Yesterday I left off with the end of Day One at Camp – however, our day was hardly over and we (me really) still had far to go.

We left camp exhausted and ready to get to the house I had rented on VRBO and just relax. I had picked this house because it’s main selling point that they advertised was that it was CLEAN, and the yard looked fantastic – big and grass neatly mowed perfect for playing in, and bonus, was handicap accessible. However, when I arrived, I was instantly taken aback. It looked abandoned and sad and uncared for. I pulled into the driveway, left Wyatt in the locked car, and surveyed the yard, which was like overgrown field. I went up the uneven wheelchair ramp, and the door we were supposed to use was covered in some indeterminate substance and looked absolutely filthy. I just could not deal at this point in time because…. Billy had also called me and had been to urgent care and was probably heading to the hospital. I was literally at my emotional edge. I looked at my child in the car, decided I didn’t want to even go into the house at all, because either I left him alone in an unknown neighborhood in the car (and for some reason I kept thinking about Cujo), or went through the whole process of getting him and his wheelchair into the house to maybe just have to leave anyway. So I went back to car and immediately made hotel reservations. We ended up 2 minutes from the music hall, at the Towneplace Suites by Marriot. I am such a rental house person that it has been forever since I was in a hotel, and this one was like a godsend. It was sparkling clean in our room, spacious, quiet, and even had a kitchen. I think it is probably a business traveler hotel but Wyatt and I were there too, and it was perfect. Comfortable, safe, clean. I could not recommend that hotel more.

Later that night I did get a call from Billy – he was going to the ER. Hours and hours later, we finally learned what was going on with him. A kidney stone! I had been a ball of nerves because I was so far away, so his mom was checking in on him, which made me feel better. However, this also meant he would not be making it up to Lansing to meet us the next night as planned. As long as he was feeling better, we could all deal- well the adults at least. Wyatt really missed his dad which is understandable, and was just another part of Wyatt’s emotional state while we were there.

The morning of Day Two arrived and I felt like I had been through the wars already. But we packed up and headed out, although luckily we got to spend more time sitting around first, and I could have coffee.

Day Two was much like Day One. Wyatt had his good moments, and not as good feeling moments. But he was growing and stretching and that was good. We were both out of our comfort zones and it does you good sometimes to step outside those. I ended up leaving with Wyatt an hour early, he was just so fatigued I couldn’t bear to ask him to go much longer. I talked to the director, and we decided that Wyatt and I would arrive the next day in the afternoon, for rehearsal for the big performance and then the performance.

Wyatt and I spent some quality time playing and reading in the hotel, and then we both went to bed early. I was asleep by 9:15! The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast, got ready slowly, and after a fake nap from Wyatt which I had been hoping for a real one, we headed to the music hall.

Wyatt rocked rehearsal. Like nailed it. He did awesome and amazing. However, once Billy and his parents arrived, that was over. He was done. He didn’t want to participate in camp, and didn’t want to sing in the concert. He ended up going up for his group’s turn but halfway through the song, just sobbed. Yep, my kid was the crier in the concert. After his group was done, I walked straight outside and sobbed myself. It was a long three days, stressful at times, fun at times, highly emotional for us both. But we did it, we made it, and we grew from it, because Wyatt has been a nonstop chatter machine since we got home. Music stimulates all areas of the brain, and I can see how this intensive therapy really seemed to light a fire in him that I haven’t seen for a while. He is curious, mischievous, exploring, and is just using so many words!! I really do attribute this to our time at camp!

As for Billy, he is doing better. He is not back to normal yet and won’t be until that kidney stone is gone, but at least we know the issue and have a plan and things are feeling less painful for him.

And today, it is Friday, thank goodness. Pizza, movies, and then some relaxing family time this weekend as well.

I would definitely recommend this camp or music therapy to anyone thinking about either. Despite our struggles, it was a growing experience for Wyatt, that pushed him in good ways, and I feel that I have seen some very positive gains even from our short stint!