly not be an easy road, but it as to be done. No one wants their child to cry in pain and hurt. We still pray that all the angels in Heaven will surround her and protect her.

Today we search for hope, pray that our faith would be renewed and the strength that can only come from an all powerful God. And thus, we start yet another journey.

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The Seasons of Life

It’s Fall, one of the most beautiful, scenic seasons of all. The bright, vivid colors of leaves as they hold on tightly to the trees; not wanting to fall off. The cool, fresh, clean air of the wind whispers the ghostly sounds of Halloween. Winter is fast approaching with it’s chilly winds, sparkling blankets of snow and all the trees are laden by the weight of the white, sugar-like powder on it’s branches. The seasons come and go, we have no say in when and where, much like the seasons of our lives. Life is built around seasons; some cold and sad, some warm and happy, others filled with uncertainty and unpredictability but this one thing we know; they will come and then they will go. Nothing last forever, not even the seasons of life.

Today is Halloween, ironically you can feel the airy, ghostly feeling of the season, as I glance out my window at the grey, silent atmosphere. With nothing but the sounds of black crows screaming in the distant air. I wonder what they are saying? ‘Hurry winter is coming’! Or maybe, ‘Halloween is here, watch for the ghosts and witches flying overhead’.

Logan is gone to school, overflowing with excitement and wonderment of what the day will bring. Halloween is here and all the excitement it allows for kids, even the kid in all of us. Logan decided to be ‘pikachu’ from pokemon. And of course so did Lauren (her’s is a girly pikachu) but sadly, Lauren can’t get out this year. Right now she is still confined to her bed and only gets out when it is absolutely necessary and that is always against her will because when she moves she is in so much pain and fear. But we will try to put her costume and give her a form of Halloween. It fills us with so much sadness but we will make it as special as we can for her sake; sometimes the seasons of life are not very fair or kind.

Maybe the next season, things will be better. It is so easy to loose hope and faith when your season of life is a boisterous winter storm. But maybe, just one day, our season will change to the bright, sunny days of summer. And from the wise words of my father, ‘Tomorrow will be better’. I will cling to that hope and believe in his wisdom, that things will get better.

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No Options Left!

The screams of terror, fear and pain fill the house. No, we are not watching a horror movie; it seems we are living it. Logan rushes to close the bedroom door because he can’t bare to hear his little sister in so much pain. It was just Monday, October 22,2018 that Lauren had her third spica cast removed. For anyone having a cast removed is never pleasant but for Lauren it’s even worse because her cerebral palsy exemplifies itself by spasticity(tightness)  of the muscles.

Because her muscles have been unable to move within the cast: they are now weak, tight and very little control over her movement. If she is moved at all, even to do a pamper change, throws her into an horrifying rage. We have to put her in a bath of epson salts and very warm water to help relax and awaken her now ‘sleeping’ muscles. Getting her from the bed to the bathtub is nothing short of a nightmare. She is clawing at my neck in hopes of getting relief from the fear and pain. Once she gets in the tub with Mommy, she starts to settle down and relax a little, to a point where she is just floating. We do this for about twenty minutes. Then its time to get out and the terror starts all over again.

Why am I telling you all of this? It’s because I want to educate and make you aware of what’s involved in caring for a child with a disability. And also to make you aware that our insensitive, non caring, non compassionate Government does nothing to help. We has her parents feel so all alone and no support, we have to provide 24/7 care ourselves with  no respite care because we can’t pay for it ourselves and our Government as declined  any help whatsoever. We are not complaining about what we have to do, because we love Lauren and would give our lives for her. But we believe we deserve a little help from our Government to receive some respite care. We are only human and we are running on empty and this road is just beginning and we are falling beneath the load already.

What do we have to do to get some help? I am tired of pleading with our Government officials MHA, MP, Minister of Health, Minister responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities, etc. Where did I get with all this advocating? No Where!

Where else can I go? What else can I do? We have run out of options and feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Who can help? Who will help? Someone as to do something and I’m calling upon our Government to get their heads out of the sand, to hell with policy and do what’s right for this little girl and her family.

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A Father’s Plea

This is a post I put on Facebook, but I thought I would share it on my blog as well:

On Monday Lauren will have an X-ray to see if her cast is ready to come off, we are praying that everything is healed and the cast will be removed. It is far beyond my finite understanding how she can endure what she does. She as practically spent all summer and up to this present day in bed and in a body cast. I know people mean well and say things like; ‘ well that’s great that she is out of cast’ and it is. But it’s then the pain begins and we have to listen helplessly as she screams through days of intense therapy. We have to believe there is an infinite God of mercy, grace and strength for all of us; including Logan who feels every pain that ‘Sissy’ endures.
I am a firm believer in prayer but I also believe that faith without works is dead. So I am putting this out there, as much as we need prayer, Lauren is also in need of so much; including her own accessible bathroom, a stander which cost $3000 and the list will just keep growing. We will never be able to provide her with any of this because of our limited income. I know there are those out there who could provide her with anything she needs and it wouldn’t put a dent in your bank account but yet you say you pray for her and I thank you. And there are people that say, ‘is there anything we can do’? Well, I’m asking and the ball is in your court. May God today open someone’s heart and realize that all needs are not across the sea but some are right here at home.
The bible says,’you have not because you ask not’; well I am swallowing my pride for Lauren’s sake, and asking. I am not exploiting Lauren’s situation but sharing that you may get an understanding of where we are. Lauren can get nothing from Government funding and our fundraising is just not enough to meet her needs. She deserves so much better, her life thus far has been filled with so much pain and we have to do all that we can do to make her life a little more comfortable. Because we know her suffering is not over, her journey is just beginning. Please don’t leave us alone to ‘walk’ this journey alone, we need you!
A plea for help from an helpless Father,
Harris