It’s me, Sam. I bet you all did not expect to hear from me, did you? I actually have a lot on my mind, and what a better place to announce it, but here, in text. Sometimes, especially for me, it’s hard for those things to pour out of my mouth so easily, as it is for others.
So here goes:
This posting is dedicated to the three most important women in my life. My wife Brenda, and my two daughters, Isabela and Crystal. In a short synopsis, I want to give my perspective of how much these three girls have played a part in my sanity, or insanity (heh-heh), in the last four years especially. Let me explain and you will see what I mean. As Brenda and I started our venture together we were met with various obstacles, which is true in most people’s lives. Although ours were somewhat pronounced, it seemed. It all started the year before we got married (1997), my mom past away and Brenda’s best friend was shot and killed in a shooting around his house. This is when Crystal starting being a part of our lives. The year of our wedding (1998), hurricane Francis, about 3 inches of water throughout the whole house. The wedding went on as planned after needed floor repairs. The next year (1999) a direct lightening hit on our house. Every electrical item, including wiring in the whole house had to be replaced. In 2000 we suffered a second lightening strike on our house, direct hit, more appliances replaced. In 2001, Allison. 3 ½ feet of water in our house, 3-4 months to rebuild not living at home. In 2002 I was diagnosed with almost a 100% chance of having cancer. Thought to be tumor removed but was finally diagnosed to be an old football or motorcycle injury, what a scare for all of us. And then in 2004, invetro and Isabela comes along. With the help of each other, the three of us dealt with all of our previous problems leaning on each other’s shoulder when we needed to and we seemed to find refuge. Even my scare in 2002 was nothing to me compared to what we about to embark upon. We were told to abort, we were told to give up but we would not make that decision without leaning on one another first and deciding as a whole on what would our decision would be. We talked about it day after day, as we tried not to fall apart over this latest obstacle in our lives. We decided that Isabela at least needed a chance. This would take a toll on all of us during these nine months and there-after. Brenda, of course, taxed with unknowingness, stress, and the everyday incidents of pregnancy, not to mention pronounced measures that she had to undergo with the invetro procedures, so much to handle at one time. Crystal, first year of high school, new friends (or enemies) if any, and night after night of coming home alone and cooking her own dinner and homework and school the next day while we tried to stay by Isabela every second of the day. She never once complained, well maybe just a little, we were all stressed to the limit.
So here lays out my purpose of this posting:
Here you have a wonderful mom, trying not to stress herself into oblivion while trying to deal with a very sick baby in the hospital whose chances are not great in doctors’ perspective, a teenager crying night after night because no one in her new high school likes her and trying to pass accelerated classes that are driving her crazy (I can say that now, Crystal is too strong to let it bother her), and dealing with my 100 questions a day after I get off of work and have not seen Isabela for 8 hours. Brenda was filtering all this information through her brain and still able to keep Isabela alive, keep Crystal sane through high school, and keep me happy. What a task.
Crystal, what a child. The drive to overcome obstacles thrown at her in an instant and one very important thing that I admire, the “never give up” attitude. High school-we told you that we would move you to a new high school with your friends in an instant if you wanted us to, you said no. We offered you other choices rather than staying home at night by yourself and you said no. You had the perfect excuse that many teenagers would use not to do so well in high school and you still persevered. You tried things that did not appeal to you so much but you still made an effort. In the end you have multiple friends in many places, an honored high school education, and a scholarship to one of the best schools in the USA. What an accomplishment!!!! You will continue to succeed and make many new friends and accomplish many more goals because of that “never give up” attitude. Even to the last day you were with us, yesterday, when you flipped over the handlebars of the bike onto the hard cement, then rolled into the woods you still got up. Blood dripping down your knee and hand, you still got up and road the rest of the way. AWESOME!!!
And Isabela. WOW!! Four years ago today, almost to the hour, Isabela would be going into her first open heart surgery. Fourteen hours long after being alive for 19 hours. Three days later at 2 in the morning, a second emergency abdominal surgery for Pyloric Artesia. Probably one of the worst days of my life came 2-3 days after that. I walked in from work and saw Isabela laying there not even moving a finger and I knew something was wrong. I asked Valerie what happened and she danced around the truth telling me that Isabela was “not having one of her better days”. I asked her to elaborate and she said that Isabela had developed an infection in one of her main lines and that they were trying to treat it with antibiotics but only time would tell if it would work at all. Seeing the disgust in Valerie’s face, me being who I am, decide to ask around and see what people’s thoughts were. Everyone I asked seemed reserved at their responses. I had a feeling that she would not pull out of it, and I could see it in almost everyone’s eyes that they thought the same. She responded to the antibiotics and overcame the infection, made it through other obstacles and a second open heart surgery and came home in 5-6 months. I anyone would have told me that she would have progressed to this from where she was, I would never have believed it. That little Giblet is just non-stoppable.
