So anyway, today was my dad's birthday and we had a little get together this evening. When they arrived, they walked in with a little surprise. Here are some photos:
Yep. My mom is now babysitting for her neighbor and Kevin's eyes just lit right up when he saw that baby. He always did love kids and I am so glad that that is still true. Luckily this one is a pretty good (quiet) baby so we didn't have any noise issues, lol.
And we went do MacDill today and got his ID all taken care of. One issue down - many more to go.
And that cat. Y'all know who it ended up sleeping with, right? I mean, Kevin keeps his door shut so where else would it end up but next to my head? Yuk. I hope you guys are right and that it will grow on me. (and I will say that I don't hate it - I just don't like it).
And to Sherri L, who wrote me this email:
1st--- NO ANIMALS
2nd---well, ok.....this cute little kitty
ya know whats next don't ya?
3rd----here puppy puppy!!!!!!!
FORGET IT! There will never be a puppy, lol!!! I mighta caved on this one, but that's as far as it goes, :-)
Kevin is loving it though. The cat is leery of the wheelchair yet, but I am trying to get it to (as often as possible) be near Kevin. Kevin has a piece of ribbon that's about 10 foot long that he keeps dangling next to his bed to keep the cat entertained in his room. I told Kev that if he wants it to sleep with him he would have to leave his door open at night. We'll see how that goes. Kevin can't tolerate any light (he even wanted me to take the batteries out of the smoke detector because of the little green light - and yes, he knew to take out the batteries - but I did draw the line at that). So anyway, I doubt he'll do it because there are all kinds of little lights in the kitchen off of his room, but we'll see. He does really enjoy that cat...
As to the name, Kevin says just to call it Princess after all. At first he said "Steelers", but he changed his mind. He calls it meow anyway. He says "MOM...meow, meow, meow" which is him asking where the cat is, lol.
And before I go, thanks everyone for all of the advice on the cat issue. I'll make this work...
18 comments:
At any pet store they sell all kinds of cat doors that install into a bedroom door. They will probably be black plastic but you can use duct tape (or anything opaque) to block out the light.
To train a cat, get on the other side of the door with some treats and lure him by opening the door an inch or so with your finger.
Hi Les and family,
i know you said to ignore the post, but I CAN'T!!
I am just so upset over all you have gone through that ANYONE would say things like that. It also makes me wonder just how much THOSE people have been around to see just what you DO go through on a daily basis. Oh yeah, that's right, they are not!
Even when our children are young, we go out to dinner, movies or a nightclub to just get a little break. You are a good person, a wonderful Mother and it sickens me that someone who has never stepped up to the plate could accuse you of wanting to send Kevin away. Since they are not there, how can they accuse you of anything? I hope one day, they will just leave you alone. They did for years and now the only way they feel they can get to you is to make a post of hate.
The cat is a beauty. Trust me, it WILL grow on you. Just teach it to sleep a little lower than at your head. LOL. I have 2 and one of mine tried that. I just kept moving him down and he got the hint.
Take care and have a great day!
Love ya!
Sue Luce
Great pics of Kevin and that beauty of a baby. Really did make him smile big time.
Water bottle is a great thing with cats. Mine get's it in her head to crawl up me in the middle of the night once in awhile, all I have to do is show her the water bottle and she goes back to the bottom of the bed. She will grow on you, and I think it's great for Kevin.
Have a great day.
Tell your dad Happy Birthday from all of us! I hope he had a nice day. The little baby is so cute and it looks like Kevin really enjoyed being with her.
I had to laugh at your "yuck" comment. hahaha I would feel the same way though I think. :)
Glad the id is taken care of and it's one more thing crossed off the list. Yeah! :)
I hope Breezy is doing good as well.
Have a great day!
Kathy in IA
Such great pics -- both of Princess Meow and of the baby and Kevin. Cute!! Glad to hear that the last few days have been good and things are getting taken care of. Hoping it continues smoothly!
And definitely try a lazer pointer for the kitty to play with. Watching the cat run up the walls in persuit of the little red dot is a lot of fun, hahaha!!
:)
A tiny piece of opaque tape or play putty over the light on the smoke detector won't interfere with its operation.
Again, lots of great comments on here. The cat door is the first thing I thought of. Then it can come and go as it pleases and you don't need to keep the door open. The water bottle is the only way to train the cat. Just spray the cat wherever you don't want it to be and it will definitely stop. Let it know NOW if you don't want it to sleep by your head. My cat's name is Mow - that is how my daughter said "meow" as an infant and so that is his name. I agree with you about not getting a dog. They are A LOT of work and you have enough to do already.
I also must say: Why post something on here at all if you have to be ignorant? Keep opinions to yourselves and/or don't follow the blog. As if Leslie isn't stressed out enough... People amaze me! I'm glad you are a strong person, Leslie, and you have so much support! You are an inspiration!!
Cracks me up about the cat sleeping near your head! Yep, train Ms Princess NOW to go further down on the bed. I keep a sheet on top of my comforter all the time so that I can wash the sheet every few days or so.
