WiseMindedLiving

This blog has focused on Ryleigh’s and my experiences. I wanted to share some stories about Chloe as she has been around for most of the happenings.

Many of my friends and family have heard the stories or even experienced the struggles Chloe has with getting out of her comfort zone. She is cautious and a thinker and does not jump into anything quickly. This is a good quality and I respect her for it. Chloe spent the first week Ry was in the hospital with her dad. But as we headed down south and we got farther away – she missed her sister and her mom. We decided that the best thing for our family is to have Chloe stay in Vancouver with us. However, I informed Chloe that she needed to understand that Ryleigh’s needs and sometimes wants came first. She also needed to be helpful and kind to her sister.

Chloe has been such a great help. She listens to Ry’s grumbling, endures watching TV shows such as CSI, Bones, Top Chef, and Chopped, and will run errands for Ryleigh whenever necessary.
She makes Ryleigh laugh – usually at my expense but I don’t mind.

Chloe has definitely stepped up…she is doing many more things independently. She stays with a former NVSS student, Lisa S, at Easter Seals House while I sleep at the hospital with Ryleigh. She will run errands around the hospital checking out menus, going to the bank machine, buying lunch, getting coffees. This may not seem like a big deal but for Chloe it is — she has always been shy and reluctant to do these things. Well, not anymore.

Chloe is also trying to catch up on her studies. She goes to the schoolroom to work on projects for her EBus courses. She is setting some goals and trying her best to get work done.

Even though Chloe must miss her friends, Pony Club, and other routines…she is not making it evident during her time. She is upbeat, positive, and a real pleasure to have around. If she is feeling overcrowded in the hospital room she will venture to the teen lounge and talk with others, play games, watch t.v. and basically interact with people she doesn’t know.

Thank you Chloe for being such a responsible, trustworthy, and dependable daughter. I am proud of how you have dealt with your own anxieties and insecurities to manage during this stressful time.