Sorry for the Mess

  • Post category:Epilepsy / School / Stroke
  • Reading time:3 mins read

I am going to apologize right off the bat. This post is going to be a bit of a hodge podge mess. Partially because I’m tired and partially because there really hasn’t been enough that happened over the past couple of weeks to categorize stuff. I apologize if this is a bit sloppy.

 

Grocery Shopping

James helped us with some grocery shopping a couple of weeks ago. It’s always pretty boring for him, and I think he dozed off a couple of times.

 

James in a wheelchair with a headrest moves through a grocery store aisle. He is wearing a red shirt, and a blue shopping cart in front of him holds a rolled green‑and‑white mat along with packaged items. Other shoppers with carts are farther down the aisle near refrigerated cases with glass doors. The scene captures a typical grocery trip, with bright store lighting and shelves lining both sides of the aisle.
Grocery shopping with Mommy and Daddy

 

School

James started school about a month ago. Last week his teacher sent Stacy a picture she took of him on his first day back. We knew that James likes music, but we had no idea that he wants to be a model when he grows up. We will support him in whatever he wants to do.

 

James sits in a wheelchair holding a colorful first‑day‑of‑school sign. The sign reads that it is James’s first day, that he is 7 years old, wants to be a fashion model, and that his favorite subject is music. Behind him is a bright classroom bulletin board decorated with a large smiling tree, green leaves, apples, and heart‑shaped name tags including Joey, Kiana, Gabriel, Brianna, Liam, Jaymie, and Julian. The whole scene feels cheerful, personal, and welcoming, marking the start of a new school year.
“I want to be a fashion model”

 

Pediatric Stroke Warriors Shirts

Pediatric Stroke Warriors is selling shirts to raise money. James’ name is on the back so of course we had to buy some for the family. If you are interested in purchasing a shirt to help support this organization, you can order here:

https://www.customink.com/fundraising/wearewarriorstrong

 

Drug Study

The drug study that James is in is still going well. His seizures are continuing to lessen, although not as drastically as they did during the first two weeks of the study. As long as we continue to see improvements, no matter how small, at least we’re continuing to move in the right direction. One of the drawbacks of the study is that we need to meet with the neurologist every few weeks to check in and go over the seizure counts. Her office is in the city, and I don’t feel comfortable sending Stacy and James into the city by themselves, so I go with them. Fortunately, my work is kind of on the way, so we’ll drive separately to my work, drop my car off, and then go to the appointment. After the appointment, Stacy will drop me off at work and go home from there.

 

Anniversary

Stacy and I just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. Seems like such a long time ago. Little did we know then how many curve balls life was going to throw at us. I think all of those curve balls made our relationship stronger.

 

A three‑panel collage shows moments from our life. The top photo captures Stacy and Jeff in wedding attire cutting a flower‑topped cake together. The middle photo shows Jeff and Stacy sitting close, holding James in the NICU. The bottom photo focuses on Stacy and Jeff embracing James. Gold text reading “MADE WITH LOVE,” accented with small gold hearts, overlays the collage, giving it a warm, sentimental feel.

 

Pumpkin Farm

And for the finale of this mess of a post, I present to you our trip to the pumpkin farm. Bounce Children’s Foundation is a great organization and frequently puts together events like this for special needs kids and their families. If you are able, please consider making a donation to Bounce so that they can continue with their mission to “transform the lives of chronically ill children, and their families, shifting all from surviving to thriving.”

 

James sits in a red and black stroller, wearing a bright green shirt, dark shorts, and sunglasses. A small portable fan is clipped to the stroller, angled toward James' face. Behind him stands a white barn with a gray roof and a tall silo topped with a large smiling pumpkin decoration. The scene is sunny and open, giving the moment a mix of calm foreground and playful, seasonal whimsy in the background.
It was too hot for his little fan to keep him cool

 

Stacy and James are near a giraffe enclosure at a petting zoo. Stacy stands smiling, leaning over a stroller where James sits wearing sunglasses, a neck pillow, and a small portable fan clipped to the side. Behind them, a giraffe with a bold brown‑and‑white patch pattern stands beside a white and green building with windows. The moment feels warm and light, capturing a close, calm encounter with the animal.
Giraffe at their petting zoo

 

A brown deer stands inside a red metal enclosure lined with straw. Evergreen trees are arranged around the pen. In the foreground, part of a James' face and striped neck pillow is visible as he looks toward the deer. A small sign with text and an image hangs on the enclosure, though the writing isn’t fully readable.

 

A close‑up view shows part of James' face in the foreground looking toward a red metal pen filled with straw. Inside the pen are several goats, some standing and some partially obscured by the fencing. A posted sign reads, “Parents Supervise your children.” The scene feels like a petting‑zoo area where visitors can get close to the animals.

 

A red metal enclosure filled with straw holds three kangaroos: one standing near the front, one lying down toward the back, and another standing off to the left. A yellow plastic shovel and two green cloths hang from the fencing. In the foreground, part James' face and neck pillow are visible. The scene feels like an outdoor animal exhibit where visitors can get a close look at the animals.

 

Stacy leans forward toward a brown‑and‑white llama inside a red metal enclosure. The llama has bits of straw on its fur and looks directly at Stacy. Behind it, more animals stand in a straw‑covered area bordered by wooden fencing. The moment feels close and curious, like a quiet interaction at a farm or petting‑zoo exhibit.

 

A black‑and‑white cow stands inside a red metal pen lined with hay. Evergreen trees are arranged around the enclosure under a tall, metal‑framed roof. A posted sign on the pen reads, “Please Spoon Feed the Animals. Parents Supervise your children.” In the foreground, James sits in his stroller facing the cow. The scene feels like a calm moment at a supervised petting‑zoo exhibit.

 

A close‑up selfie captures Stacy leaning in beside a camel. The camel’s head is right next to Stacy's face, appearing to nuzzle or sniff her cheek. Behind them is a wooden fence, straw on the ground, and part of a red metal railing, suggesting an outdoor animal enclosure. The moment feels playful and warm, highlighting a friendly interaction between human and animal.
Should I be jealous?

 

A three‑photo collage shows a sandy hill built from large tractor tires stacked in tiers. At the top of the hill, Jeff in a bright blue shirt and dark shorts stands with hands on hips. Another adult wearing a hat stands nearby, and a child is visible near an orange slide structure off to the right. The sky is clear and blue, with sparse vegetation in the background. The scene feels like an outdoor play area designed for climbing and exploring.
Daddy is king of the hill

 

A yellow outdoor sign stands beside a gravel road, with grass, farmland, and trees stretching into the background. The sign features orange and black lettering above four smiling cartoon pumpkins along the bottom edge. The message reads: “Thank you… Come back and see us soon! ~The Goebberts.”

 

I’m really sorry about how messy this post was. Hopefully the next one will be better.