Happy birthday to you !!! Happy Birthday to you!!! Happy Birthday dear…..
All of us are familiar with this song. Celebrating a birthday each year is one
thing we all have in common. It is the holiday that we celebrate by giving all
the attention to that one birthday boy or girl.
In June, my daughter, Meghann, would have celebrated her 32nd birthday. I
wanted to write a blog about her birthday earlier this summer, but I couldn’t do
it. It was too difficult for me to even write down what was going on in my head.
I probably would of scared everyone!!!
I was in Switzerland on Meghann’s birthday. I was thankful for this wonderful trip
with my husband, but it didn’t matter where I was or who I was with on her day.
Meghann is who I wanted to be with on June 27th. She was the only thing on my
mind. How could she not be on my mind? I carried her in me for 9 months.
Nobody on earth was closer to her than me and my heart will be forever broken.
I spent my life loving this little girl with all of my heart. It didn’t matter to me when
she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She was my sweet beautiful baby girl.
Cerebral Palsy did not stop Meghann from living a wonderful life. She was
entertaining, funny, loving, beautiful, and smart. I believe she was who she was
meant to be in this world.
with pride and enthusiasm. We celebrate the milestone birthdays happily and
sometimes with sadness. Whatever the age of your birthday remember it is your
day. The only holiday that is specifically for you to acknowledge your birth.
Every year for 30 years I spent celebrating Meghann’s birthday with her. For
many years, as soon as school was over for the summer she began talking about
her birthday. Meghann did not always have the concept of the traditional calendar
or clock time. If I described events coming up to her such as Christmas, Easter,
school, and her birthday. She got it!!! Meghann learned quickly that most holidays
meant she was going to get gifts!I know, we shouldn’t encourage materialism in our
kids, we should concentrate on the meaning of the holidays instead. And that’s fine.
I am not agreeing or disagreeing.
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| Great-grandma and Meghann |
Meghann was the first grandchild on my side of the
family. Do I need to say anymore?
Meghann and I were lucky (and sometimes unlucky)
enough to live a few blocks from her grandma and
great-grandma. They saw Meghann every day!!
I am not kidding when I say they never missed a
day seeing her. Anyone who knew my grandma
or my mom will tell you they were obsessed with
Meghann and the feeling was mutual. When
Meghann had a birthday it was a holiday!!
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| Meg, Nena, and Peyton |
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| Pop Pop and Meghann |
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| Meg with lots of Curious George stuffed an |
On Meghann's birthday she would
choose either Curious George or
Mickey/Minnie Mouse for her cake.
Although I did the traditional birthday
decorations of the character, Meghann
rarely cared about it. All she cared
about was seeing Nena and (great-
grandma) Mother. Then opening up
the new puzzles that she knew she
was getting. Curious George and
Mickey/Minnie Mouse were not the
only thing Meghann enjoyed.
SHE LOVED PUZZLES!!!
Meghann may not have known what time it was, but she knew if she was
gifted a puzzle twice. She made no secret of it either when they were
doubled. She would shove the puzzle in my face and loudly say, ”Uh oh!!”
She would continue to repeat this until I acknowledged, in front of the gift
giving person,
I would reluctantly tell her “Yes, Meghann you have that one already”
Meghann’s bluntness was a positive of cerebral palsy because forgiveness
from the gift giver was easily forgotten and laughed off.
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| One of the last puzzles Meg and I did together. |
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| Meg with a pile of puzzles |
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| Meg with Minnie Mouse |
we threw her the biggest birthday ever!! My reluctance to throw Meghann a big
birthday party was the fact that we have lost most of our family in the area. My
sister and I talked about it for weeks. We decided to have it in the town Meghann
grew up in which was also where I had my hair salon.
At the time, Meghann had recently moved into a home with seven other girls that
was over an hour away from where she and I had lived. I hoped that enough
friends would show up to Meghann’s day. It was an understatement to say a few
people showed up.
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| Meghann's 30th birthday party |
Terry is a friend/teachers at Richwoods High
School (where Meghann went to H.S.) that let
Meghann call him by his first name.
Even though the other kids had to call him
Mr. Quilty.
Meghann has known Terry since birth!!! I don't
think if Terry wanted Meg to call him Mr. Quilty
she would of listened.
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| Meghann's 30th birthday party |
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| Meghann's 30th birthday party |
It was an unbelievable amount of people that celebrated with us. Meghann had the
best birthday party ever!! She had people come that she had not seen in years. It
was a wonderful day that none of us will ever forget. Meghann was showered with
gifts and love that day. She talked about it endlessly to us. Especially when we pulled
out all of the pictures that were taken on that day. Little did we know that this would
be the last birthday we celebrated with Meghann.
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| Meghann's 30th birthday Party. Thanks to Aunt V |
Over the five weeks that I spent in the hospital with Meghann she talked about her
birthday. It was May, and she knew her birthday was coming soon. Those five weeks
were tough for Meghann. She had a tube inserted down her throat and removed
several times during those five weeks to help her breath. She wasn’t able to talk very
well each time they took the tube out. It would make her throat tender, and she would
whisper to me the birthday song. That is how Meghann would always communicate
her approaching birthday. She would sing Happy Birthday in her own way.
For five weeks I sat quietly in the hospital’s ICU unit beside Meghann’s bed holding
her hand. Throughout the day she would occasionally gain enough strength to softly
whisper the birthday song to me. I would assure her just as I did every year, that when
she got out of the hospital we would have another huge party for her. She would get
new puzzles, gifts, a cake, and lots of balloons.
Unfortunately, I made a promise that I didn’t get to keep. Meghann passed away on
May 24th, 2018.
Celebrate your birthday regardless if it is a milestone you welcome or not. Remember
it is the only holiday that is totally your day.
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| Abby and Kamal on Meghann's 31st/1st Heavenly birthday |
celebrated her first heavenly
birthday with the Abby, Kamal,
and Nana Crystal. I am sure
Meghann was smiling down on
all of us that day.
Birthday Celebration Pictures
Birthday Celebration Pictures
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| Teenager!!! |
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| 84 years young |
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| Happy Birthday |
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| The Schultz family and Meghann |
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