Back to School, Trip to the Pumpkin Farm, and an Interview with Nestle Health Sciences

  • Post category:School
  • Reading time:4 mins read

I’m tired so I hope I don’t ramble too much, and this post is somewhat coherent. When covid first hit back in March, I asked my boss if I could work remotely because I didn’t want to risk catching it and bringing it home to James. He allowed it. Then over the summer he wanted me to come back to work to get stuff ready for fall semester and I could work any hours that I was comfortable with. He agreed to let me work from midnight to 8:30 am so I could get stuff done and not have to worry about coming into contact with too many people. Once school started back up, I adjusted my schedule again and am currently working from 4:00 am to 12:30 pm. So, if this post is hard to follow it’s because I’m tired, my body has no idea WTF is going on, and I don’t even know what day it is anymore. I’ll do my best to make it at least somewhat readable.

 

 

School

James lies on a cushioned recliner indoors, with a dog-shaped neck pillow behind his neck. He wears a blue shirt with the words “DREAM BIG” and dark shorts with a geometric pattern. Beside him is a sign that reads “2020 FIRST DAY OF 6th Grade V- Learning.” A table, a blanket, and household items sit in the background. The image is framed with a colorful border decorated with school‑themed doodles like rulers, pencils, and paper clips, with “FIRST DAY” printed at the bottom.
First Day of 6th Grade

 

I love the fact that Stacy takes yearly first day of school pics of James. It’s cool to look back to see how much he has grown over the years.

 

A collage shows James at different ages on the first day of school for multiple grade levels. Each photo includes James in a different setting, sometimes lying down or sitting, with a sign marking the grade: Pre‑K, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, and 6th Grade. The background of the collage resembles notebook paper with a red apple illustration, giving the layout a school‑themed look.
First Day of School Collage: Preschool to 6th Grade

 

James started this school year the same way as the last one ended: fully remote. His one-on-one nurse found out that she was pregnant in January, and since she is due in September, she decided not to go back with James this year. So, we had to wait for the school district to find a new one-on-one nurse before he could go back to school. Stacy and James just met the new nurse this past Tuesday and he will be switching to a hybrid schedule starting tomorrow. He will be going to school on Monday and Tuesday mornings, and then be going remote the rest of the week. We are very thankful that he will finally be able to get back to some of his therapies. We are a bit nervous, though, with him going back to school and being around people. We do not need him contracting covid. We don’t what would happen if he did.

I have to say that I am very thankful—and I think James is lucky—that Stacy used to be an early childhood special education teacher. I think it has made things easier with this whole virtual school thing. I don’t think I could do it. For all of you parents out there that are helping your little ones with remote learning, I take my hat off to you. I know it can’t be easy…unless you were or are currently a teacher.

Here are a few pics from James’ first few weeks of the school year.

Virtual gym class. He had to hit the ball into the basket.

James sits in a wheelchair in the living room next to the entertainment center. There is a chair in front of him with a wicker basket on the seat. James has a blown up blue balloon resting on his lap.
Virtual gym class, hitting the ball into the basket

 

James sits in a specialized wheelchair with head and arm supports in the living room next to the entertainment center. His right hand has a red brace on it, and a blue balloon sits inside a wicker basket on a chair in front of him. The room has carpeted flooring. In the background, a padded mat lies on the floor, dumbbells are arranged near a wall, and a bookshelf holds books and other items.
Virtual gym class, hitting the ball into the basket

 

 

Virtual math class. It’s hard to tell in the pictures, but he had 12 blocks that he had to snap together (with mommy’s help) and had to count from 1 to 12 as he was putting them together.

James sits in a wheelchair with a headrest and arm supports, wearing a dark shirt and a Route 66‑patterned neck pillow. his right hand is in a red wrist brace. On the wheelchair tray is a pink‑and‑white striped bowl filled with orange rectangular pieces, and James holds one piece in his hand. Behind him is a living‑room setting with a couch, pillows, a blanket, and an IV pole. The scene shows a comfortable, supported environment during a simple activity.
Virtual math class, counting blocks

 

James sits in a wheelchair with head and arm supports, wearing a dark shirt and a Route 66‑patterned neck pillow. He holds a colorful object made of orange and blue segments. Behind him is a couch with a red blanket, several “Happy Birthday” balloons, and an IV pole with a feeding pump attached. Two large windows let in natural light, and the room has beige walls. The scene shows a home or care setting with both medical support and celebratory decorations.
Virtual math class, counting blocks

