October 29, 2008 by scottedog
Having a handicapped daughter can be difficult at times. The reality of what issues/situations are difficult is different than most people assume. Most people think it is the care giving that is the difficult part, actually that is the best part. I have often said that seizures and surgeries are far better than dealing with dating and mean friends!
The part that is the most difficult is the not knowing if your handicapped child is happy and knows how much you love them. We just returned from Florida where we went as part of a Make A Wish trip for our oldest daughter. We know we have a happy child, and we definitely know that she knows we love her.
Traveling with 5 girls (the handicapped daughter was by far the best traveler) can be daunting. For me as the only male in the family it usually means being a bell boy for the duration of the trip. The most unique thing we experienced this time was the interaction of our daughters. At home our daughters do not spend a lot of time with their handicapped sister, dance schedules, school schedules etc. make it difficult for them to all be together. But for 6 days in Florida they were all together, and it was AMAZING to see how respectful, and kind her sisters were. They were never ashamed embarrassed or even impatient with their older sister.
Even though the trip was suppose t be a wish granted for our daughter it was our wish of Hannah knowing how much her sisters love her that was in fact the real gift!

Swimming with the Dolphins