First blog take over: Nana

My first blog take over! I let our family members know, if they ever wanted to post something on the blog, I would be happy to share it. My mom emailed me her post and she hit the nail on the head. Adam and I were just discussing how hard this has been on us.. but also how hard it is on our parents. Our parents have to watch Adam and I go through this AND Greyson. They want to fix it for us and him.

Without further ado, my mom's blog:

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From Greyson’s Nana, Kimberly discussed with the family if they would like to share how Greyson’s diagnosis and journey has affected us. I’ve thought of this often but how do you put this in writing to accurately describe this most difficult but loving time in our lives. I’m attempting this now, with a box of Kleenex by my side. It’s difficult. Greyson is such a sweetheart, and we are so blessed he was born into our family. He is our third grandchild, Sofia, Ella, and Greyson. When I received the call that Kim was in labor, I headed immediately to Green Bay. Of course, there was a snowstorm in Marquette, I almost turned around, almost. Greyson was born shortly before I arrived, tiny but all looked good. So, we thought. We would visit them in Green Bay, they would come to Marquette, we would snuggle, hug, smother him with kisses, loving the time we spent together. September 2020, I offered to take care of Greyson in Green Bay. With Covid, Greyson couldn’t be in day care and the kids needed to work. We were then living in Marquette; I would spend the week with the kids and return to Marquette on the weekends. During this time, I suspected something was wrong with Greyson. We thought he had weak muscle tone and hoping it would strengthen with physical therapy. His leg strength wasn’t what our daughters had, where they would stand on your legs and dig painfully into your thighs. Greyson couldn’t do this; his legs couldn’t hold him up. He also had difficulty holding up his head, on our daily walks in the stroller I would surround him with receiving blankets to keep his head and neck stable. Throughout our walks I would stop often to check if he was comfortable and safe. I remember fondly one afternoon after we came in the house, I stood him up, held him and put his hands on the coffee table. He looked at me like, “I get it!” I can stand up; you could see the confirmation in his eyes and smile. He can’t do this anymore. The love you have for your children and grandchildren cannot be measured or accurately described. It’s something you feel, words cannot express this feeling, it’s deep. As Kim’s mom, I wanted to make it better, make Greyson better. And how does one maneuver a difficult journey like this? Where are the instructions, is it something I can google? Bob and I decided to move to De Pere, Wisconsin last summer to be close by, wanting to spend time with Greyson, be there to support Kim and Adam, as much as one can. Also, making memories without the luxury of time. We can’t make Greyson better but hopefully we can help. I’m doing my best to support, say the right thing, hoping to help, plan some family dinners, bring Subway over for lunch, sometimes I don’t get the right vegetables on the sandwich, but I’m trying. And I’ll continue to try. Kim and Adam are doing a wonderful job taking care of Greyson, this is not easy. It’s emotionally and physically draining; it takes two people most of the time to take care of his needs. I’m proud of the adults and parents to Greyson they have become, under such heartbreaking and difficult circumstances. Greyson won’t walk, run, talk, or do any of the landmarks that most children will experience, it’s heartbreaking. Sadness and grief come in waves, like today. There was a food drive from one of our neighborhood Boy Scout. I put out the bag with canned goods and a little toy for the Boy Scout. I happen to be in the living room when his dad pulled up in, a little guy jumped out, walked up the sidewalk to retrieve the bag with a big smile and ran back to the truck. Greyson won’t be able to do this. Through this difficult time Greyson has brought out the love from friends, family, and some new friends, for this we are extremely grateful. The kindness, sincere thoughts are so much appreciated. Thank you. Okay, that’s it, I’m almost out of Kleenex and I need to work on getting that Subway order correct. I’ll keep trying, loving, and making memories of our sweet Greyson. Love from Greyson’s Nana, Barb

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Since this is my mom's blog takeover, I just want to share a little more about her and my Dad. I have two sisters but they are 10 years and 13 years older than I am. I basically grew up an only child with siblings who lived elsewhere. My parents spoiled me, I won't lie. I grew up in a beautiful house with my own bedroom, bathroom, and "play room". They also taught me how to be thankful for what I have, how to work hard, and be independent. That being said, I still need my parents... even as an adult. This diagnosis has shaken me and I honestly don't know how you could ever be prepared for something like this. Adam and I saved money and we were smart when we bought our house. We did the right things and made smart choices.. but then we were hit by a speeding train that quite frankly knocked us on our ass. COVID took away our daycare and by the time thing started opening back up we started to noticed Greyson's delays. We knew we couldn't send him to a regular daycare and trust they would care for him the way we needed them to. They have other children to look after and we were concerned he would be a source of stress for them or he would get left behind. Neither of which was an option we were comfortable with. The best decision was Adam leaving his job. With that decision, two full time incomes became one. Then a fatal diagnosis. Mentally I couldn't stay full time. My mom agreed with me immediately and let me know they would help in any way they could. It was a huge weight off our shoulders. They helped us buy our SUV so we could have a larger car to get Greyson in and out of more safely than our tiny sedans. My mom has us over for dinner often so that we can take a break for a night. She always has an empty lap ready for a snuggle when we come over or she comes to our house. Our families have been so supportive and I can tell you, without a doubt, we would not be able to do this without them. She came over this afternoon along with my sister. My sister took Greyson snuggles while I spent the afternoon cleaning the house. My mom cleaned up the kitchen and washed our glass door for me. Having family around has been so nice.

And for the record, no matter what veggies are on the sub Mom, we are so thankful for that sandwich and you. We love you so much. More than I could ever possibly put into words. Here are some videos and photos with Nana :)

We love you Nana!!

xoxo,

Kim