From Team Haris with Love

In the six months since our son Haris passed I have shed a lot of tears. Most of them have been the reflection of a gut-wrenching sadness I would wish on no one.

But over the last week, as friends, family and complete strangers rallied to support Team Haris in the March for Babies, I’ve been shedding a different kind of tears.

It began with Pauline (a.k.a. @aspiringmama), author of the poignant blog Aspiring Mama, who first urged us to start the team and then became its’ greatest champion.

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Marching for Change and a Mexi-fro Shot!

It’s hard to find a reason not to participate in the March of Dimes’ March for Babies. The event is all about working to help give babies a more welcome entry into the world – what could be a more noble cause than that???

As a walker, it’s good for your health. As a sponsor, it’s tax deductible. And if those are not reasons enough – how about a shot at seeing @aspiringmama’s infamous Mexi-fro on display?

Continue reading Marching for Change and a Mexi-fro Shot!

On his special day …

For Haris ….

Exactly one year ago today I was on a mad hunt for more decorations to squeeze around the streamers and Elmo balloons already attached to every possible spot in our living room for Haris’ first birthday party. I grabbed a bag of blue-wrapped “1st birthday” candy, a few extra balloons and an adorable Elmo candle for the table.

Today we are preparing for a different kind of celebration. We’ve got candles and flowers – but no cake and only one balloon.

Continue reading On his special day …

Muse Cage Match: Born into Battle (excerpt)

 Earlier today I was happily tweeting away about Metallica when things took a sharp right turn into a parallel dimension. The result? My muse and one other, that of Wendy (a.k.a Sparrowbug), are locked into a cage match. Two muses enter … one leaves …

The challenge? Post around 500 words of our current works in progress (WIP) written within the last week.

Wendy’s entry – a YA that might end up being horror – can be found here.

(…. and as a last minute challenge, Pauline a.k.a. @aspiringmama is going to enter the fray ….)

My WIP is a narrative nonfiction survival guide for parents, caregivers and supporters of ill or special needs kids currently titled Born into Battle: Surviving and Thriving Amidst a Child’s Complex Medical Situation.

Continue reading Muse Cage Match: Born into Battle (excerpt)

In support of Special Teams

For years I’ve told the stories of men, women and children struggling to survive amidst conflict, poverty, human right abuses and a wide array of life’s challenges. Every single one of them had a story to tell that contributes to the diverse tapestry of the global family.

And now it’s my turn.

At a time when globalization and the Internet have connected people across the world in more ways than ever possible before, it’s profoundly disconcerting to feel completely alone. And yet, as my family battled to not only survive – but thrive – though my son’s special needs reality that is exactly how I felt.

Most friends, family and colleagues simply could not understand, no matter how much they loved us. When it came time to put in a feeding tube or make the difficult decisions concerning our son’s health, we were inexorably alone. And scared. And angry. And overwhelmed by the amazing love we felt for our son.

Continue reading In support of Special Teams