After that summer, things changed. We expanded the house a little more, and made a larger bedroom in the basement, and Jackie moved in with My Parents and I. I was able to take care of myself in every way, though it was harder. I could change my diapers, but it would take me 3 times as long as it would take mom or Jackie to do it. I would have to roll side to side, and they would just roll my butt up on my back like you would change a regular baby.
On the times when Jackie was home, she would take care of me and other times it was mom or dad. I got more into the baby life; mainly cause Jackie allowed me to. At home with her, I was her little Jay.
Life went like that for about 3 years, when I was 23. At that time my parents were both to the point in their jobs that they could retire, and they wanted to get on with that. I was used to mom being around the house along with either grandma (who had moved closer) or Aunt Sharon from across the street every day, but dad being around the house…. The first week I decided, He’s got to go!!
My mom decided that my Grandma and Aunt Sharon could handle the sewing business and they moved the workshop to Aunt Sharon’s across the street. Mom and dad bought an RV (they got a wheelchair lift also, but would not let me drive), and their plan was to travel around the country stopping off at RV parks and campgrounds along the way.
Mom, dad and Jackie all took classes to learn how to drive that thing, but dad refused to get hand controls so I could drive, oh well. Mom and dad went out for a month, calling and checking in about every other day.
I got my first cell phone, big ugly and clunky, but I was able to keep in touch with Jackie and mom and dad. I got a job as a part time web designer and graphics layout person at a local tech company. Jackie’s and my schedules worked out great too.
She would get me up and changed and cleaned up in the morning and then dressed for work, while I was making breakfast she would get ready for work, then I would take her to work, and then go to my job. We coordinated our lunches, so that I would meet her at the hospital for lunch. The food is pretty good, as long as you are not a patient, LOL. I always took a 2 hour lunch, since I only worked 6 hours a day anyways. I worked 8 to 11 then 1 to 4, sometimes 5.
For Christmas that year I had saved up enough money to get some nice presents for Jackie and my parents and myself… I got myself a new laptop, and got one for mom and dad too. For Jackie I got her and I a vacation getaway in the great smoky mountains. I had checked the place out and it was going to be great. Mom and Dad pulled the van down behind the RV and we rode in the RV on the way down.
As a surprise after our trip mom and dad got us all a vacation to Disney world. Mom and dad had gotten a place at a resort RV park where the Disney shuttle would pick us up at each day and we would go to the parks. We got there early in the morning, after dad setup the RV we went to IHOP for breakfast. When we came back there was a camper next to our’s “oh just great, renters” dad said
“renters?” I asked
“yeah these people rent RV’s and think they know what they are doing and are usually not living the RV’ers code, like keeping quiet after certain hours. Well let’s go welcome them” We went to the RV next door and dad knocked on the door; and who should appear, but a 18 year old Jake in a onsie and diaper.
“ha ha surprised ya” Jake said while putting some shorts on. “that was all a surprise to you, we all had kept it hidden from you, happy 24th birthday jay”
“What do you mean you been keeping this all hidden?” I asked
“Well for the last month and a half, we all have been planning behind your back. I know that for the last year or two you wanted to go to Disney and the other parks.” Mom said
That week was so fun, Jake decided to go baby that week and used a large stroller, myself in my powered chariot. The staff at Disney made sure that 2 diapered boys had all they needed. They had nice special needs changing rooms, and we saw several other kids in diapers. We got to the front of lines for the rides. I didn’t want that week to end.
Jackie and I went back home and I worked on my next surprise for her for Valentines day…. I got a ring and asked for her hand in marriage. We were married that summer with just our families there. Jake stood up with me as my Best Man.
Jake went off to college that fall, he decided to be a ‘big boy’ at college, but I still saw the diaper pail being emptied out into the outdoor garbage Sunday night from time to time.
Next stop, kids. We tried for sometime, but I was not able to “get it up” so we tried the artificial insemination route, but that too failed. In early 2002, we decided to not try anymore. Instead we were going to try to adopt. Hitting every road block due to my disability (that is why there is a problem with kids needing adopted). We went back and forth for about 6 months, and it was causing my wife horrible torment, cause we both wanted a child very badly.
One day shortly after Halloween in 2002, I was watching the news and they were talking about older children needing a good home. We had been trying to adopt an infant, but the thought of an older child was fine as well. We contacted the agency, and met a 7 year old who had spina bifida. Samuel had been bounced around foster care for the last 5 years, his mother turned to drugs shortly after he was born, and had lost all parental rights.
He came to Thanksgiving that year, and shortly before Christmas, we got him as a foster kid. It took about 6 months, but we did legally adopt Sam. I had used an old friend from high school, Matt to help with the legal legwork, in trade for my IT and web services.
I knew that Sam had a rough time so far in life, and he would have issues with other kids, due to his need of diapers, and being in a wheelchair sometimes too. I was determined to make sure his life was the best I could do. We got him into physical therapy, occupational therapy, and to get new braces, crutches and a wheelchair custom made for him, and not hand-me-downs.
I helped him with his therapy, we would work out together when he did not have appointments, and there were a lot of appointments that we had to catch up on. We quickly made up for lost therapy time, and it allowed me to be able to grow a bond with him.