Plunging

I'm doing the Polar Bear Plunge his winter.

So, on March 1st - where the warmest temperature I can expect is 30F - I'll just jump right into Lake Calhoun and splash around like a maniac.  But it's for a good cause. The Special Olympics.

Back in February, before we knew the extent of Henry's holoprosencephaly, Jason and I dreamed of the things he could do - even if he was disabled. We had done the plunge in past years, and it's been a fantastic experience - but it's never hit home. I remember telling him, "Well, we'll have to plunge again in 2014 - raise some money for our kiddo!"

 I had thought that, even with HPE, he could go on to do so much. I already made him a hero in my heart. My original dream for him was to go on and live a long normal life. Pre-HPE, I thought he'd be an intellectual family man, kind and caring. HPE changed that.

There were only a few days of waiting for our MRI and neurological consult. At this time, we adjusted our world view and our dream for him. We thought that, even if he was disabled, he could be happy - and we would do anything to make that happen. We looked into changes we'd have to make in the house. We thought, hey! He could do the Special Olympics when he was older! It made the bleak situation a little brighter.

But when we found out his life expectancy was hours -- well, it crushed the dream we had hastily put together over the weekend. No ramps. No special schools. No Special Olympics.

Well then.

I'm doing the Plunge again. I'm doing it for Henry, and for the short dream we held for him. I'm doing it so all of these kids can achieve their dreams.

www.plungemn.org/plunger/katherinebutler