Making A Difference

We loved getting to see some of our friends from the IDEA League yesterday. We greeted each other with hugs even though we have only met in person once before. It really was like a reunion. One of our friends that lives here in Florida has a non-profit foundation. When wondering what to do with her foundations money this year, she did something different. Usually she makes donations to the Brain Institute here at Miami Childrens, but she decided to give out iPads instead. She only had enough money for 6, but in her words, "this will change their life". She then launched into a sweet spill about how this was all because of me. WHAT?! People are getting free iPads because of me? Maybe Apple finally got my letter about the commission they owe me for being a traveling iPad salesman! :) Let's backtrack.....

When we got Cole's iPad, it changed our life. We are so grateful for another parent who introduced it to us as a tool for kids with special needs and not just a really cool tech toy. It doubled Cole's vocabulary, was a great tool for distraction at doctors appointments, in the car, and proved itself useful again and again with making the internet available in the grocery store and everywhere else. I could wax rhapsodical on the iPad for an extended period of time..and have been known to. It's no secret I love it. When we went to the IDEA League Conference in August, I brought it with me. I made demonstrations in the hall, ballrooms, and even one by the pool. I talked to doctors, parents, administrators and everyone else who would listen. I told them that even though it was expensive, it was cheaper than a laptop, communication device, or a lot of other medical equipment out there. I probably went overboard, but I knew how much it had helped Cole, and in turn me. One of my demonstrations was to this woman and her friends. I probably accosted them in the hall at some point since their room was near ours. We talked on multiple occasions during the conference, but I can't remember my particular demo to her. This is before the New York Times article.She said that she went home, thought about it, but didn't really believe me. How could something made for hip, tech savvy people help her disabled daughter? She kept on thinking about my gushing adoration for it though. A couple of months later she bought one, and it rocked their world. So, when deciding how to use the donated funds this year, she bought six Dravet families an iPad and an iTunes gift card. She then went on to tell me that these people don't even know that their lives are going to change today, but soon they will...and it is all because of me. To say the least, I was flattered. I didn't deserve the ovation she gave, I just wanted to share something that made a difference in our lives. She pulled out a notepad and wrote down apps I had found useful while simultaneously downloading them on her daughters.She then shared ones that she liked. I guess it just goes to show that my big mouth really did something useful for once. So for all of you that have had to hear me go on and on and on about the iPad...I'm probably going to keep doing it.