Redefining Normal – a Column by Brian Solka

On my son Brian’s first day of kindergarten, he woke up nicely, babbling to himself in his bed. When I heard him singing to himself, I jumped out of bed and administered his first dose of morning medications. I took him to the potty, then walked him to his…

After we finished breakfast, Brian was freed from his eating chair (a donated wheelchair with a seatbelt and removable tray). As I was brainstorming fun morning activities with his big sister, Brian sauntered on over to his bed-tent. He’s recently enjoyed tumbling and rolling around slowly on his bed. It’s…

My son Brian’s class photos are always great. He doesn’t normally respond to any verbal instructions, so getting him to sit still, look at the camera, and smile willingly is pretty much impossible. Yet somehow, while also assisting Brian’s other classmates, his teachers are always able to capture that perfect…

On a “normal” morning, the house would be quiet, aside from the soft humming of the appliances and the clicking of meandering dog paws stepping on the tile floor. My wife, son, and daughter would all be quietly asleep, hopefully dreaming of joy and happiness. Most would consider such a…