Scooter Saga

One of the challenging things about having four different grandchildren at different ages and interests is having four different grandchildren at different ages and interests.  It was easier when they were younger.  Although evenly spaced by two or three years, their interests seemed more similar and predictable.  Now—not so much. Grandparenting little ones I remember my mom being a terrific, engaged grandmother to our children when they were very young.  But as Heidi and Jason began to become individual people with their own ideas about what was fun, she didn't know what in the hell to do.  Being outlandish by nature, Ada redeemed herself as they got older, reclaiming her craziness and reconnected with her 'grown' grandchildren.  Their memories of her focus on the goofy Grandma.  My father, Lanny, was happy being Santa (the helper) to them.  Life lesson... It's hard enough as a grandparent to stay connected with children as they ...

Ada 1918–1996 Mother's Day started me thinking about how this began (to my knowledge) .  I have Spinocerebellar Ataxia, Type 6 (SCA-6).  There are many types that vary in onset, cognitive involvement, and other things that are of no interest to most people.  I now know that I got the autosomal dominant gene from my mother, who unwittingly passed it along to me.  Looking back, I recognize the ataxic signs began in her mid 60's--the gait, the speech, etc.  After my initial diagnosis in 1997, I was angry with her for doing this to me (I didn't care that she never knew) .  "Come on , Ada."  I thought I had just inherited her boobs, skinny legs, and smart mouth.   But she wasn't much of an information-seeker, and consequently, didn't realize she had Ataxia.  Ada just thought...  (actually, I have no idea what she thought) . Although she and I were close, Mom went to great lengths to deny her SCA ataxic signs.  She knew somethi...