Memorial Day Weekend Shanti Om - Guest Post by Donna Lee

Memorial day weekend, an extra long one with free time, allowing me to come over to visit my buddy Riley and family. Om recognized that we were entering Riley's community and when we reached his street, Om was half way out the window,anticipating seeing his friends.

Mom and dad informed me that Riley isn't exactly up to par, or as we say in yiddish, kvetchy. He and i found our spot on the floor and started to communicate by touch, facial expressions and sounds. What always amazes me with Riley, is how vocal he becomes while I am massaging him, and especially when we are done, feeling the results when i place his calm body back on the rug, cushioned by pillows, His lungs/diaphragm/voice open up, allowing him to vocalize much more. Today he said "om", really!!! 

Om sat beside us the entire treatment, licking Riley as often as he could. Riley grabbed Om's leg and tail, not

a flinch out of Om, just peace and quiet.. . 

Today I used the Arbonne Seasource 5-in-1 essential oil. WOWOWOW. All of the senses were stimulated by the amazing aromas,resulting in the looser muscles and relief. There is a looooooooooong list of oils in this mixture, but the most dominant are my favorites, lavender(calming), pepperment (great for the breathing and tummy), citrus. The base is made of sunflower seed oil, safflower, jojoba, hazzel and canola. So, you can imagine the effect it had on both our senses, leaving us both very "shanti om".

That inner peace didn't last too long after hearing Ronan take a dive into the pool, resulting in an explosive belly flop,and a few tears. Stacie, Riley and I sat at poolside enjoying each others company, a few moments of friendship and bliss. 

My hopes are that Riley will get over his kvetchy'ness, that he and  his family will have an enjoyable weekend. 

My heart goes out to anyone who lost a family member serving his/her country. My thanks goes out to anyone who serves to protect us. That is what this weekend is all about.

Shukaryia, toda, thanks

B'ahavaNameste, 

DONNA LEE

A Night in the Life of Riley

It was another rough night for Riley.  I held him through most of the night.  John had the sheets going... again.  Think I'll skip the details today.  I am so grateful I don't do this alone.

Sharing this is about giving a glimpse into a special needs family.  As a mother to a typically developing child, I see the difference keenly.  Even when severely ill, a typically developing child is a dream to care for.  The special needs illness brings me nearly to desperation.  However, I remind myself how far we have come in improving Riley's health and abilities.  John and I spent five years taking turns holding him or being immediately beside him through every night of his life.  There will be more on this later:-)  We have come extraordinarily far and we can handle a night here and there.

Today I share a link to another blog, Enabled Kids, concerning a reminder on treatment:  "Any minor cerebral palsy can become severe if it is not treated properly through his lifetime, because it is important to adjust to the individual changes taking place with the child himself, along with his growth and development."

Pictured above, Donna Brooker and Ohm, give Riley a much needed massage therapy session.  Miss Donna generously shares her time and stops by anytime she's in the vicinity.  Riley needs constant hands on to maintain health and flexibility.  Touch is essential to everyone's well-being, especially for a child who has difficulty interpreting his environment.


Welcome Russia and Hong Kong... I encourage you to share how different your experience is to mine.

As always, your thoughts are welcome.   Stacie