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This fundraiser is for my dear friends Michelle & Patrick and their son Landon.
A Story. A Journey. A Place to belong.
Everyone has a story to tell. Landon’s story begins with heartfelt prayers spoken for many years then answered on July to become a parent. Surrounded by the support of family, close friends and an incredible church family , an abiding peace led us and strengthened us in our faith. After years of waiting, it was determined we would have a child. From the instant we saw Landon, we fell in love with him. The journey we had begun had finally led to the moment we planned and hoped for.
As with any journey, there are planned and unplanned circumstances. Often, the unplanned circumstances can prove gradual yet life changing. Little did we know our lives were about to change again. At 3 months old, Landon began having digestive issues and chronic ear infections. Constant doctor visits availed no answers to remedy his prolonged pain , until we finally had tubes put in when he was 10 months old. Later, at the age of 3, Landon had another set of tubes inserted along an adenoidectomy. . As he entered Pre-k Fours,it was determined he needed speech services for underdeveloped language as a result of the chronic ear infections. Furthermore,observations regarding Landon’s behavior indicated he could possibly have ADHD. This was later confirmed in kindergarten along with a diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder.
As many of you know, ADHD is a condition with persistent difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses leading to difficulty in certain environments including common sounds that can be painful or overwhelming. With these conditions alone, learning can be a huge challenge as children experience frustration and meltdowns. This road we were traversing left us exhausted and at times afraid of what the future would hold. Kindergarten and first grade were a struggle as we tried to find medicine and an appropriate course of treatment to help Landon be successful in school.
When parenting a special needs child, the terrain is rough with tell tale signs of an odyssey in which there is no turning back. It wasn’t until 2nd grade, that we began to see a definite breakdown in Landon’s coping skills with increasing anxiety and depression. In the life of every parent, there are moments when you know that your child is in profound pain. It will stop you in your tracks, as an indescribable anguish consumes your heart. Doubled efforts and second opinions ensue as a small measure of hope is found in an expedition of gathering resources finally leading to a small team of professionals working together to help your child. The next leg of the journey included an OT referral to see a developmental ophthalmologist that diagnosed Landon with over- convergence insufficiency. With this condition, children’s eyes are unable to work together making it difficult to read. Symptoms include headaches, eye strain, losing your place as you read and double vision, resulting in special glasses Landon has to wear to help train his eyes and correct the impairment. Based on all of these findings, accommodations were identified to help Landon at school.
Then, 3 weeks into 3rd grade, we hit a dead end, as Landon was quickly shutting down and refusing to work. Accommodations were not made, the same obstacles presented themselves and Landon was unenrolled from school, then home-schooled the rest of the year. Landon’s primary therapist urged us to let Landon have a break, try to rebuild his confidence and the fragile state he was in. We had to be sure the next school that Landon attended was prepared to accommodate his needs. Then, a few months later, we had some diagnostic testing done to update Landon’s areas of need and found he has dysgraphia. Dysgraphia is a learning difficulty indicating poor handwriting, inappropriate letter formation and the ability to write for extensive periods of time.
The untold part of this ongoing pilgrimage is the most heartbreaking of all. Throughout these years, a child with various learning differences that are unidentified can present themselves in a negative fashion. The over-sensitivity, meltdowns, low frustration tolerance and the inability to regulate emotions are often misunderstood and response to the behavior are misguided and occasionally quite damaging. Children are often bullied, feel out of place, have profound loneliness and experience isolation at school.
Struggling to put all of these pieces of the puzzle takes time, and many families, including ours felt the sting of isolation in our home as well. Faith can feel hard to come by as you rally yourself daily to keep pressing on as an advocate for your child. The most painful thing a parent can witness is sorrow in the eyes of their child when they feel like they do not have a “place to belong.” However though every trial, setback and stage of grief, the love you feel becomes deeper than you ever imagined and the small successes bring the GREATEST joy! The pursuit of what will help your child be successful overshadows every raw rollercoaster of emotion you have experienced.
This brings us to the point of this call to action. Houston seemingly has a multitude of schools and yet when it comes to a child with a distinct set of needs, as in Landon’s case, the places that can accommodate narrow down to just a few. Those few are very expensive. This past year it was a mixed blessing to home-school, as my health has hit a decline with the autoimmune disorder I have. To best serve Landon and help myself regroup, I am not working, or will only do marginal work from home. So, it is with great humility, and the heart of a special friend, we will describe what this fundraising venture entails.
