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Anna
I remember when we first came to California I was twelve years old all I could think about was going to school making new friends and just living my best life.
I had four sisters two older than me and two sisters that were younger I also had six brothers yeah big big family I love my siblings actually I can't remember fighting with any of them just your typical "it's your turn to do dishes" kind of stuff. three of my brothers already had family's of their own and had remained living in Arizona that's where I was originally raised I don't know why my mom decided to pack us up and move to California but she did and this is where I've continued to live growing up getting married and raising a family of my own.
My childhood was nothing I even dreamed about, my childhood was given to me without my asking for it, it was something I wouldn't hand down to my worst enemy I wasn't given a choice but do what I was told to do without complaining about it.
The second to the oldest brother (Pete) had remained in Arizona he had a job working at the university and had started a new relationship with the girl he is still with to this day, he had previously got out of a relationship with a girl that didn't like being tied down she had lots of boyfriends which my brother didn't agree with but managed to get her pregnant right before they split up.
My brother made sure that she was taking care of herself and keeping doctors appointments he was there for the delivery of my niece and brought her home cause his ex couldn't care for the baby she liked the night life too much and having to tot the baby around would of ruined her chances of any guy wanting to date her. It was hard for him to go to work cause he had a newborn and a new girlfriend that didn't care for my niece because she (the baby) had reminded her of my brothers ex girlfriend, my niece must of been a month old when my brother drove six hundred miles to California so my mom could keep her (Anna) my niece. Right before he drove out here Anna had suffered a convolution she had been rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with epilepsy, I had no idea what epilepsy was or what it did to a person I was only twelve years old. Now that she was diagnosed she was going to need treatment and medications which could only be given to her in Arizona because that's where my brother had his insurance so it was important that she see her doctor and keep her appointments on time as scheduled.
My brother had to drive back home the next day due to his work schedule he gave my mom his daughter to care for and raise, now keeping all her appointments she didn't know what to do about that but she found a solution real quick. I was given a new born that had serious medical needs, I was given the responsibility of making sure Anna was back in Arizona on time for her appointments she couldn't miss any appointments cause the doctors were trying to get the right dosage of phenobarbital and dilaton but until they could figure it out Anna would continuously fall and have seizures. She had bruises, scrapes and sometimes a black eye I couldn't predict when she would have a episode or when she would fall I couldn't catch her on time, I would get stares everywhere we went. I was on the Greyhound bus with her every week going back and forth for thirteen hours each trip, I would try to get the three back seats every trip cause I was able to lay her down to change her or to put her to sleep there was a lot more room in the back of the bus not only that when Anna suffered a seizure I could hold her rock her and pray to God that her seizure wouldn't last long that she would be ok sitting back there nobody would see her shaking or watch me cry pleading to God to help me help her. there were plenty of times we would have a two hour layover in Los Angeles or in Phoenix during those two hours I could take her to get washed up, clean her bottles and get myself cleaned up, the hardest thing about having to take Anna anywhere was when she would have a seizure all I could do is sit beside her hold her whisper in her ear that I was there with her and I wasn't going to leave her alone the worst part about those times was the crowd of people gathered around us the oohs and the whispers like what happened to her why was she shaking and look at her bruises people can be ignorant and disrespectful at times I could handle the stares and comments it was the stupidity of grown adults looking at Anna as if she was contagious keeping their kids away from her she couldn't play with other kids because of the fear that their child could have a seizure. ignorant beyond a doubt.
This went on for about eight years the going back and forth on the bus and traveling with a newborn with epilepsy for thirteen hours .
I couldn't go to school I didn't meet new friends I had a responsibility to my niece to make sure she kept all her appointments, sure I would call home and cry I would beg my mom to send another sibling that I didn't know what to do I was scared and i was alone to please at least send my other sister to come help me it was hard trying to carry Anna, her over stuffed diaper bag, my purse, my personal bag and a small ice chest to keep her medication cold it was a lot for just me to carry. my mom said to stop being selfish and to consider Anna more and her needs not only that but the bus tickets would be too expensive for Pete. I didn't ask again I just did what I was told to do, I hated myself for needing help i was capable of carrying everything on my own. I remember asking for a stroller for Christmas I couldn't wait to open my gift I knew it was what I had asked for a brand new stroller! man my life just got a hundred percent better easier and more convenient. I loved that little stroller more than life itself Anna enjoyed it too she would sit up back straight just looking around saying hi to everyone that passed us. Anna outgrew her epilepsy by the age of thirteen she graduated high school then got married to Gabe they had five kids and bought a home
Anna worked for the schools as a teachers assistant she loves her job! to this day she calls me mom even though I'm her aunt I don't have a problem with her calling me mom i don't mind at all, I sometimes look at my hands and I can see the scars I got from having to put my fingers in her mouth so she couldn't bite her tongue while she convulsed I carry those scar's with pride I wouldn't want them to fade away for anything in the world.
Anna if I had to do it all over again I would, you taught me patience and what real love is you didnt care if my hair was a mess or if my clothes didn't match you were happy where ever we went, you would call me mom from across the room never embarrassed to be seen with me I was looked at as a girl who slept around cause i had you a newborn people assumed the worst about me, you didn't care you loved me regardless of what people thought. I love you with all my heart I will always love you.
