Errol Milner Clifford 2006-2009

Errol Milner Clifford was born with a significant heart defect and a cognitive disability that prevented him from walking or talking. As we grieved the child we had anticipated, Errol’s full-bodied smile and irrepressible laugh turned our sorrow into joy, and taught us that many of the best things in life are unexpected. Inspired by Errol’s delightful spirit, friends, family, and neighbors rallied to support our family’s significant emotional, physical, and financial needs, through countless acts of selfless generosity. When Errol’s courageous heart finally failed him on December 23, 2009 we were left numb with grief. In these dark hours we listen hopefully for the echoes of Errol’s brilliant laugh. This blog is the story (starting from present and working back to Errol's birth) of the life and times of the amazing Errol Clifford.


Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Typical Day at Ten Months


After months of fear, pain, uncertainty, and anguish, life for Errol at 10 months is good. Errol and Owen share a room (Owen’s choice) and one of them wakes the other up about dawn (thank god for the long nights of winter). Errol is such a sweet kid that he doesn’t complain and almost never cries to be fed. We get him up and feed him the first drink of the day (it must be five o’clock somewhere) before we do anything else, then it’s time for a diaper change and some time on the mat with different blinking and beeping toys while we woof down our breakfast. After a bit of play and stretches (therapy, not Pilates) Errol takes his anti-reflux medicine (we are down to only three doses of two medicines and it feels great), and head off to school with brother Owen. We drop Own at his elementary school and then head off to the most amazing school in the world, The Children’s Center. There we spend some time checking in with his wonderful teachers, Anne, Audrey, and Paula – three teachers, six students. They each know and love Errol like he was there own, and there’s no doubt that it will make him a very different person. Imagine if all schools were set up like Errol’s. Imagine if we thought of all of our students as disabled (which they all are in their own ways) and responded by giving them small classes, tons of intervention, love, and the best equipment in the world. The stakes are high at The Children’s Center, if they don’t do their best, a child may not talk, or walk, but all our kids are worth the effort – what would the harm be in having schools that are too good? We feel so lucky to have Errol at his school. I wish all parents were lucky enough to have schools invest in their children like The Children’s Center has in Errol.
Errol stays in school from about 9:30 until about 1:30. While he’s there he gets play time, music, physical therapy, occupational therapy, vision therapy, speech therapy (I’m not kidding), diaper changes, feeding, sometimes a short nap, and always lots of kisses. Where do I sign up? When we come to get him around 1:30 he is exhausted, and takes a massive (up to four hour) nap when he gets home. He’s back up to feed around four or five, and then we all play, do some stretches, eat dinner, take another round of medicines, and then hit the sack about seven. Yes, we are very lucky, our kids sleep from about seven to seven. That gives us twelve hours to eat, drink, be merry, cuddle, clean the dishes, wash and fold the clothes, clean house, tend the garden, tidy the yard, take the dogs on a walk, read, talk, watch the occasional movie, and maybe even sleep. Life is good, and it just keeps getting better.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Jonathan and Cary,

I think a garden is one of the most wonderful gifts and teachers a person can have.

It teaches me that life is a process, not an end result. I always do my best to help my vegies, herbs, and flowers to grow. But beyond my efforts is a wait-and-see surprise. I never really know what will happen. Even though my tomatoes usually thrive, sometimes they aren't as good as other years. And sometimes something just does not grow!

Last year half my garden grew sideways, due to the Grandmother Oak spreading her branches too far over the garden. (This year an arborist is coming to tend to it.)

I don't have expectations. I have hope, but if something doesn't conform to "expectations," I'm okay with that. Sometimes things don't grow. Sometimes they don't thrive. Sometimes they just blow me out of the water with their success! No matter what, it all is tended with lots of TLC.

I learn to take it in my stride. I am so grateful to be able to tend my little plots of earth. It is my greatest blessing.

Love, Marigene