We find ourselves needing assistance with the following:
The schools (2) we are left with have a tuition base of about $20,000 to $25,000. Additional fees include: application fees ($100 to $150), building/facility fees ($200 to $500), new student fees ($500) , technology fees ($100) and supply fees ($100)... Also, uniforms are needed and can range from $200 to $250 at the start of school, along with other items like backpacks, lunch kits etc. This yields a total of roughly $23,000 or so to $26,000. All donations will be used strictly for these items alone. Services will include help Landon find “a place to belong” within a school setting that can address all of the differences he currently has. As a family, we will continue to handle his play therapy, occupational therapy, vision needs and other items that occur.
Our solemn promise to each donor is to use all monies responsibility and solely for the purposes described. We will provide updates, pictures, videos and any progress through- out the school year to demonstrate our profound gratitude. We are so thankful for the loyal family and friends, health care professionals, Facebook groups and many schools that helped us along the way with advice and feedback. A very special thank you to Ashley for offering to help us during a very
difficult, uncertain time.
We would be so incredibly honored to receive your support through encouragement and prayer if a financial donation is not possible at this time. We covet your prayers and would be humbled to pray for your family as well in anyway.
Our story has been quite a journey as we endeavor to find the right place for our precious boy. Life changing lessons have been learned and are shared with you today in hopes that it will bring a measure of comfort to anyone who needs it. We all want a “place” to belong, thank you for helping Landon find his!
Lessons learned from raising a special needs child:
1. Parenting this type of child is a BLESSING, not a punishment.
2. Time and energy have to focused and purposeful.
3. With God’s grace you can forge on through the darkest times and find a resiliency you never knew.
4. Even in the midst of professional opinions or the thoughts of others- you still know your child best and will be his/her greatest advocate!
5. Comparing my child to another is not a choice, because God has a specific plan for him and I don’t want to miss it! He has his own distinct gifts and a future determined before the beginning of time.
6. Extending grace to others takes on a new meaning; we all have a story to tell.
7. Before a perpetual peace keeper, a new strength has emerged that will not be deterred in helping my son.
8. I am more creative and resourceful than I EVER knew!
9. Every milestone and moment matters. The smallest success yields the greatest joy and teaches you a sense of gratitude you had never known before.
10. I am a fighter with a tenacity I never knew and I HAVE A VOICE.
A Story. A Journey. A Place to belong.
Everyone has a story to tell. Landon’s story begins with heartfelt prayers spoken for many years then answered on July to become a parent. Surrounded by the support of family, close friends and an incredible church family , an abiding peace led us and strengthened us in our faith. After years of waiting, it was determined we would have a child. From the instant we saw Landon, we fell in love with him. The journey we had begun had finally led to the moment we planned and hoped for.
As with any journey, there are planned and unplanned circumstances. Often, the unplanned circumstances can prove gradual yet life changing. Little did we know our lives were about to change again. At 3 months old, Landon began having digestive issues and chronic ear infections. Constant doctor visits availed no answers to remedy his prolonged pain , until we finally had tubes put in when he was 10 months old. Later, at the age of 3, Landon had another set of tubes inserted along an adenoidectomy. . As he entered Pre-k Fours,it was determined he needed speech services for underdeveloped language as a result of the chronic ear infections. Furthermore,observations regarding Landon’s behavior indicated he could possibly have ADHD. This was later confirmed in kindergarten along with a diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder.
As many of you know, ADHD is a condition with persistent difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses leading to difficulty in certain environments including common sounds that can be painful or overwhelming. With these conditions alone, learning can be a huge challenge as children experience frustration and meltdowns. This road we were traversing left us exhausted and at times afraid of what the future would hold. Kindergarten and first grade were a struggle as we tried to find medicine and an appropriate course of treatment to help Landon be successful in school.
When parenting a special needs child, the terrain is rough with tell tale signs of an odyssey in which there is no turning back. It wasn’t until 2nd grade, that we began to see a definite breakdown in Landon’s coping skills with increasing anxiety and depression. In the life of every parent, there are moments when you know that your child is in profound pain. It will stop you in your tracks, as an indescribable anguish consumes your heart. Doubled efforts and second opinions ensue as a small measure of hope is found in an expedition of gathering resources finally leading to a small team of professionals working together to help your child. The next leg of the journey included an OT referral to see a developmental ophthalmologist that diagnosed Landon with over- convergence insufficiency. With this condition, children’s eyes are unable to work together making it difficult to read. Symptoms include headaches, eye strain, losing your place as you read and double vision, resulting in special glasses Landon has to wear to help train his eyes and correct the impairment. Based on all of these findings, accommodations were identified to help Landon at school.
