Seeking Second iPad... Because of Positive Results

Sometimes it doesn't make to get a second item of something simply because you have twins.  When they were tiny I would buy two teddy bears, two of the same books or games, two of the same toys.  Now that the boys are seven I am finally learning that sharing is a life skill that we all need to learn.  So I no longer buy the second item when it comes to things they may "want".

Now shoes, coats, and clothing... I guess I have a hard time breaking that.  I love to dress them the same.  I do not do it every single day, probably like four out of seven days, but its something that "mom" still likes to do while they are young.  Its still really fun confusing people because so many still have a very difficult time telling them apart.

So onto the topic of this post.  Caleb had a wish from Make A Wish back in August of this year, right before school started. I just realized I NEVER blogged about that yet YIKES!!    Part of his wish was to receive an iPad with Proloque2Go software to perhaps help him communicate.  Both twins are non-verbal, have Autism and Down Syndrome.  Our primary means of communication right now is sign language.  It works for us, but not so much for family, friends, and community members.   I was skeptical about using an iPad for communication.  I didn't know if they would actually be able to understand the concept and form appropriate answers or questions.  Today I learned different!!!!!!

Today their speech therapist from school called me.  She is so wonderful and also just happens to be the "Autism Expert" at our local school district.  She wanted to express how amazed she was at how well the boys are doing with the iPad.  They are requesting things from their calendar at school, they are interacting with stories, and they are asking to play specific games on the classroom iPad... Her concern is that we only have one iPad and two boys so she cannot get them to use this to their full potential.  Ideally she would like for us to have TWO iPads so that they could communication to each other.  WOW!!! I could not even envision seeing this happen right now.  They laugh together and play together but I really have never seen them sign to one another or communicate with each other.  I guess other than one throwing a toy at brothers  head and the other retaliating by scratching big tiger marks down the middle of the perpetrators back.  To me that means: "I don't like that!!"

So, its Christmas time.  We have five children.  Husband works very hard and long hours to provide.  I work very part time from home, but also do all the mommy tasks that consume my days.  Life is expensive.  How can we find a way to get a second iPad without asking for charity or waiting to be chosen from the hundreds of iPad giveaways I've entered over the past year or grants I've applied for?  Has anyone ever done a fundraiser for their child to get an iPad?  If we were to try to save up the extra money it would be nearly the end of the school year before we could probably get one.  We could skimp here and skimp there... yes, but how can we find one either used at a good price now or raise the funds ourselves....

Speech therapist recommended looking on Ebay for used ones.  New technology is out there, iPad mini's are out and people will be getting rid of their "old stuff".  I browsed Ebay for 30 minutes or more tonight and found nothing less than $300 plus shipping, which to me is not a great deal for a used item. I don't want to spend hours browsing for something I may never find....

SOOOOOO I come to you, my blog readers.  Shout out some suggestions.  

Again, I am NOT looking for a hand out.. I am not looking for charity... I am looking for a way to provide my second son with a communication device quickly.  I am hoping that the feedback I receive will also help someone down the road that may be in the same situation as we are.

Bragging Moment:

Caleb's school work papers

Needed help writing his name but glued number is correct order INDEPENDENTLY!!!

Explaining Calebs Fall

Wednesday, June 23rd, Isaac got his wish from Make A Wish. We planned it with our wish coordinator for the past three months, we helped pick out the design, we made suggestions on things we felt would be easier for the boys now and added a few things that the older kiddos would like and things the twins would "grown into".

One of the items we picked out to assist the twins is a ramp up to the canopied platform. Instead of them trying to climb the ladder each time to get up to the slide platform a ramp would just be easier. Once the men brought the swing set and put it up, the ramp was actually quite steep, so much so, that the kids can slide down the ramp. Its proving to be an unexpected fun part of the swing set.

Thursday evening, June 24th, right after dinner exactly 28 hours of having this play set, the cousins from across the street came over to take the swing set for a test drive and play. I was on the deck watching everyone play and have fun. I was finishing up my dinner while they played. I saw Caleb walking up the ramp, he was about 3/4th the way up and his 2 year old cousin Tyler wanted to slide down. He started yelling at Caleb, move.. don't come up.. Caleb continued up not understanding what Tyler wanted from him and when Caleb reached the top of the ramp (about 5 feet high) his cousin Tyler gave him a shove and pushed him off..

Now Mr. Tyler merely wanted to slide down the ramp, which he did immediately after pushing Caleb down with a joyous giggle and smile. He's two, I totally expect this from a two year old, unfortunately Caleb did not have the balance he needed to recover on a steep ramp and fell off. Camille was the only one that saw him completely fall and he did land straight on his leg and it bent.

I looked up from my plate and notice Caleb was not there and the girls went running and I knew right then it was going to be bad. Tristin picked him and and ran him over to me. I proceeded to sit him down on some patio furniture and try to calm him down. After about 5 to 7 minutes his screams were way worse than a normal hurt cry and I noticed that he was favoring his right leg. At one point he grabbed it and signed hurt, I knew right then that I needed to call 911.

