ONE STEP AT A TIME.....: "2012"

We are thankful for the year we had!! (all my fellow transplant families can appreciate that)

"2012"... Was truly a great year for Devin!!

He accomplished so much!!

Devin successfully completely his first FULL year of school!! Thanks to a great group of professionals who never gave up... individualized his education to meet his needs... and stuck by him even through the difficult days!! In return I became one proud mother!! Watching him thrive in a great environment... Watching him LOVE school!!! and Watching him be successful at something HE wanted so badly for so long!!!
Next great thing was getting to go to summer camp!!! He loved it... and the wonderful professionals at his school made sure EVERYTHING was in place... making it a great experience and a success!!!
We had the wonderful opportunity to enjoy the Disney Cruise to nowhere... Devin lived it up!! He went to the kids club from sun up to well past sundown (by choice). He took advantage of EVERY opportunity offered to kids his age!!! I sort of felt guilty when one morning he told me "mom I really don't have time to have breakfast with you" LOL
Next was our BIG family vacation... the vacation Devin anxiously was waiting.... Our trip to Disney with Uncle Michael and his kids (yes, Aunt Kim too) but Uncle Michael is the man!!! and his kids are the sun, the moon, and the stars to Devin!!! This was a wonderful trip filled with awesome memories I will treasure forever!!!! A BIG Thanks to Dylan and Eric at the Animal Kingdom who helped me plan this vacation!! They did and AMAZING job making sure the fine details were all met... which allowed me a stress free vacation!!!!!
Devin is back in school and LOVING every minute of it... He had a cold/allergies the month of October... managed to stay out of the hospital but more impressive is he managed to go to school everyday!! even on those days I thought he'd benefit from a little extra rest!! Now if that doesn't speak volumes about the amazing people he's with all day, nothing will!!!!

Huge accomplishments....

2012: Devin spent a total of 7 days in the hospital... as opposed to 2011: we averaged 5 to 7 days a month!!!
Devin's had perfect attendance since September... AMAZING!!!

Things that won't change...

His Liver continues to struggle :( and we continue to try and balance this..
He is still at high risk for illness and always will be... with illness comes the risk of rejection..
and of course EVERYDAY whether good or bad their is the dreaded fear of rejection... and that will never change!!!

As most of you know I try hard not to leave a stone unturned... I try hard to help Devin live a NORMAL life in the midst of a NOT SO NORMAL situation... Since birth he has struggled with illness!! Most of the time life threatening situations causing him to be hospitalized... With hospitalization comes trauma! Although transplant saved his life the meds that keep him alive ALL have side effects... some of the side effects are emotional... to help with the emotional side effects we add meds... and those meds stress his already stressed Liver... This is ALL a fine BALANCE!! in the midst of trying to keep him healthy!!

So, in 2013 I am working on getting Devin a Companion Dog!! This is a program that has been proven to help kids deal with stress, anxiety, illness, re-occurring hospitalizations, trauma... and so on!! The program sounds amazing!!!! and I hope for Devin it all works out. It is a difficult program to get into and the wait can be a year or two!! but if it allows us to cut back on meds and possibly save his Liver, it will be well worth the wait... Also if it helps him deal with hospitalizations and procedures without extra medication it will be a blessing... We are just in the beginning phase of this so only time will tell!

Just a quick note on my other two lovely children... who want no part of me blogging about them or putting anything about them on facebook... gotta LOVE teens!!! Ray survived his first 4 months away at college.. It was an adjustment for me but we all managed!! Caitlin is a sophomore this year and will be turning... SWEET 16 in March!!! Both live the typical life of teenager... sleep all day when schedules allow and up all night!!! Food being cooked and showers happening in the middle of the night has become a normal thing around here!!!!

I know NOTHING and they know EVERYTHING!!! and that sums it up!!!

Happy New Year!!! Hope 2013 is filled with HEALTH and Happiness!!!!!

Thank you ALL for your continued support, prayers, and words of encouragement!!!!

It has been an amazing journey that has touched the lives of so many!!