Irresistible Izzy: We Need Your Help

I know it is time to update when people start asking how things are going with Izzy. I've heard from several people, so I'm updating now :) I just don't know what to say.

Like the rest of the world, we're still home bound for the most part, staying away from the Rona. We are excited at the thought of vaccines, but are desperately hoping for one to get approved for children (the two approved in the US may only be given to those 16 and over or 18 and over). Izzy was quite angry to learn she is not permitted the vaccine.

We're still waiting to hear what to do on Izzy's ears. Her primary ENT said her only option was to have tubes placed surgically so he gave us the name of a doc to see at the hospital where qualified anesthesiologists have privileges. Izzy's appointment with him was supposed to be this Monday, but will now need to be moved. We do hope that he can do the procedure without anesthesia or has another option. Otherwise, we'll plan the procedure as Izzy had yet another ear infection over the holidays. I'm not sure it has ever gone away this year.

The holidays were different . . . along the lines of everyone else. We celebrated with family via zoom. It is not quite the same as getting hugs, but at least there was a connection. Izzy even got an Echo Show for Christmas from her aunt and uncle, so if you want to video chat with her, let us know. She loves to chat. She also zooms if you are interested. It is best one-on-one because that is easier for Izzy to hear and respond with only one person on the other end talking.

Thanksgiving smiles.

Izzy's new drawing journal.

Izzy got the book from the tv series: "Once Upon a Time".

Overall, life is hard. Izzy has officially been homebound from school two years now. We are reaching the one year anniversary of the State's first shut down due to the pandemic. Izzy misses people. She misses interaction. That lack of interaction and the ebbing hope that *soon* she will get to be with people again, has really taken a toll on Izzy.

Izzy still struggles with pain. We are better at stopping it now and it is way more controlled, but pain is still a constant. Last night was a particularly hard evening with Izzy screaming, hitting her legs to try and stop the pain, moaning, and crying. Thankfully, morphine, pain cream, and a warm bath, she was finally able to sleep.

Izzy is more active than she was in the summer. She reads a lot more books and is drawing constantly these days--either on her new computer drawing pad or in a sketch pad she keeps by her side. But these activities are mainly done from her beds. And she doesn't get a lot of time out of the bed. Exhaustion hits when she does partake in these activities.

Couple the loneliness, pain, and exhaustion together, and Izzy is fairly sad many days. There is only so much Dale, Phin, and I can do to help bring Izzy out of her sadness. So, we are hopeful that our wider community will help us bring a smile to Izzy's face for her upcoming 13th birthday. We have a two step plan for this--one step is getting Izzy excited and looking forward to something and step event is a surprise.

The first step is planning the best zoom birthday party ever. Izzy's birthday party last year was basically cancelled as the first pandemic shut down here started on her birthday part. I still have the activities we didn't use last year in a box. We were waiting until it was safe to bring people together to hold the party and now Izzy has moved to this year.

So, on Saturday, March 13, 2021, we will hold Izzy's Enchanted Intergalactic Extravaganza on zoom. Please email meloniestothers at gmail.com if you would like to be invited. This will be a magical, space odyssey, complete with unicorns, dragons, phoenix, and all sorts of magic that I can bring in this realm without magic. We hope that planning this party and the anticipation will give Izzy many reasons to smile, even through the pain, over the next couple of months.

The second step is a secret surprise for Izzy's birthday. Whether you can or cannot attend the magical soiree, we are hoping to get a lot of people to help us participate in Izzy's surprise. We want to give her connection that she desperately needs. I am hoping to gather letters, cards, pictures from anyone and everyone who cares about Izzy to present to her on her birthday. The idea is that lots of people will share with Izzy a favorite memory they share with her and/or what Izzy has taught them. We want Izzy to know she has had a profound impact on the world even though she has only been on the outside 13 years. We want her to know that she is remembered even though she is homebound and she will be remembered in the future.

I am calling this Izzy's Waves. We will show our little butterfly that the ripples from her flapping wings have most definitely become waves that have changed the world for the better. The butterfly effect personified.

I will use the facebook group we created last year for Izzy's birthday to post updates, but we really want these letters or cards to be tactile. Izzy loved all of the birthday wishes last year, but in this time of Covid-19 and zoom life, Izzy misses physical touch. Since we cannot have in-person gatherings, physical paper gives Izzy something to hold and touch. Izzy loves getting mail and this will give her the excitement of mail and help see her life has mattered and continues to matter.

You can either drop the letters/cards off at our house or mail them to Melonie Stothers at 3400 Eagle Drive, Troy, MI 48083. I ask that you not address the Izzy's Wave mail to Izzy as I do want these to be a surprise. I will give them to her in a large package as part of her birthday. Izzy does get mail addressed to her and we give those letters immediately to her because she loves to get letters, so if you address Izzy's Wave to Izzy, she may open it early and get the surprise ruined.

You have two months exactly to send a letter or card as part of Izzy's Wave. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. I really hope we get a lot of people to help. Thank you all. Of course, I will end with some final pictures.

Mel