Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Mood- energized
Health- ok, who took my batteries?

Today I learned that if a 16 year old friend of mine is any indication, our future is not only in good hands but in loving hands.

It started out with her asking for someone to call her and distract her from her pain, she has been in the Hospital for three weeks now and the pain killers are not helping... I called and we talked and picked on Doctors (the usual talk between people with chronic illness) and the talk turned to the young Military Family in Mississippi that I first mentioned on July 21 (http://beta.clarionledger.com/article/20110710/NEWS/307100001/1002/news01) and she became energized and forgetting her own pain and situation she created an online petition to help get the word out and raise support for the family (http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/fightingforcaldwells).

I also have the Facebook page for the Family done (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fighting-for-the-Caldwells/156299747778683) and ask that you please share these links with anyone and everyone you can to help not only give this family support but to also help get the word out about them.

There are things you can do...

• Sign the online Petition at http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/fightingforcaldwells 
• If you want to give directly you can send checks for the Caldwell legal fund to Wells United Methodist Church (this way they are tax deductible).  Please specify on your check that your contribution is specifically for the Caldwell legal fund.  The mailing address is 2019 Bailey Ave. Jackson MS  39213-7602.
• Write them an encouraging e-mail or if you are a parent of a child with a chronic digestive disorder (such as Gastroparesis or CIP) or a sufferer yourself you can write them with your story that they can share with the courts. (If you do this please include contact information so the court can contact you to verify you wrote it if needed) You can e-mail them at- fightingforthecaldwells@gmail.com
• post the link to your local news station's Facebook and Twitter page to help get the word out

You might be thinking to yourself "I doubt anything I do will make a difference", but the truth of the matter is that anything you do can and will make a difference.  The only thing that will not make a difference is if you do not try.  I would rather try and fail than fail to try.

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In a special note, today is my Son, Ryan's, 19th Birthday... he is an amazing young Man who does not let the fact he has Aspergers get in his way of reaching for the stars and in just a few weeks he will be moving to a Private College in Pennsylvania to go for his Engineering Degree.

I look at my Son, Ryan, my daughter, Jesse (who also has Aspergers and will soon have her Associates Degree) and the wonderful teenager, Caroline (who, though suffering and in the Hospital is not letting it keep her from making a difference) and know that our future is very bright indeed!