http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml Brandon's Story: What's New? Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:07:54 -0500 http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/01bcbf6389e3ee766933b3abd474ab1c_486cdd3a.writeback Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:07:54 -0500 Well I have been home about a week on summer vacation. It's so different around here without the little guy! Last summer, he was not cooperating and I was up much of the night with him and sleeping when the nurse or father in law came to give me a break. I am trying to be productive. Honestly, there is not a large amount for me to do but I am trying to stay busy! We do have some plans this summer. http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/7da2d85ece4e6b8ddef204201698b082_486cdc54.writeback Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:04:04 -0500 Wow...I can't believe the benefit was 4 months ago. Well thank you everyone for such love, support and EXTREME generosity!!! We raised about $25,000 for Angela's House. The event was a huge success and I can honestly say that people are still talking. We have been very involved in various projects for Angela's house and it keeps us busy. http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/f1cb6c874735bf64859432c3286dcca0_47c4bb37.writeback Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:21:59 -0600 It's almost here, our first benefit!!!! This Sat, March 1, 2008 at the Nutty Irishman in BayShore. We have sold over 200 tickets, approaching 300 and have over 70 baskets to raffle. Our family, friends, colleagues and businesses have been more that generous allowing us to donate fabulous prizes such as Mets, Islanders, Rangers, Broadway and local theater tickets. We have great merchandise and gift certificates for dinner, spa days and haircuts. I can't thank everyone enough!!!! Brandon has truly touched so many!!!! http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/14846c95c9fefa4c840550fcddd2e1b6_4788ee67.writeback Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:44:23 -0600 Well it's 2008... We are trying to look forward and not behind us. That does not mean we will ever forget Brandon or his amazing life. We are working hard on getting the benefit organized. Tickets are selling and donations are coming in. We have so many family and friends that are helping us to organize and get items to wrap up in to baskets. It is such a positive feeling. I am really looking forward to March. We have the benefit on the first. We are headed to the Bahamas later and then we have the Angela's House Benefit on our anniversary, get this, at the Watermill. Brian and I have always said that we wished we could go to the Watermill on our anniversary but since it's just a catering hall and not a restaurant we usually went to Paces Steak House that night....so this year we get to go to the Watermill. We have been doing pretty well, little signs are still popping up and have been keeping us going. If you are reading this, I hope that you are keeping March 1 open for the benefit...It will be a good time! http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/810d0c311337ce98792ac8f36fbc34b2_476ec078.writeback Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:09:28 -0600 Well we are approaching our first Christmas without the little guy. He is not letting us forget him, not that we every could or would. He keeps sending signs, that we think of him. Little things like the squirrel that runs across our deck, stops and looks into our window, or the bunnies that run across the lawn when we pull in our out of the driveway. Brian's microwave at work displays "child" when he gets to work (we have pictures of that). The other day Diane's phone got 3 calls from "Brandon", (our home number) but WE WERE NOT HOME!!! Noone was. When we began telling our moms and dads the story, they began to recount their phone stories. Ringing with noone there at the other end. Everyting happens in threes, usually three calls. So as we approach our first Christmas without little buddy, we know he is here with us! Call us crazy but we need something to believe in, something to know he is ok. And we feel that he is! http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/00a59ab06519fbf7a5e63bf73e0c5953_4753107a.writeback Sun, 02 Dec 2007 14:07:22 -0600 We have booked our first benefit for Brandon. It will be at the Nutty Irishman in Bay Shore on March 1 from 5PM-9PM. There will be food, drink specials and a live band and DJ. We will have raffle baskets and a 50/50. The cost will be $20 in advance ($25 at the door)...spread the word. We will be making baskets and looking for business and organizations to help us with donations for us to raffle. Let us know if you are interested in helping. More information will follow as it gets closer... http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/a541cdd27d114c20d45d258770234a8d_47530f5f.writeback Sun, 02 Dec 2007 14:02:39 -0600 Many very concerned family and friends have been asking how we are