This posting is dedicated to the three most important women in my life. My wife Brenda, and my two daughters, Isabela and Crystal. In a short synopsis, I want to give my perspective of how much these three girls have played a part in my sanity, or insanity (heh-heh), in the last four years especially. Let me explain and you will see what I mean. As Brenda and I started our venture together we were met with various obstacles, which is true in most people’s lives. Although ours were somewhat pronounced, it seemed. It all started the year before we got married (1997), my mom past away and Brenda’s best friend was shot and killed in a shooting around his house. This is when Crystal starting being a part of our lives. The year of our wedding (1998), hurricane Francis, about 3 inches of water throughout the whole house. The wedding went on as planned after needed floor repairs. The next year (1999) a direct lightening hit on our house. Every electrical item, including wiring in the whole house had to be replaced. In 2000 we suffered a second lightening strike on our house, direct hit, more appliances replaced. In 2001, Allison. 3 ½ feet of water in our house, 3-4 months to rebuild not living at home. In 2002 I was diagnosed with almost a 100% chance of having cancer. Thought to be tumor removed but was finally diagnosed to be an old football or motorcycle injury, what a scare for all of us. And then in 2004, invetro and Isabela comes along. With the help of each other, the three of us dealt with all of our previous problems leaning on each other’s shoulder when we needed to and we seemed to find refuge. Even my scare in 2002 was nothing to me compared to what we about to embark upon. We were told to abort, we were told to give up but we would not make that decision without leaning on one another first and deciding as a whole on what would our decision would be. We talked about it day after day, as we tried not to fall apart over this latest obstacle in our lives. We decided that Isabela at least needed a chance. This would take a toll on all of us during these nine months and there-after. Brenda, of course, taxed with unknowingness, stress, and the everyday incidents of pregnancy, not to mention pronounced measures that she had to undergo with the invetro procedures, so much to handle at one time. Crystal, first year of high school, new friends (or enemies) if any, and night after night of coming home alone and cooking her own dinner and homework and school the next day while we tried to stay by Isabela every second of the day. She never once complained, well maybe just a little, we were all stressed to the limit.
So here lays out my purpose of this posting:
Here you have a wonderful mom, trying not to stress herself into oblivion while trying to deal with a very sick baby in the hospital whose chances are not great in doctors’ perspective, a teenager crying night after night because no one in her new high school likes her and trying to pass accelerated classes that are driving her crazy (I can say that now, Crystal is too strong to let it bother her), and dealing with my 100 questions a day after I get off of work and have not seen Isabela for 8 hours. Brenda was filtering all this information through her brain and still able to keep Isabela alive, keep Crystal sane through high school, and keep me happy. What a task.
Crystal, what a child. The drive to overcome obstacles thrown at her in an instant and one very important thing that I admire, the “never give up” attitude. High school-we told you that we would move you to a new high school with your friends in an instant if you wanted us to, you said no. We offered you other choices rather than staying home at night by yourself and you said no. You had the perfect excuse that many teenagers would use not to do so well in high school and you still persevered. You tried things that did not appeal to you so much but you still made an effort. In the end you have multiple friends in many places, an honored high school education, and a scholarship to one of the best schools in the USA. What an accomplishment!!!! You will continue to succeed and make many new friends and accomplish many more goals because of that “never give up” attitude. Even to the last day you were with us, yesterday, when you flipped over the handlebars of the bike onto the hard cement, then rolled into the woods you still got up. Blood dripping down your knee and hand, you still got up and road the rest of the way. AWESOME!!!
And Isabela. WOW!! Four years ago today, almost to the hour, Isabela would be going into her first open heart surgery. Fourteen hours long after being alive for 19 hours. Three days later at 2 in the morning, a second emergency abdominal surgery for Pyloric Artesia. Probably one of the worst days of my life came 2-3 days after that. I walked in from work and saw Isabela laying there not even moving a finger and I knew something was wrong. I asked Valerie what happened and she danced around the truth telling me that Isabela was “not having one of her better days”. I asked her to elaborate and she said that Isabela had developed an infection in one of her main lines and that they were trying to treat it with antibiotics but only time would tell if it would work at all. Seeing the disgust in Valerie’s face, me being who I am, decide to ask around and see what people’s thoughts were. Everyone I asked seemed reserved at their responses. I had a feeling that she would not pull out of it, and I could see it in almost everyone’s eyes that they thought the same. She responded to the antibiotics and overcame the infection, made it through other obstacles and a second open heart surgery and came home in 5-6 months. I anyone would have told me that she would have progressed to this from where she was, I would never have believed it. That little Giblet is just non-stoppable.
So you see, these three girls in my life complete the other four sides of my square. Brenda, keep up your good work, Isabela needs your guidance now, Crystal will need more guidance in the future (guys, work, etc…), and I always need your guidance.
Crystal, keep up the excellent job you are doing. Do not let people, situations, or downfalls keep you from doing something. There will be many more in your life, I am not worried.
Isabela, crazy girl. You might be my breaking point. Your mom is going to have to be on her toes more than ever with you “little monster” running around tearing up stuff. Can you please tell me one thing Isabela? Where oh where did you get those little horns from…………Pappi!!!!!!!!!!!
KUDOS CHICAS!!!!!
2 comments:
WOW...wow...I was not expecting that. How did you know the log-in info.??? I don't care...I love it!!! Thanks for the suppoer tSweetie...remember, I did not do all those things alone.
Love you, Preciousa
GOod to hear from you, Sammy! Well stated and it's an amazing story.
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