When everything is taken from you and your normal is shattered, it’s impossible to know where to start to put the pieces back together. Especially at the beginning. Once you begin getting the shape of your new normal, a piece falls off. Maybe it wasn’t meant to stick. Maybe the glue that was holding it together was weak. Maybe it was supposed to happen later, or never at all.

So you try to fix it, but then the hassle of making it fit your way is too much. You leave it behind.

And you journey on. Hoping to find a new thing that will help to shape and heal. The goal is always to restore what was lost.

When your world is upside down, you’re exhausted and determined.

Relentless. Unyielding.

This contest for a free week at the Plasticity Brain Center is that relentless pursuit. Everyone I know, and people I don’t who have watched Reagan’s story for five years are voting and sharing and pleading.

And.

I see another mom fighting for her daughter. Every family member, every friend, anyone who has heard of their story is in pursuit of this one thing. Seeing our children plateau is not an option.

The thought of it not coming to fruition is too much to bear. For her. For them. For me. For Reagan. For us. For everyone who is voting. Everyone is taking this on.

You see, the thing is, when something is at your fingertips (and I know this contest isn’t over yet) you can’t bear to have it slip through your fingers. You already experienced that when the traumatic thing happened. Everything slipped away. And you and everyone you know is bound to never let that happen to you. Not this time. Not again.

And that is why, whenever this contest is over, no matter who wins, Rob and I have decided, and it was confirmed through another friend, that everyone should have this opportunity.

Last time we went to the Plasticity Brain Center, we fundraised. Fundraising and asking for monetary help again, well quite frankly it can be exhausting. The truth is, while so many continue on a normal path, as they should, we are still fighting the fight we were given five years ago. We’re working on talking in sentences, riding a tricycle, eating more diverse foods. I’m worrying about Reagan having friends because talking is difficult. And this other mom and family, she has worries she never thought she’d have to face and choices and decisions and medical expenses.

|Side note| The NFL draft and all the inspiring stories of these children who fought adversity and now as adults can talk about their journey to the top, it’s incredible.

Reagan at UCF. #futureknight

That’s what I want.

The other night I cried watching one of those SportsCenter stories, wondering if there would be this amazing overcoming story that Reagan will tell as an adult. Like when she can actually use her words and say, “My Mom and Dad, were relentless in their pursuit of my recovery and because of them and everyone they knew, and even through the generosity of strangers, I can stand here and talk. I can stand here and, you name it.”

Reagan doing Special Olympics Young Athletes

Sunday night, a friend emailed that she and her LuLaRoe consultants would fundraise for the two finalists who don’t win. My goodness, as of this writing, there are 20,000+ total votes. If everyone gave $1, the two remaining finalists could attend this amazing therapy, FOR FREE. She reminded me that generosity never ends and that’s because love never fails. So as we are crawling, there are those who will say, “take my hand, let’s keep going.” And that willingness to hop alongside, to run a race they weren’t given, it blows me away.

When this contest is over, we will share the fundraiser. And perhaps, any additional funds raised over the cost for two people to go, we can start a scholarship at the Plasticity Brain Center for people who desperately need the care, but are unable to afford it.

I’m reminded of the amazing people in my community, people I know and people I don’t. And I’m thankful.