I have a cat door from the kitchen to the garage where I keep the cat boxes and it works well. I really like someone's idea of a cat door into Kevin's room. With treats, it takes no time at all to train cats. Cats can be bribed with treats very easily.
Enjoy your new best friend!
There are many Kammerdiener friends & family in Indiana.
I will call Tim & Beth to let them know the blame got laid at their doorstep.
They are far from the only people who disagree with you sending Kevin away!
Leslie, if the cat scratches you can always have it de-clawed..it will eventually forgive you!!..such great pix of Kev and the baby..Kev looks so good..as always, we continue to pray for all of you..stay strong.
Melissa Ion
These last two posts have been great. Nice posts and a very calming and warm feeling. The lazer light is fun with cats, but remind Kevin never to point it at the kitty's eye or anyone elses. Oh the cats go crazy running all over the place chasing the lazer light, even trying to climb up walls chasing that little red dot. It is so funny to watch. Have the little tube of Neosporin ready as you all are probably bound to get scratched. It is good that she is not a tiny kitten or she would possibly"play" with her claws more. Just beware, even if an accident, it will happen.When cats have claws, people do get poked sometimes. Put the Neosporin on quickly, as these kitty scratches can get infected. Princess will bring you so much entertainment. Oh wait till she discovers your Christmas tree balls, but you know what, maybe not. Afterall, she is grown and should have most of her kitty mischief out of her system. She will bring you more entertainment than the best funny TV show or movie. This was a happy day for both of you. That purring in your ear can aid in putting you to sleep. ; ) Have fun and thanks for the great pictures. Yes, the baby is cute too.
The last two posts were so positive and good feeling, meaning Day 551 and 552. The posts from you, not the posts in the blog and the pictures were fantastic. A clarification thought was needed.
I find it hard to ignore stupid people to, don't you you get a laugh out of their ignorance??We are behind you 110%. Every mother wants their child to know how to be independant, whether it is dressing themselves or feeding themselves, from age 1 to 100, you learn to be independant. Don't let anyone tell you different, your a mother, and you know whats best!!
Love and Prayers:)
I'm a daily reader, but only an occasional "poster." For people to actually think that you want to "send Kevin away" is absurd. My personal opinion is that it's a wonderful idea for Kevin to go into a program in which he can learn to be more self-sufficient and less reliant on you. I've often wondered how you manage to function normally when you never get a decent night's sleep, what with Kevin constantly calling you on the phone all hours of the night. It seems like he suffers from a form of separation anxiety, and it's vital that he overcomes this. Because, let's face it, although you have given up your own life to take care of Kevin, nobody lives forever. At some point in his life (hopefully many, many years from now), Kevin won't have his mom to rely on anymore. It makes sense to help him become independent so that he'll be prepared to face life in the future. If you don't take the steps necessary to help him gain some independence, you're not doing Kevin any favors. I wouldn't give the comments about "sending Kevin away" a second thought. Obviously, those people don't have a clue what they're talking about, and get some kind of sick kick out of causing trouble.
Mary Ann
WOW Leslie, I know you said to ignore that post...but jeez! And the one on here today is just as obnoxious. I find it fascinating that these awful people always post their vile comments anonymously. That's just plain cowardly!
My message to them is this:
IF YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO POST UNNECESSARILY NASTY COMMENTS, AT LEAST HAVE THE GUTS TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF. THAT WAY IF THERE ARE ANY SUPPORTIVE, COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA WITH THE SAME LAST NAME, THEY WON'T GET ANY SPLASH-OVER BLAME FOR YOUR RUDENESS. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY JUST KEEP YOUR NEGATIVE OPINIONS TO YOURSELF IF YOU HAVE NOTHING HELPFUL TO ADD.
Enough said, now just SHHHUSH!
Leslie, it's painfully obvious that the people posting that stuff have never been responsible for the care and needs of a brain-injured person, or even a child. You're doing a spectacular job of helping Kevin heal. Sometimes the hardest thing you have to do, as in sending him away for independence training, is the very best thing you can do for his future as a man and wounded warrior. I know how hard it is, I care for a brain-injured family member too, and I'm a paramedic. So I see this picture from all angles. You seem to have very good instincts about Kevin's needs...keep trusting yourself.
Just goes to show you. You can't have a battle of wits with an unarmed person!
Keep strong. Our prayers are with both of you.
I really can't remember how I found your blog, but I've been reading it over the past week and hve found your story inspiring and your stamina very encouraging.
As mom to a disabled daughter, I've learned a few things over the years (28) that some people have the fortune or misfortune never to understand. You have, too, and you will learn even more, I'm sure.
One thing I learned in dealing with people who criticized our decisions is this. The criticism always comes from people who do not make themselves available to help with the care of the disabled person. Instead, they rest in their armchairs and take notes, offering their advice and criticism as they go along. In some ways, it may be their own underdeveloped way of coping. It's something to pity, really, not something to allow ourselves grief over.
Keep on doing what you need to do, remembering that caring for yourself is just as important as caring for your son. Maybe even more so, because you have to be healthy to care for him, too.
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