Will Everyone Stare?

The countdown is here... 6 days until we are DOC band free!!! It has been almost 3 months with that plastic head contraption. What many call a "helmet." I didn't want to call it that because, well, that isn't what it is. It is an orthopedic device.  Children who are mentally challenged or have a brain injury may wear a helmet. But that wasn't Isaac.  However, the DOC band did serve it's "helmet" moments! There were many times while learning to sit (and now learning to stand) that he would fall and bonk his head.  I'm sure that was a good cushion for him!

But now, now the routine we have come to know is coming to an end. And we couldn't be happier. The nights of dousing that sweaty thing with alcohol, scrubbing off the food that splattered on it,  the days it gets caught on the shopping cart and many other things, all the frustrations that come with it are coming to an end. (Can you tell we are excited?)

So that wasn't the full purpose of this blog post. I just needed to let that out there. (WE ARE ALMOST DONE!)  I remember the day we took the imaging for his band and thought, "Will everyone stare? What will it be like?" Well, let me share our journey...

Yes. Everyone stared. But not in the way I thought they would.  Many stared in awe.  Here's an example.  Recently, there was a day my husband took Isaac out grocery shopping. He mentioned to me later, "Everyone kept stopping and gushing all over him about how adorable he is!"

Oh yes! Our son is the cutest thing in the world! We should enroll him immediately in a baby contest. But I truly think people see him with the DOC band, and notice him more due to it.  The best part that I noticed was they didn't look away sheepishly like, oh I better not stare. Instead, they did just as my husband mentioned and smiled and loved all over him.

I've had some of the best conversations at Costco that I wouldn't have had if he didn't have the DOC band on. I know those parents wouldn't have approached me if he didn't. I know because the whole reason they came was THAT is what we had in common. Their children either had one or was suggested to have one. So we stood and chatted about the pluses and minuses about the band.

Now don't get me wrong.  There are definitely people who showed no interest in Isaac. And I'm totally cool with that. I don't need everyone gawking over him like he is the Prince of Egypt.  And I have definitely had people just cold out reject me when I asked them a question. Was it because of his DOC band? Did they associate it with some mental retardation? Or was it the Christian stickers we put on them? Or was it just the fact he is a baby and some people can't stand babies. Who knows. Who cares.  All that truly matters is that our child is alive and well.

And maybe, maybe, sometimes staring isn't a bad thing after all.

As a side note, I have worked with mentally disabled adults.  If I was ever BLESSED to have or to take care of a child with disabilities, you better believe I would stand up for them. And yes, it would be a blessing. Would it be a challenge, heck yes. But that is a blog for another time...