update and re-intro

[Guest guest]

Hi...I am Sampson Barrette CN, Mom to Sydney 4 1/2 (mds),

Zach 19 and kerry-lee 21. I have been a member of this group since

2004..I think :^)! I have taken a hiatus from posting due to the

demands of life and I think that life will just be demanding no matter

what! I want to say welcome to all the new members and hello again to

all of you who have known me and Syd for some time.

Sydney is about to start pre-K for the first time on Tuesday. We are

very thrilled, but not as excited as she is. She is very social and

very bright! She has a vocabulary of over 2000 words, has

expressions that make us laugh for days, and always knows what

something is even if we think she would not...like a Platypus!

As many of you know, this syndrome can bring with it health

risks...digestive concerns, heart defects, and risks of getting other

serious things such as diabetes and Leukemia. Well, on August 22,

2005, Syd was diagnosed with Acute lymphocytic Leukemia and on

October 9, 2007 she finished her 2 year nearly 800 days of chemo

everyday protocal! She is doing quite well and finally her hair

is starting to return! She has courage, will power, and feist like no

one I have ever known. In spite of this obstacle she has continued

to develop, learn and amaze us. Heck..she even knows the capitals of

all the states on the Eastern seaboard! Of course..she is our love and

pride and joy.

In October my mom(82) began to decline health wise. She had been

living with us and I was her primary caretaker 24/7. As you can

imagine, the emotions and demands of taking care of both Sydney and

my mom were huge, but somehow we find that we have amazing strength

when we need them and reaching down to those proverbial bootstraps

allows us to keep going. My mm passed last year on March 20th...3

days after Syd's 4th birthdy. She was never able to say good bye,

but oftem in a strange and unexplainable way, Syd will say " Oop..It's

Grammy! " so we just say " Hi " and don;'t ask.

Also, in January of 2007, I began graduate school for a masters in

Human Services with a specializaiton in Mental health Counseling. I

would liekt o be able to help families deal witht he unepected events

that can alter life but teach them it does not have to destroy life!

So..Now as I am well into my second year of school, Syd about to go

off to pre-K and My older daughter Kerry about to graduate from Iona

College in NY this May..we are at turning points in our lives that

offer us much promise. It is important to not worry too much about

the future and live every day to its fullest.

My husband still struggles with depression since the birth of

Sydney. He always says he just feels bad for her. My resposne is

always.. " WHY! " She is happy, energetic (much more than we could

ever be), curious, imaginative, loves to learn, loves people, loves

life..and well the list just goes on and on in the postive side!

Truly the only quality Sydney has that may get the best of her is her

stubbornness..but I truly think that that served her quite well

throughout all of her treatment.

Thanks so much to all of you who sent Sydney gifts and very kind and

thoughtful cards and messages. WE will never forget how amazingly

understanding and compassionate you all were. The support came from

all over the world!..and almost instantly as soon as I posted the news.

I will tell you this. Treat these kids with dignity, expect great

things from them..and let them fly..give them room to explore and

figure things out..because they will.

Life IS good and is full of wonder and great people. If you believe

that you will draw good things to you. Sydney is my treasure..my

wonderful unexpected treasure who has taught me that the obstacles

are there to overcome and when the bumps are absent for a while then

it is time to take a great big deep breath and know that the next

obstacle will be surmountable too.

Our new motto from this year is " It will be ok no matter what! "

I love to talk about Sydney and all the things she does that they told

me she would not do..in fact I wonder who the heck they were talking

about that day...6 hour after she was born. She has gone above and

beyond it all and she is only 4 1/2...imagine what is in store?!?!?

I am a certified Nurtitionist. If any of you have quesitons about

anything concerning your child's diet, you may email me at anytime

and I will get back to you.

By the way..I live in Haverhill Massachusetts...and we have a bunch

of snow here and today it is 25 degrees out..time to put the skates

on!

Much love and admiration for all of you....and thank you for sticking

by us.

xoxox