Oh, Baby, the Places you’ll go!

Oh, Baby, the Places you’ll go! This is the title of the tiniest book; it measures less than a photograph; yet it's the biggest book you can imagine. Inside Dr. Seuss has woven a plan for all the places you and your baby will go...places like Sala-ma-Sond and McElligot's Pool. Places that only an expectant mom can dream about. When I was pregnant with my son, it seemed the world was at my feet. Our little family would travel the world with our boy, and experience EVERYTHING....we read this tiny book full of big promises to him every night while he rolled in my belly. But, just three weeks after he was born we received the devastating news that I would battle Multiple Sclerosis for the rest of my life. My feet were to be stilled by this horrible disease. I'd be lucky to experience anything at all with my frozen, incompetent feet. The tasks that seem 'ordinary' for most families seemed now beyond reach. Everything from hosting friends and family to play-dates and small park outings needed to be meticulously planned. Our wanderlust to explore the world quickly morphed into a blueprint for the barest survival plan. By the time our small family moved to Phoenix my family had dispersed to the furthest corners of the continent, Philadelphia, Florida and Arizona. And, my MS had flared to the point that the top Neurologist in the country exclaimed "I just can't get in front of this thing!" I mourned the imminent loss of mobility and along with it pieces of my pride. Yesterday, my certified dog and I completed the hiking loop at Slide Rock in the pouring rain. Our triumph was huge as I beamed at my husband. Once again the world has opened up to all the places we might go because with my dog at my side I can go anywhere and experience anything with my family. I no longer have to sit on the sidelines watching the world go by. Having my dog by my side not only gives me the ability to participate, but also the confidence to do so. I have a far diminished fear of falling in front of my child and a far increased confidence that I can once again experience the world. We will visit the Jungle of Nool and McGrew Zoo! My family refuses to accept that I "need" a service animal. Just wait until they see me climb the highest rocky peak with my dog by my side or hike the graveled pathways of a forested hidden castle with confidence and a broad grin on my face! I would love to visit Florida once more and with my extended family walk the daunting curves of Disneyland. I'd love to conquer that beast! So Fort Lauderdale, Florida we come...Oh, Baby, the Places You'll Go!