a message to 2014

Nappy Yew Hear!

I'm not being weird. That's my way of saying, "If I see the word
'Happy New Year' one more time, my head will surely explode."

I have over 150 friends on Facebook and a whole lot more on the
DeafBlind mailing lists. Every single one of them posted New Year
greetings. Ka-Boom!

I noticed something interesting that people are saying this year.
The vast majority are speaking out against making resolutions,
because we all know that nobody sticks to them. Two of my friends
said it best...

Scott: I hereby resolve to use Resolve to clean the cat puke on
the carpet. (Yes, he really is a nut case.)

Julie: So I don't make New Year's Resolutions because as far as
I'm concerned, every day is the first day of the rest of your
life so every day is a good day for a resolution...

My feelings on this subject are that you change because you want
or need to change. You desire this and are determined to make it
happen. That motivation doesn't come from the start of a new
calendar year. It comes from within your heart and will happen
only when you are truly ready to make it happen. That's why I
think New Year's resolutions are a waste of time.

I'm not making any resolutions. I never do. But I do have a
message for the new year. Are you listening to me, 2014? I am
warning you -- Leave my son alone!

Yeah, those are the words of an angry mother. 2013 was not a good
year for Joseph. I had to listen to my 12 year old child
complain, "It's not fair!" I completely agreed with him.

While you all began celebrating the holiday season, he was on an
operating table on the day before Thanksgiving. He faced both a
scalpel and laser. The resulting wound was the size of a silver
dollar and quite deep. There is still an open and bloody wound as
I write this.

When Joseph returned to school on crutches and wearing a surgical
boot, a lot of kids wanted to know what happened. He told them he
had foot surgery, and they wanted to know why. Joseph said,
"Because I had an ear infection."

That's Joseph-speak for, "mind your own business." The funny part
is that some kids had to stop and think about that one. The ear
bone's connected to the foot bone??

It has been a rough recovery with much pain and suffering. Joseph
missed five days of school, the first Boy Scout merit badge
challenge and the Scout trip to the Kent State Wellness Center.
Since he still can't put pressure on the bottom of his foot, he
will miss the beginning of ski club and the Boy Scout Klondike
camping trip.

I am pleased to say that Joseph had a good Christmas with his
father. On the day after he returned, he woke up with a fever and
sore throat. He just got worse, so we took him to the doctor. The
verdict? Strep throat and an ear infection. That was the end of
our plans for a New Year's eve sleepover. Was that really
necessary?

So, 2014, You can dump snow on us. You can freeze us to death.
But don't you dare mess with my son! Mother Nature is nothing
compared to a mother's fury.

Angela C. Orlando
January 7th, 2014