Then, 3 weeks into 3rd grade, we hit a dead end, as Landon was quickly shutting down and refusing to work. Accommodations were not made, the same obstacles presented themselves and Landon was unenrolled from school, then home-schooled the rest of the year. Landon’s primary therapist urged us to let Landon have a break, try to rebuild his confidence and the fragile state he was in. We had to be sure the next school that Landon attended was prepared to accommodate his needs. Then, a few months later, we had some diagnostic testing done to update Landon’s areas of need and found he has dysgraphia. Dysgraphia is a learning difficulty indicating poor handwriting, inappropriate letter formation and the ability to write for extensive periods of time.
The untold part of this ongoing pilgrimage is the most heartbreaking of all. Throughout these years, a child with various learning differences that are unidentified can present themselves in a negative fashion. The over-sensitivity, meltdowns, low frustration tolerance and the inability to regulate emotions are often misunderstood and response to the behavior are misguided and occasionally quite damaging. Children are often bullied, feel out of place, have profound loneliness and experience isolation at school.
Struggling to put all of these pieces of the puzzle takes time, and many families, including ours felt the sting of isolation in our home as well. Faith can feel hard to come by as you rally yourself daily to keep pressing on as an advocate for your child. The most painful thing a parent can witness is sorrow in the eyes of their child when they feel like they do not have a “place to belong.” However though every trial, setback and stage of grief, the love you feel becomes deeper than you ever imagined and the small successes bring the GREATEST joy! The pursuit of what will help your child be successful overshadows every raw rollercoaster of emotion you have experienced.
This brings us to the point of this call to action. Houston seemingly has a multitude of schools and yet when it comes to a child with a distinct set of needs, as in Landon’s case, the places that can accommodate narrow down to just a few. Those few are very expensive. This past year it was a mixed blessing to home-school, as my health has hit a decline with the autoimmune disorder I have. To best serve Landon and help myself regroup, I am not working, or will only do marginal work from home. So, it is with great humility, and the heart of a special friend, we will describe what this fundraising venture entails.
We find ourselves needing assistance with the following:
The schools (2) we are left with have a tuition base of about $20,000 to $25,000. Additional fees include: application fees ($100 to $150), building/facility fees ($200 to $500), new student fees ($500) , technology fees ($100) and supply fees ($100)... Also, uniforms are needed and can range from $200 to $250 at the start of school, along with other items like backpacks, lunch kits etc. This yields a total of roughly $23,000 or so to $26,000. All donations will be used strictly for these items alone. Services will include help Landon find “a place to belong” within a school setting that can address all of the differences he currently has. As a family, we will continue to handle his play therapy, occupational therapy, vision needs and other items that occur.
Our solemn promise to each donor is to use all monies responsibility and solely for the purposes described. We will provide updates, pictures, videos and any progress through- out the school year to demonstrate our profound gratitude. We are so thankful for the loyal family and friends, health care professionals, Facebook groups and many schools that helped us along the way with advice and feedback. A very special thank you to Ashley for offering to help us during a very
difficult, uncertain time.
We would be so incredibly honored to receive your support through encouragement and prayer if a financial donation is not possible at this time. We covet your prayers and would be humbled to pray for your family as well in anyway.
Our story has been quite a journey as we endeavor to find the right place for our precious boy. Life changing lessons have been learned and are shared with you today in hopes that it will bring a measure of comfort to anyone who needs it. We all want a “place” to belong, thank you for helping Landon find his!
Lessons learned from raising a special needs child:
1. Parenting this type of child is a BLESSING, not a punishment.
2. Time and energy have to focused and purposeful.
3. With God’s grace you can forge on through the darkest times and find a resiliency you never knew.
4. Even in the midst of professional opinions or the thoughts of others- you still know your child best and will be his/her greatest advocate!
5. Comparing my child to another is not a choice, because God has a specific plan for him and I don’t want to miss it! He has his own distinct gifts and a future determined before the beginning of time.
6. Extending grace to others takes on a new meaning; we all have a story to tell.
7. Before a perpetual peace keeper, a new strength has emerged that will not be deterred in helping my son.
8. I am more creative and resourceful than I EVER knew!
9. Every milestone and moment matters. The smallest success yields the greatest joy and teaches you a sense of gratitude you had never known before.
10. I am a fighter with a tenacity I never knew and I HAVE A VOICE.
Organizer and beneficiary
Michele Mayhan
Beneficiary