As a parent of a special needs child, there are many things you never get to experience. Many, many, many things... One of those things is having a baby book. I have 2 baby books upstairs: Hunter's is full. Dylan's is empty. Not that Dylan hasn't accomplished so many wonderful things! It's just that by our society's standards- he hasn't met very many typical "milestones" and to keep opening that book- waiting and waiting to record something... anything... just became discouraging. As time went on I realized I didn't need that book. I had something way better. I looked around at our lives and saw the tiny group of people that had been brought into our family by Dylan's life- doctors, teachers, and therapists- and it dawned on me...
They are my 'Living Baby Book'.
Landon and I are so blessed to have these people in Dylan's life- in our lives. They have been through it all with us- the pain, the struggles, the absolute joy, and the triumphs. Each of them has special stories about Dylan and will be able to share them with him (and with us) when he gets older. They have all made a huge impact on our lives and I'm thankful for each and every one of them (you know who you are!).
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This week has been unbearably painful for me. I lost a member of Dylan's Living Baby Book. Amy passed away on Sunday night. She was Dylan's physical therapist. She started treating Dylan when he was 8 months old. I liked her the second I met her. She was a cowgirl at heart, tall, thin as a rail, and tough as all get out. Her truck broke down the very first session she had here- which if anyone reading this knows Amy- will laugh so hard. It didn't matter what vehicle Amy was driving- it always broke down. It didn't take very long at all for Amy and I to become good friends. Dylan would fall asleep on her halfway through his "workout" and we'd always say it's because he'd mistake her bony lap for mine. And we'd sit and chat about this and that whilst trying to wake up the "turkey". When Dylan started with her- he couldn't even hold up his upper body. He had no strength. All he could do it lay on his back. By 3 years old, he was running. There were times I didn't know if I'd ever see Dylan run. I had a Dr. tell me once- "Don't expect an athlete." Amy had some words for that guy. I never once heard her mutter a negative word about Dyl and his abilities. She knew he could do it all and then some. She knew all I needed to hear was- "Well, we'll prove him wrong now won't we??" Dylan would surprise her all the time- Dylan actually learned to jump before he could walk. Amy said she'd never seen anything like it before in all her years. That's Dyl for you...
I could write pages and pages of things about our years with Amy. She loved coffee and B12 vitamins. She loved jalapeno-cheese filled pretzels. She loved her horses. She was incredibly passionate about her work- she was a phenomenal physical therapist and cared so much about those she treated. She loved her Dad and Mom. And most of all- she loved her own children. They were her absolute pride and joy. I don't know a mom who worked harder than she did. Her kids were her life. She was, to say the least, an amazing, amazing mother...
Amy was an important part of my life- an important part of MANY people's life. I am devastated she isn't here. I want her to be here. I want my phone to ring and it be her or my door to fly open and have her come in and eat donuts with me. I want her to come and pick Dyl up and swing him around and call him "turkey" or "duderruder".
As hard as this has been, I know she won't ever be gone. She'll live on through her children, her family, her friends, and all the many children's lives she made a difference in- like Dylan's. Even though she's not with us- she'll still be a part of Dylan's 'Living Baby Book'.
She really was one of a kind and I miss her so very much.
Love you Aim.