Mom
© All Rights Reserved
I had four sisters two older than me and two sisters that were younger I also had six brothers yeah big big family I love my siblings actually I can't remember fighting with any of them just your typical "it's your turn to do dishes" kind of stuff. three of my brothers already had family's of their own and had remained living in Arizona that's where I was originally raised I don't know why my mom decided to pack us up and move to California but she did and this is where I've continued to live growing up getting married and raising a family of my own.
My childhood was nothing I even dreamed about, my childhood was given to me without my asking for it, it was something I wouldn't hand down to my worst enemy I wasn't given a choice but do what I was told to do without complaining about it.
The second to the oldest brother (Pete) had remained in Arizona he had a job working at the university and had started a new relationship with the girl he is still with to this day, he had previously got out of a relationship with a girl that didn't like being tied down she had lots of boyfriends which my brother didn't agree with but managed to get her pregnant right before they split up.
My brother made sure that she was taking care of herself and keeping doctors appointments he was there for the delivery of my niece and brought her home cause his ex couldn't care for the baby she liked the night life too much and having to tot the baby around would of ruined her chances of any guy wanting to date her. It was hard for him to go to work cause he had a newborn and a new girlfriend that didn't care for my niece because she (the baby) had reminded her of my brothers ex girlfriend, my niece must of been a month old when my brother drove six hundred miles to California so my mom could keep her (Anna) my niece. Right before he drove out here Anna had suffered a convolution she had been rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with epilepsy, I had no idea what epilepsy was or what it did to a person I was only twelve years old. Now that she was diagnosed she was going to need treatment and medications which could only be given to her in Arizona because that's where my brother had his insurance so it was important that she see her doctor and keep her appointments on time as scheduled.
My brother had to drive back home the next day due to his work schedule he gave my mom his daughter to care for and raise, now keeping all her appointments she didn't know what to do about that but she found a solution real quick. I was given a new born that had serious medical needs, I was given the responsibility of making sure Anna was back in Arizona on time for her appointments she couldn't miss any appointments cause the doctors were trying to get the right dosage of phenobarbital and dilaton but until they could figure it out Anna would continuously fall and have seizures. She had bruises, scrapes and sometimes a black eye I couldn't predict when she would have a episode or when she would fall I couldn't catch her on time, I would get stares everywhere we went. I was on the Greyhound bus with her every week going back and forth for thirteen hours each trip, I would try to get the three back seats every trip cause I was able to lay her down to change her or to put her to sleep there was a lot more room in the back of the bus not only that when Anna suffered a seizure I could hold her rock her and pray to God that her seizure wouldn't last long that she would be ok sitting back there nobody would see her shaking or watch me cry pleading to God to help me help her. there were plenty of times we would have a two hour layover in Los Angeles or in Phoenix during those two hours I could take her to get washed up, clean her bottles and get myself cleaned up, the hardest thing about having to take Anna anywhere was when she would have a seizure all I could do is sit beside her hold her whisper in her ear that I was there with her and I wasn't going to leave her alone the worst part about those times was the crowd of people gathered around us the oohs and the whispers like what happened to her why was she shaking and look at her bruises people can be ignorant and disrespectful at times I could handle the stares and comments it was the stupidity of grown adults looking at Anna as if she was contagious keeping their kids away from her she couldn't play with other kids because of the fear that their child could have a seizure. ignorant beyond a doubt.
This went on for about eight years the going back and forth on the bus and traveling with a newborn with epilepsy for thirteen hours .
I couldn't go to school I didn't meet new friends I had a responsibility to my niece to make sure she kept all her appointments, sure I would call home and cry I would beg my mom to send another sibling that I didn't know what to do I was scared and i was alone to please at least send my other sister to come help me it was hard trying to carry Anna, her over stuffed diaper bag, my purse, my personal bag and a small ice chest to keep her medication cold it was a lot for just me to carry. my mom said to stop being selfish and to consider Anna more and her needs not only that but the bus tickets would be too expensive for Pete. I didn't ask again I just did what I was told to do, I hated myself for needing help i was capable of carrying everything on my own. I remember asking for a stroller for Christmas I couldn't wait to open my gift I knew it was what I had asked for a brand new stroller! man my life just got a hundred percent better easier and more convenient. I loved that little stroller more than life itself Anna enjoyed it too she would sit up back straight just looking around saying hi to everyone that passed us. Anna outgrew her epilepsy by the age of thirteen she graduated high school then got married to Gabe they had five kids and bought a home
Anna worked for the schools as a teachers assistant she loves her job! to this day she calls me mom even though I'm her aunt I don't have a problem with her calling me mom i don't mind at all, I sometimes look at my hands and I can see the scars I got from having to put my fingers in her mouth so she couldn't bite her tongue while she convulsed I carry those scar's with pride I wouldn't want them to fade away for anything in the world.
Anna if I had to do it all over again I would, you taught me patience and what real love is you didnt care if my hair was a mess or if my clothes didn't match you were happy where ever we went, you would call me mom from across the room never embarrassed to be seen with me I was looked at as a girl who slept around cause i had you a newborn people assumed the worst about me, you didn't care you loved me regardless of what people thought. I love you with all my heart I will always love you.
Mom
© All Rights Reserved
