Serendipity

An Uncomplicated Life

A Father's Memoir of His Exceptional Daughter

 

By: Paul Daugherty

 

 

It should be no surprise that this book caught my eye and I bought it without a second thought. What surprised me and I couldn't explain it until today, something made me put down another book in the middle and start reading An Uncomplicated Life. The reason became clear after reading several chapters about the IEP process. Paul Daugherty shares some of their struggles and successes with the process while offering inspirational words to other families. Since we have a fight, I mean IEP meeting scheduled 12 days from now and I have many hours of training, I mean research and preparation to do, this book has given me new hope and resolve. I've read 22 out of 34 chapters, but would already highly recommend this great book to all families, both in and out of the disabled world.

 

 



Laurel's 2015 Summer Vacation Wish

May 16, 2015

 

Laurel was working on some homework this morning and one of the assignments was to draw a picture (below) of what she wants to do during her summer vacation.

 

 

Daddy, Laurel and Kellisa pushiking across a bridge under a partly cloudy and sunny day somewhere in New York.

 



Travel Goal Getter

Pushiking in ALL 50 States

4/7/15

 

 

 

 

A nice little write-up about our goal of visiting and pushiking with Kellisa in all 50 states before her 18th birthday (May 23, 2017) can be found here: (Travel Goal Getter).

 

 

Current Statistics (States Visited/Hiked and/or Pushiked):

 

Kellisa 39/31

Laurel 28/22

Chris 46/37

Miccosukee Indian Village

South Florida

 

March 2015

 

We ended our 2015 spring break trip at Miccosukee Indian Village. Laurel heard the captain on our boat tour of the Everglades explaining what life was like for the Indians who lived in the Everglades and she tried relating it to the Indians and Pilgrims she learned about in school.  After the boat tour, Laurel had millions of questions about Indians and she expressed a strong desire to meet some Indians. After a quick search, we found a tourist trap located in the middle of the Everglades, but it had real Indians. It also had alligator shows which I'm not a huge fan of, but both girls really enjoyed the action. However, the highlight for both girls was holding a real life alligator. We also enjoyed the rest of the village: a museum, archery for kids, and boardwalk complete with a Totem Pole. 

 

      

 

(More pictures from Miccosukee Indian Village)

 



Whiteface Mountain

 The Olympic Mountain

Wilmington, NY

September 2013

While attending the Outdoor Writers Association of America 2013 conference in Lake Placid, NY, we were able to slip away between seminars for one of Kellisa's favorite activities- riding a gondola to the top of a mountain. Whiteface Mountain is only 13 miles from Lake Placid and was the site of the 1980 Winter Olympic Alpine Skiing Events. 

GONDOLAS, LIFTS, and TRAMS

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Anhinga Trail

Everglades National Park

 

March 2015

 

 

 

 

The Anhinga Trail in Everglades National Park never disappoints with it's beautifully accessible paved trail and boardwalk that is surrounded by birds and alligators.

 

(More pictures of alligators, birds and sisters)

Backcountry Tour

Whitewater Bay

Everglades National Park

 

March 2015

 

Both girls enjoy a nice ride on a boat tour, so it was an easy decision to book the Backcountry Tour of Whitewater Bay in Everglades National Park. Boarding the boat was on a first come first board basis, so we were at the end of the line since we couldn't be as fast as everyone else when the boat pulled up to the dock. I was watching the boat fill up and we were going to be stuck at the front of the boat with little room for the wheelchair and in the direct sunlight, which is a trigger for Kellisa's seizures. The boat tour was almost 2 hours and I knew Kellisa would have a seizure. I was thinking about backing off the boat to see if we could reschedule for the next tour when people at the back of the boat offered to relocate for us. If we don't absolutely need this kind of random act of kindness, I will usually decline the offer, but I was quick to agree to the switch. I was even more appreciative when we were caught in a sudden thunderstorm during the tour. I think the heat and lack of wildlife viewing prevented Laurel from maximizing her enjoyment. However, her mood quickly changed when the captain asked her to steer the boat when we reached the open waters of Whitewater Bay.

 

(More pictures)



Eco Pond

Everglades National Park

 

March 2015

 

 

 

 

 

It was hot, very hot, but we enjoyed the short (.58 mile) Eco Pond trail just past the Flamingo area of Everglades National Park.

 

(More pictures) 

Flamingo Visitor Center

Everglades National Park

 

March 2015

 

Picture by: Laurel

 

 

 

 

 

Accessible perhaps, but you better have a strong helper and/or good brakes!

 

(A few more pictures)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



"Things that Go Growling in the Night"

 

 

After writing an article on wheelchairs and hotel safety for abilities.com, I was asked if I was interested in providing another article. I was excited at the additional opportunity and I proposed (and it was accepted) writing about a trip Kellisa and I took to Grand Island National Recreation Area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan back in the summer of 2013. We spent three days and two nights on the island pushiking, backcountry camping and working on Kellisa's speech therapy. I also had a middle of the night encounter....

 

The full article with pictures can be found (here).