34-Which home is she going to?
Updated: Mar 14, 2021
Here we are now... almost 4 years after bringing her home!
Looking back to this pivotal moment where this one decision would most likely change the trajectory of her recovery. It scares me to think that it could have gone another way. So many prayers, so much faith had to be exercised so that the right outcome for Bri would prevail. We had no idea what lie ahead of us, so many things that we could have never imagined... So much has happened in this wonderful, difficult time.
So much.
So let's go back to almost 3 months after her surgery.
We often talk about how we enjoy being at home during Christmas on a normal year... but Christmas in 2016 was getting closer and we truly wanted Brianne to be out of all hospitals and be home so badly. Just to be able to celebrate the holidays with family at home sounded like a beautiful almost unattainable dream.
But that dream came true.
I think I have asked this before, but do you believe in miracles? Angels? This day we had all angels present and a miracle happened, as it was quit an act of God to even be able to bring her to our home were we could provide full 24/7 care of her. *Lennerd had insisted that she return to his home, though there was no plan to care for her, there was a two year old who also needed to be cared for and there was much left to do in her recovery. Her speech was still minimal, she was still in a wheelchair for the most part and needed 24/7 care. We also knew that she could never go back to her home because of all that had transpired up to this point. We had a special meeting with the rehab caseworker, her Doctors, *Lennerd, Brianne, Dale and I. Brianne with full certainty told us, the Doctors and caseworker, both privately and in this meeting that she only wanted to come to our house.
We were so excited and thrilled to have her in our home finally! With Grandma Bartlett, who all but moved in to help, we looked forward to not only having her here but for Brianne to be able to spend more time with *Alex because there should be no reason that he couldn't be with her while *Lennerd was at work. We had a great plan with plenty of help including Brianne's Dad, her little sister Marissa, Marissa's husband, Eric, who were all here at our home for the sole purpose to help Brianne fully recover against all that we were told. With this force for good, faith, hope and prayers to help, we were ready for all the new adventures our family faced.
The night before we brought Brianne home I received a call from *Lennerd, "I know you have said that *Alex is helpful to Brianne's recovery, so I have decided to keep him at home and in daycare so that Brainne has incentive to come home."
I could not believe my ears and said, "You have got to be kidding me? You would keep Brainne's child away from here even more?"
Our hopes of having *Alex with her extensively, were dashed as *Lennerd decided to keep *Alex in daycare by his house and he brought *Alex only a few times a week for a brief time in the evenings to see Brianne.
My Mother's heart broke for her!
Brianne was always so excited to see his shining face. *Alex was even more animated and excited to see his Mom. Even at a young age he knew that she was needing some extra love and care. He seemed to have this internal sense that was so incredible to watch. He was her little angel.
Even though she wasn't there very much, Brianne got extra love from her little niece, *Ellenor. There is something about kids and how they know to love so unconditionally and beautifully.