 

And of course he had to get some time in his stander:

James is secured in a red standing frame with straps around the torso, legs, and feet. He is wearing a gray shirt, dark shorts, white socks, and has a plush dog neck pillow resting around his neck. The background shows a living room with a gray couch, framed pictures on the wall, a window with blinds, a lamp, and a table holding colorful balloons and other items. The scene reflects a supportive home environment with assistive equipment.
In his stander

 

 

The Pumpkin Farm

Last weekend we had an outing with Bounce Children’s Foundation to a local pumpkin farm. They have a nice little zoo that we think James enjoys. If you’ve been following James for a while, you know that whenever we go on vacation, we almost always go to a zoo.

 

An outdoor scene shows a large “FALL FESTIVAL” sign decorated with a scarecrow sitting among pumpkins and corn stalks. Above it, a red arrow labeled “ENTER” points to the right. Beside the sign, James is in his wheelchair wearing a red jacket and a colorful face mask. In the background are farm buildings, trucks, and trailers, giving the setting a rural, fairground feel.

 

James in a wheelchair and an adult stand beside a red metal pen, both wearing colorful face masks. Inside the pen are several sheep on straw bedding, including one with thick wool and others with shorter white coats. A feed dispenser is mounted on the red bars. The setting appears to be an indoor animal exhibit with a calm, farm‑style atmosphere.

 

James in a wheelchair wearing a colorful face mask and a red jacket sits in front of a fenced enclosure holding two zebras. The enclosure is made of red metal bars, with straw covering the ground inside. A sign on the fence reads “Grant’s Zebra.” Nearby, an adult in a yellow shirt stands holding a phone. The setting appears to be an indoor zoo or animal exhibit.

 

James in a wheelchair with a headrest labeled “Whitmyer” and “Fulkerson” sits near a fenced viewing area at an outdoor animal park. In the background, a giraffe stands inside a barn‑like structure with an open doorway. Several visitors are nearby, including someone in a white shirt and black skirt adjusting a camera or phone. The scene shows an accessible, open-air setting where people can observe the giraffe up close.

 

James in his wheelchair wears a colorful face mask and a red jacket with white stripes. He is positioned in front of a red metal enclosure holding two camels standing on straw. Evergreen trees frame the scene on both sides. Signs on the enclosure include one that says “PLEASE SPOON FEED THE ANIMALS” and another with information about Bactrian camels. Wooden fencing is visible behind the camels, giving the area a zoo‑style setting.

 

Several animals stand or rest behind a red metal fence in a small petting‑zoo enclosure. A donkey stands near the front, while a large white cow or ox lies on straw. Another white cow stands nearby, along with a brown calf and additional animals farther back. A feed dispenser attached to the fence reads “50¢ Best Animal Feed” and has a coin slot and crank. In front of the fence, James is wearing colorful clothing and a mask, seated in a wheelchair. The scene shows an interactive, close‑up animal exhibit with straw covering the ground.

 

Several alpacas with thick, curly brown fur stand behind a red metal fence in a petting‑zoo enclosure. They are on straw‑covered ground. Outside the fence, people — some wearing face masks — look toward the animals. A sign on the fence reads “PLEASE SPOON FEED THE ANIMALS.” The scene shows a close, controlled interaction with the alpacas in a public animal‑exhibit setting.

 

Stacy, James, and Jeff pose in front of a red barn‑themed backdrop painted with the word “GOEBBERT’S,” along with illustrations of a rooster, a horse, and a horseshoe. Corn stalks are visible through the barn‑door openings. James sits in a wheelchair while Stacy and Jeff stand and kneel beside him, all smiling toward the camera. The scene takes place outdoors on grass, giving it a farm or fall‑festival feel.

 

 

Nestle Health Science Interview

Earlier this year—I think it was January or February—Stacy was approached by a friend of a friend who works for Nestle Health Science, which is the company that makes the formula that James has been taking for as long as I can remember. Since James is strictly tube fed and is unable to take anything by mouth, this formula provides 100% of his nutritional needs.

The interview was originally supposed to be an in-person interview, but because of covid, we ended up doing it virtually in August. Here is a condensed 9-minute version of the interview if you are interested in watching it.

 

Thank you Nestle for letting us share our story and for providing James with the nutrition he needs.

 

That’s all I got for this month’s post. Part of me thinks I should go back and re-read it to make sure it sounds okay, but I am just too tired. I’m sure Stacy will read it and tell me if I need to change something.