Earlier in the day Brian and I went to pass out backpacks. I didn't really know anything about the organization we were helping, I just responded to request for the sorority to assist. Brian wanted to go also. We ended up at a juvenile detention complex. We found out we'd be giving the backpacks to kids in foster families. The set up reminded us when we worked the Detroit North End Youth Improvemenf Council (NEYIC) Christmas Adopt a Child program. Sort of.
The event was more like a fair of services available for the foster families. There were tables set up from different agencies. In addition, the host agency provided food and drinks and treats during the event and gave away food for the families to takes home.
The event was held in a gymnasium. We entered and saw that the entire bleacher section was full, FULL of backpacks. They were separated into age groups, elementary,middle school and high school. The event started at 8:30. The line started forming at 7:30. People were allowed to wait inside as it was already quite hot outside..and humid! And the humid part is rare out here.
At 8:30 we started passing out the backpacks. Caregivers, social workers, foster parents would give us the name and ages of the children and we'd give them the age appropriate backpacks. And of course the kids were there! All kinds of kids. And remember they were all children in foster care. The foster parents ran the spectrum. Some that stood out to me were the several senior citizen couples who were fostering, people who fostered siblings, a guy who said he had never been a parent and this was his first time fostering someone. And he was a relatively young guy. The deaf foster parent, with the deaf kids. Some people Fostered 1-2 children, some came in with up to 8 kids. And the kids! How delightful they were. And how picky they were when it came to the backpacks! Lol.
Lots of requests for Elsa. Minnie Mouse was cast aside. There was way too much pink. A lot of girls, of all ages, rejected pink. As a matter of fact, the older girls wanted black! The boys liked the camo backpacks. And we tried to accommodate everyone. We'd get kids standing there going over every single back before selecting. Yes, the backpacks were filled with supplies. Kids would get the backpacks and hug them. Lots of thanks. The kids were between the ages of 5-18.
The best part of the day? I got to use my skills!! What skills, you ask. Well, I'll tell ya. We had a deaf family. The adult and 2 kids. All deaf. I was able to use my meager signing skills (American Sign Language) to let the high school girl know that she could select the backpacks on the top row. Yes, I signed the word TOP. Lol lol. Hey. She understood and as I spelled, she said top and nodded her head and proceeded to select a pack from the top row! Ha!! On the down side, I really, really need to get my Spanish up to par. I knew quite a bit, but I suppose since I didn't use it, I've forgotten it. Well maybe not forgotten, but I brain fart huge when I need it. Like I forgot how to ask, "what is your name?", the only phrase that came to mind was , "where are you?" And yes as of right now I know it's "come se llama". D'oh! And we're not sure why there wasn't a translator at the event....
Trying to cut this long entry short. On the dialysis front, the mystery of my fragile skin has been solved. The condition is a form of porphyria, which is the blood disorder I have, which is a major cause of the kidney failure. I'll go into detail later, but I know what's wrong and how to deal with it and treat the symptoms. And as with any porphryia' it's not curable. But it's not life threatening, either, just another thing to deal with. And it could be worse, so I'm good.
Have a great weekend. We're going to stay cool. Hooray for a new air conditioning unit!
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