I'm fine, but my mommy has issues!: OMG! What did you stick in her eyes!!!
Although talking with these moms helped me tremendously no one could have prepared me for the calamities of conformer therapy. I described the evaluation as being "awful" so to find a word describing peg conformers is difficult.
Peg conformer therapy walked me through new trials and tribulations and reminded me frequently that I did not possess thick skin. These conformers were not pretty. It looked like I had shoved little glass sticks in my baby's eyes.
"What did you stick in her eyes?" I have actually had someone say these words to me.
OMG! What did you stick in her eyes? Poor baby!
As she clutches her chest and looks at me like she is about to call child protective services.
Nothing! Nothing. I didn't put those in her eyes. Well, technically I did I guess, but only to help her.
I start spouting off unsolicited information about her eye condition. Letting this woman know that Oli was born without eyes and that I drive her to California every 3-4 weeks and actually pay a professional to put these ghastly things into her eyes.
I am giving her way too much information at this point and now she is looking at me like instead of calling CPS she is thinking of calling the local psych hospital.
Well, serves you right lady! Don't say things like that to me. I'm sensitive!
I was taught very young "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you". Thank you Mr. Snell circa 1985-1990. He was my elementary school principle and always closed the morning announcements with that lesson. I frequently hear that phrase repeated in my head in Mr. Snell's deep friendly voice. More frequently now that Oli has been with me.
As for spouting off unsolicited information about Oli, I still do this. I'm going to make her a T-shirt that says "I'm just fine but my mommy has issues!"
LOL, there has to be a shirt like that out there! Orion gets plenty of stares, no sticks in his eyes even to this day... I could do without that and I just hold my tongue.