doing. I guess we are doing as well as can be expected. It is amazing how he was here for such a short time and made such a gigantic impact on so many people. Brian and I have been spending a lot of time together doing things we hadn't been able to do for such a long time. We have been meeting family and friends and trying to get back to "normal" whatever that is. Brian did some work around the house. So many people have often said they could not imagine what life was like before kids, unfortunately we are living that. In November we went to Chicago for the weekend. It was a good time but very rushed! It was only 3 days to see the whole city....very tiring!!! We needed a break when we got home. We were supposed to see Spamalot but got closed out by the stage hand strike. We will have to try again for another day. We did make it through our first Thanksgiving without our baby boy. The "hype" leading up to it was perhaps harder than the actual day. I had a rough time on Wed before. That was my first day home alone. On Thanksgiving day, just as we were about to go to Brian's parents house my mom called us and asked if we'd been to the cemetary. We had and she said when she was there that morning his headstone was there...of course we went and it was beautiful! It has a little boy kneeling praying with his name. Above his name it says, "I love you to the moon..." That, of couse, is from our favorite book "Guess How Much I Love You". We are going through the motions of the holidays but are not totally in the spirit. We look forward to seeing family and friends but miss our angel baby terribly!!! http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/830b40bc43f86efc5af10446d9d2020a_4709276d.writeback Sun, 07 Oct 2007 13:37:33 -0500 As many of you already know but on Monday, October 1, 2007 Brandon went to a better place. He left the confines of his physical restrictions here on earth and he joined in many loved ones in Heaven. Now he can run and jump and eat, he can be the toddler that he could not be here. Brian and I kid that he probably has not slept or rested since Monday. We are dealing with the tremendous loss. Things are certainly different around here. We would like to thank everyone for their love, compassion, generosity, prayers, kind words and presence over the last 19 months. Heaven has a new angel! http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/b1ebb562cc039f0754b843f92e23d88e_470018f7.writeback Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:45:27 -0500 Well there is not too much new to report but as promised I did want to update. This week Brandon finished antibiotics (again) for his right ear infection. He had a great day on Thurs despite the damp, heavy air. Friday was iffy, I guess the heavy days caught up with him. On Friday, he had an audiology appointment. He got to try on his hearing aides and begin the adjustment process. I was not there b/c the only appointment we could get was 145. I did go during lunch but just got to sit in the waiting room. That was a waste for me. So from what I was told, he tried on the right one and did make a movement which they attributed to him hearing something. The other problem was that he was totally dead asleep. When he wants to sleep he does and can anytime anywhere. So the hope next time its going to be 4pm he will be better. If is so funny because he is such a late afternoon baby. He is so alert from 4-5 in the afternoon on. He is alert and makes sounds. That is his best time of the day. We also keep him active and he gets good and tired to go to sleep. Yesterday we got to visit with friends and their kids. He had a rough beginning but he did have a better evening. Last night he was a good sleeper. Hopefully tonight it's the same. http://brandonsstory.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/9e6d84a930c7cb7a2a8aa7c3b56f342c_46f55c04.writeback Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:16:36 -0500 I wanted to make this a new entry so this exciting news did not get lost in the last entry. Anyway....since I have been back to school it seems that Brandon is aware of it and misses me. When I come home each day, I pop in and say hello and then go off to change and wash my hands. While I am gone I hear Brandon yelling until I come back. It is so funny and great!!! Also, lately he is getting rewarded for staying awake during therapy. We are giving him positive rewards and allowing him to watch the Backyardigans and Wonder Pets if he stays awake and breaths well during therapy. The reason we needed to do this is because when the therapist came in to the house, he would close his eyes and go to sleep. It seemed coincedental but it was happening so much at different times of the day. When the therapist would pick up his or her keys he would wake up again. Now he can watch his shows when they are here. During his special ed, she works with him without tv for a few minutes and then if he cooperates he gets to watch tv for a few minutes then we pause it and he goes back and forth with this. It is amazing. But it is working!!!