Saturday, July 7, 2012

My Hero...

HERO- A man/woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his/her brave deeds and noble qualities.

April 25th, 1990, a baby girl was born via c-section at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. She was wisked away immediately to undergo her first of several, painful surgeries. She was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. This baby girls name is Leolani Mei Wassom and she is my little sister and hero.


Growing up with a handicapped sister isn't that much different. I honestly didn't even know she was or what handicapped meant until, geez... I was a pre-teen. I hardly even think of her as such. It never dawned on me that my little sister had different things about her. A slightly noticeable curvature to her back, smaller than average feet that point in... scars upon scars. It wasn't until someone from school had asked me, politely, what had happened to her that it finally hit me. None the less we played from sun up to sun down when she could. We fought just the same way, too. Just as sisters do! lol! Sharing a bed was dangerous. She is very strong from wheeling her wheelchair around all of the time. When we slept together, we were always too afraid to sleep separate from each other, I would wake up with random black eyes. It wasn't until one night that I had woken up for some reason and received a brisk smack in the face from her while she was sleeping that I realized that she was giving me those black eyes on accident lol! 


One of my most painful memories was when she was about to be taken off to surgery and she looked at me with strong but frightful eyes and said "I'm always afraid that I won't wake up." I never knew she felt that way. They wheeled her back and I cried... I cried until I could cry no more. There wasn't any part of me that wasn't emotionally drained from those few words. Someone so young shouldn't have to be afraid in such a way. If I could take away every pain, surgery, tear, nights in the uncomfortable hospital bed,   roll she wheels in her chair, heartache because men don't pay attention to her and don't look passed the wheelchair, heartache because she hardly has any friends... I would. I can't tell you how many times I've prayed to take it for her.


 But I know she wouldn't let me.


One of the many lessons that I've learned from this beautiful spirit is, really, don't feel sorry for yourself. She sure doesn't. Not once have I heard her complain or curse the sky for the trials that have been bestowed upon her. And that's because she is strong. We can thank our mother for how strong we both are. Sure she has her down days where she wishes things were different. I mean, come on, who wouldn't!? But she gets back up after those brief moments and conquers this world. 


I have wonderful memories because of her... 


I am also a good mother and caretaker today because of her...


I am accepting and love all because of her...


And I miss her.



LeoLani Mei Wassom


Lookin' purty!

All of the siblings.


Back in 2009... no drinking and driving, I promise lol!

She has gorgeous eyes... and I look weirrrrrd! haha! She got my moms skin tone and I got my dads... lol!



While I do have other heroes in my life, no one can top the lessons that I've learned, the fun times that we've shared, the fights, the discovering of the world, the many laughs and many tears that I have shed with my hero. 








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