A Few Days With Andrea and Holden

As most of you know, our 12 year old grandson, Holden, who lives in Salem, MA has suffered from seizures since he was six months old. His parents believe it was the result of a childhood DPT shot, and there is some evidence to substantiate that theory. Holden has always impressed us with his unique sense of humor, mental alertness, attention to detail, and his quest for knowledge regarding any subject that interests him. Lately, he has learned about seizure alert dogs, and has expressed an interest in having one. One leading trainer and owner of such dogs is a lady named Joanie, who resides on a beautiful farm near Unionville, PA.

We have prayed for Holden more than for any human being we know. Yet, God has, for His own reasons, withheld the healing. We would do anything to have this handsome young man achieve wellness and be able to lead a normal life. Therefore, we agreed to accompany Holden and his mother, Andrea, our second oldest daughter, to Joanie's farm in PA. We parked our Airstream at a KOA campground and met daugher and grandson at the Amtrak station in Wilmington, DE.

Regrettably, Holden has suffered many seizures each week since conducting his research on alert dogs. During the interview with Joanie, he was not particularly enthused about the dogs that were lying in his midst. His total affect was dull during our few days together, and he was not his usual talkative self. Whether the damage we observed is permanent or temporary, we cannot know. One thing is certain: The dog must be Holden's in order to provide the kind of help our grandson needs. This means that Holden must care for the dog personally. With all of the pressures on David and Andrea, the last thing they need is a dog to care for if Holden us unable to do his part. Now they will wait and see how resilient Holden can be.

We did have fun staying in the Airstream. Andrea, Holden and Grandpa took a canoe ride at the park. It was determined that Jerry, being the most experienced, should be in the stern position. He dutifully took his seat, as Andrea and Holden gave the canoe a mighty shove. Over went the canoe in the river, and Grandpa was drenched to the applause of those observing. However, he remained undaunted and completed the trip in wet, cold clothing. The campfire that night felt especially good. The one thing that did spark Holden's interest was cooking dinner on a gas grill.

If you are a person of faith, please join us in praying for this dear little boy and his parents.