Viral Post Update, Spinal Fusion Follow Up, Family Pictures, Epilepsy Awareness Month, World Stroke Day, and School Picture

Viral Post Update

James sits in a wheelchair outdoors on a grassy area, wearing a red‑and‑black plaid shirt and looking upward. Green grass and softly blurred trees fill the background. Text over the image reads: “Instead of ‘don’t stare’," “Let’s start teaching,” “‘SAY HELLO’,” and “www.facebook.com/fansofjames.”

 

We still can’t believe this. This one little picture with such a simple saying really took off. And we have no idea how it happened. It’s just crazy.

Stacy originally posted it on James’ Facebook page on September 6th. As of October 28th, not even two months after she posted it, it has reached 12 million people. 12 million. Not 12 thousand…12 million. I can’t even wrap my head around that large of a number.

 

A graphic with a red background and a beige border highlights the reach of a social media post. At the top, the word “BLESSED” appears in large beige letters. Below it is a screenshot of a post titled “Photo only post,” dated September 6 at 8:09 PM by Stacy Fulkerson. The thumbnail shows a child with text encouraging people to “say hello” instead of staring. The stats display “12M People Reached” and “1.4M Engagements,” with reactions totaling “797,00” across like, love, and laugh icons. At the bottom, handwritten‑style text reads, “We made 12 MILLION... WOW!!!” The overall design celebrates a major milestone in visibility and engagement.
12 million people reached as of October 28th

 

Thank you to everyone who has left positive comments, shared the picture, and showed James some love. And to those people who left negative comments, or turned the picture into a meme, I hope karma finds you.

 

 

Spinal Fusion Follow Up

A few weeks ago, James had his 5 month follow up with the spinal surgeon. It’s hard to believe it’s been five months already! Doc said everything looks fine.

 

A front-view medical X‑ray of James shows the skull, spine, ribcage, and pelvis. The spine has been surgically stabilized with long metal rods and multiple screws running down its length, indicating corrective spinal surgery. A measurement scale appears along the left edge of the image. The hardware and alignment are clearly visible against the dark background of the radiograph.
Spinal fusion follow up x-ray front view

 

A side-view X‑ray shows James in a seated position, with the skull, spine, ribcage, and pelvis clearly visible. Multiple surgical implants run along the spine, including long rods and numerous screws, indicating extensive spinal stabilization. The word “SITTING” appears at the top left, and an orientation marker with the letter “L” and “BL” is visible. Measurement scales run along the side of the radiograph. The spinal hardware and alignment are sharply defined against the dark background.
Spinal fusion follow up x-ray side view

 

James has had one issue that we’ve been dealing with since the spinal fusion surgery. It’s not even a result of the spinal fusion, but the surgery just exacerbated it. James’ tailbone has always stuck out a bit, almost to the point where we wondered if it would ever break through the skin. It never did…until the spinal fusion.

We think that with the straighter (and longer) spine, the tailbone started working its way through the skin. We’ve talked to a couple of doctors about options to address it and decided to go with the less invasive option first. We took James to a plastic surgeon who cauterized the wound around the tailbone.

If that doesn’t work and the tailbone continues to push through the skin, James will have to undergo another surgery where they will go in and shave down the tailbone. Fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that. We were told that there would be about a two-week recovery after the surgery. Yeah, recovery from the spinal fusion was supposed to be one to two weeks, and he was in the hospital for a month. I know. I know. We need to do what’s best for James. Hopefully he won’t need the surgery. Only time will tell.

 

 

Family Pictures

We had our annual family pictures done in early October. I won’t post all of them here, but here is a small sample of our favorites.

 

Jeff, Stacy and James are gathered outside on a grassy lawn with trees and a house in the background. James sits in his wheelchair wearing a blue‑and‑white plaid shirt and jeans. Jeff and Stacy stand close behind and beside the chair, each resting a hand gently on James' wheelchair or hands. Jeff wears a light blue checkered shirt, and Stacy wears a blue floral blouse with brown boots. The scene feels like a relaxed family portrait, centered on connection and support.

 

Jeff, Stacy and James are outdoors in a grassy area with trees and soft natural light behind them. James sits in a wheelchair wearing a blue plaid shirt. Jeff and Stadcy stand close on either side, leaning in toward James. Jeff wears a checkered shirt, and Stacy wears a blue floral blouse. Their posture and closeness give the image a feeling of connection and support in a calm outdoor setting.

 

Jeff, James, and Stacy lie together on a blanket spread over grass outdoors. James rests in the center, with Jeff and Stacy on either side. Jeff wears a blue checkered shirt and reclines with one arm bent behind the head. Stacy wears a blue floral blouse and brown boots, gently touching James' head. Scattered leaves around the blanket hint at a park or backyard in early fall. The scene feels peaceful and close, centered on comfort and connection.

 

Stacy, James, and Jeff sit together on a blanket outdoors near a tree. James wears a blue‑and‑white plaid shirt and jeans and sits in the center, with Stacy and Jeff on either side. Stacy wears a blue floral top and jeans, Jeff a blue checkered shirt and dark pants. The grassy area, fence, and houses in the background give the scene a relaxed, backyard‑style feel. Their closeness and posture create a calm, connected family moment.

 

Stacy chose three of her favorite pictures and ordered metal pictures of them through Thirty-One. Only one of the three has arrived so far, but this is what it looks like:

 

A wooden photo holder engraved with the words “OUR MEMORIES” displays a family photograph of Stacy, James, and Jeff sitting on a blanket outdoors near trees and grass. Behind the holder sits a Samsung soundbar labeled “Crystal Surround AirTrack” with Bluetooth features. In front of the holder are small decorative items, including a red flower‑shaped piece and a multicolored yellow‑and‑blue object. The setup blends family keepsakes with everyday home electronics, giving the scene a personal, lived‑in feel.

 

Stacy just so happens to be having an online Thirty-One party so if your interested in having some of your special pictures printed on metal, there is a link to party in the Epilepsy Awareness Month section below.

 

 

Epilepsy Awareness Month

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. Like she has done in years past, Stacy will be posting daily epilepsy facts on James’ Facebook page. I usually take those daily facts and make two blog posts out of them, one in the middle of the month with facts from days 1 through 15, and a second post at the end of the month or early December with the facts from days 16 through 30. I plan on doing the same thing this year.

Stacy is also having her annual Thirty-One fundraiser where she will be donating 20% of sales to the Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago. If you are interested in purchasing a new bag or other item, check out her online party here. If you don’t want to buy anything, please consider making a donation to the Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago.

 

 

World Stroke Day

October 29th was World Stroke Day. We’ll always wonder what James would be like if he hadn’t had that stroke in utero. Would he be ‘normal’ or would he still have some of the same medial issues? I guess we’ll never know.

 

A promotional graphic for World Stroke Day features a large flowing purple ribbon centered over a faint world‑map background. Bold text reads “Elevate the Awareness & Hope for Pediatric Stroke,” followed by the date “October 29, 2019.” Below that, the words “World Stroke Day” appear in a mix of uppercase and script lettering. At the bottom, the website “pediatricstrokewarriors.org” is listed. The overall design uses purple and white tones to emphasize pediatric stroke awareness and hope.

 

 

School Picture

I’ll finish this post with James’ 5th grade picture:

 

James sits in a supportive wheelchair wearing a multicolored plaid shirt in shades of blue, orange, and white. Behind them is a backdrop of vivid autumn foliage, with bright red, orange, and yellow leaves filling the frame. The strong seasonal colors create a warm contrast with the subject’s clothing and give the portrait a rich, fall‑themed atmosphere.