When the ambulance arrived they said right away that his leg was rotated and they were not comfortable moving him in any way. They called the paramedics and they talked them through loading him onto the bed basically by wrapping him and lifting him up on the cushion from the patio furniture. Tom rode in the ambulance, I drove behind. Once to the hospital they unloaded him on the cushion to the bed at the hospital. There they performed a CAT scan to make sure there were no other injuries and then x-rays of his whole body. As soon as they confirmed the femur was broken they called the helicopter to take us to Pittsburgh Childrens.

I immediately ran home to throw a few things into a bag and raced back to the hospital. (We live about 5 minutes away) As soon as I got there the helicopter nurses were there and about to load Caleb onto their cart. They too took him on the cushion and put on his space suit. I was asked to ride the helicopter with him as they really wanted a parent to assist them with communication since he only signs. Under any other circumstances this would have been REALLY COOL, but this time it was nerve racking. I did enjoy the conversation for the 30 minutes it took to fly to Pittsburgh. It truly is amazing what they do in such a small space on those helicopters, you can barely even move around.

Once to Childrens he was unloaded onto their bed on our patio furniture cushion, they got to work and got him even more medicated and apologized right away that the orthopedic surgeon was extremely swamped at the moment and we would be waiting to see her. We arrive in Pittsburgh at 11 pm and Calebs surgery didn't happen until 4 am, at which time Caleb was put to sleep and removed from the cushion. Not a terrible wait, unless your a 4 year old boy with a broken femur. Once they set his leg and casted it we were taken to a room to get some sleep. Tom and I were able to lay down at 6:30 am and sleep until about 8 am, with two interruptions. What an exhausting night!!!

By noon, we were told that if Caleb would eat and drink and keep it down we were free to take him home.. WHAT??!!! WoW.

So by 1:30pm we were loading into the vehicle in a loaner adaptive car seat called a SPICA cast seat and on our way home. Memories of bringing home premature infants who were in the NICU for 6 and 13 weeks, not knowing if I were capable to tending to their needs, the fear of the unknown all came back to me. How am I going to move this little guy around?? Is he going to be able to continue with his summer preschool sessions? How about his other therapies?? How will I go anywhere with him and Isaac?? Is it fair to not allow the older children to goto the pool just because Caleb and I cannot now?? Is it fair to ruin everyone's summer activities because Caleb cannot stay outside if its too hot due to the fact that about 50% of his tiny little body is wrapped in a cast that will melt him in hot weather?? How will I find the strength to get through this?? I'm putting it in God's Hands, I'm leaning on his love for us to get us through this. Everyone always tells me that I am such a strong person, I am just like you all. I am scared of this, I am nervous to hurt my little guy, I am sad that I had so much planned for our summer, I am happy that this situation could have been alot worse. He could have fallen and broken his neck or even worse died. I count my blessings, I thank the Lord, and I thank all of you who will continue to pray for us over the next 8 to 10 weeks.

If you have not watched the montage from yesterdays post take a minute to watch it, you'll get a visual of this story.

A Wish for Isaac..

Today after months of planning Isaac got his wish from Make-A-Wish. I have had people ask me, How did I choose a Wish for Isaac when he cannot talk to tell me what he wanted. Well, if you were to see my child's face light up when I take him to a playground to swing or go down a slide, you would not need words to describe what he would love to have in his own backyard, available to use whenever he wanted to.

My total confession is that we already had a playset, but it was 11 years old, well played with and not accessible for the boys to play on without help.. SO we now have a beautiful play structure in our back yard that the boys can play on and grow into and continue to play with and on for many many years to come. My 12 year old daughter Tristin loves it, so I should have at least another 10 or 12 years of play for the twins.

Here's how the day went today:

Workers arrived at 9:30am:



After they got going and the twins realized they were bringing something for them to play on later they both became interested in watching out the window:



It was so HOT outside today about 85 degrees and very high humidity, the men outside always looked so hot and we felt guilty sitting in my house with central air going full blast. (we did offer ice water and Gatorade often)




Elijah was the most excited of all, I don't think he left those men's side for more than a minute at a time.


While we waited we enjoyed cake and ice cream and balloons provided by Make A Wish, who says you can't eat cake and ice cream for lunch?? We sure did, and it was GOOD!!!:


Isaac is in red today:

Caleb is blue:

Caleb was a little excited about getting ice cream and Isaac looked like he was pushing it away saying No Thank You:


Here comes the Mulch:


I took Isaac outside to watch the truck dump the mulch and he freaked out, it was to much for him.. to noisy I think:


So we came back in and finished up his ice cream:


Here's the finished product being enjoyed by all five children, and there's plenty of room for more children :)


Mom and the Boys:


Our Wish Coordinator Toni Houston:


Camille and Elijah on the tire swing:







Anyone wanna come play???