Eliza began her life being taken to the hospital to me every 3 hours so I could nurse her during the many times I was in the hospital with Bridger. She wouldn't take a bottle. I suppose it was her way of ensuring, even as an infant, that she could still have time with me. That was a frequent occurrence during her first year.
Since then, she has spent her entire life being carted around from medical appointment to medical appointment for her brother.
Some medical appointments are painfully boring. We sit in exam rooms for hours on end waiting for overdue doctors. She plays "I spy" more than any child ever wishes to.
Other medical appointments are painfully fun. Fun for Bridger, and painful for Eliza. Those are the Physical therapy appointments where Eliza walks into rooms full of fun swings, mats, balls. They are the Occupational therapy appointments that Eliza sits and watches Bridger play with fun stamps, chalks and toys. They are the painful Speech Therapy appointments that Eliza sees Bridger playing fun games -- all while being told, "Don't Touch", "Play on my Ipad", or "Let's go wait in the foyer and play I Spy."
After 6 3/4 years, it gets old for her. As good natured, go-with-the-flow and patient as she is, sometimes she gets jealous. I don't blame her.
After being carted around to too many appointments last week, during our final appointment with Bridger at the optometrist getting fitted for his very special looking glasses, she broke. Jealously struck hard. She wanted glasses. My heart felt for her little body that should be out playing soccer with a team, or home playing with her friends, but instead she was sitting and waiting for the umpteenth hour that week.
I whispered to the Optometrist, asking if they ever have frames that are discontinued that they discard of.
He answered that they did.
I asked him if they could discard them our direction towards a certain, desperately jealous little girl.
He nodded.
At the conclusion of Bridger's appointment he came to Eliza with a handful of frames, ranging from neon pink to peace signs. Her eyes lit up. He then proceeded to do a "mock" exam on Eliza as she finally declared that the flower pair of frames helped her see the most clear. He went and cut custom clear lenses to fit into the flower frames, even applying the anti-glare finish to them and returned with a large pink heart shaped case.
Eliza grew 6 inches that day.
She has been wearing them every day for the past week. Miraculously, the glasses even seem to help her in her reading.
I am so grateful to that Optometrist that made a little girl feel just as special as her special little brother.
Every one needs to feel special here in our Life with a Side of Special.
