Needing to be stronger than I feel

today is the day I guess.
after 5 long years of medical appointments, long drives, days in the city at the hospital, waiting for appointments to be done while I wait at the Ronald McDonald house, constant phone calls looking for help, nights that never seemed to end as I watched him sleep in a hospital bed, days that I wondered if they were ever going to get here .... are here now.

Sam moves out today and my heart is so .... happy for him to be able to be at this place where we wondered if it would ever happen and yet tired from holding in all my emotions this week, aching from worry of whether it is going to be too much for him, breaking from the knowledge that he is not my little Sammi anymore. I just want to hug him and never let go....

We have all been through so much mental anguish these past few months with him that I know it is for the best for us all. We will not be so touchy, so grouchy and so short with each other. It is time for him to stand on his own two feet and learn to make his way in the world. It is time for him to start making mistakes and most importantly to learn to deal with the fact that he does indeed have a brain injury and has to take measures to learn to look after himself AND the rest of his world.

We found a great basement room in town {which is 30minutes away butonly 5 minutes from his work) where he will share the kitchen with the owner. He has a large area in the basement to use for a bedroom and a living space, a huge bathroom (with laundry facilities), use of the kitchen & yard. He has no yard work to do and there is the chance of a housekeeper once every 2 weeks to do light cleaning.  He will not have tv (until he has saved up some money to get cable or satellite) but he does have internet (so once he has saved up for a laptop he can get netflix or whatever to stream tv). He does have a tv with a DVD player so he will be good for movies.

I am excited for him but at the same time I am worried (I am mom...) I am worried that his landlord will get frustrated with his memory issues before he has a chance to get settled into his routine. I am worried that he will not look after himself with eating (and all the things that teens do when they leave home) and he will get sick -- which can result in him seizing, which means hospitals, no work.... not even going to finish all the worries I have here. Sam was looking fairly stressed yesterday as we were packing and making lists of groceries and things, so we a forgoing church today so that it isnt so much activity {and emotion}  for him and we will head in to the house after lunch. These are the things I mean when I say I worry he doesnt realize the toll that things take on him and all the preparing we have tried to do with him over the years all come down to now. This is where his denial kicks in and he will over do it and ignore the signs his brain will give him before it shuts him down....
I am sitting here this morning trying to stay positive and tear free today (which I have failed at already). This IS a joyous day for Sam and for Dennis and I .... and I need to enjoy it as so, but my heart is still such a mess, my head can't seem to shut off and the tears keep trying to spill.

I have told the 'landlord' about Sam's seizures (in case he happens to have one/some and he hears them OR Sam wakes up and knows he had one he will need a ride {or 911 call} to get to the hospital) and as much as I wanted to explain all the small issues that he may (I am hoping to not say will) notice but I didn't. It would be too much to explain, Sam would be embarrassed and it might possibly freak the landlord out and rethink his new tenant. But he does know of Sams injury and I hope maybe that is good. I know the landlords mom so he may know more than I think.... lol thank goodness for small towns.

... to grown man and graduate <3 td="">

From 12yr old boy ...

I know there are mom's (and possibly dad's) who will read this and not have a clue as to my worries and write them off as I am an over bearing mom, or flippantly say "oh you are worrying too much, he will be fine"  but until you have walked the journey I have in the last 5 years you have no idea. To be honest Dennis has no idea of all that Sam and I have been thru. Sam is the only one who knows this whole journey (and even that is not complete as his memories are scattered due to his BI and the year he lost on seizure drugs....) and he is nervous but excited..... so I will be strong {at least stronger than I feel} for him as I have been the last 5 years and I will not let him see me cry.