"Bikes for the Rest of Us"-Our miracle story!

This is the event that we attended Saturday morning.  It was such a great experience.  I was very anxious about going and being able to find, and afford the right bike for Keyan.  A few years ago, she received an adapted bike from our local ambucs club, but in the last year, Keyan has lost a lot of her arm strength and some motor planning skills which made it too difficult to use her bike. So, off we went to get some better recommendations.  I literally was obsessing about going....I didn't want to get her hopes up, only to find that we could not provide her with a bike.  So, we all talked about how we were just going to look and see if we could find a new bike.

When we arrived at Mary Free Bed, the kids were all very excited to return to the place that Keyan had spent several weeks last summer.  They all know that MFB has done some great things for Keyan and it was great to see their appreciation and understanding at such a young age.  We were paired up with a therapist that knows Keyan quite well and also understands the different dynamics that Keyan embodies.  She immediately thought of checking out a tandem bike which would allow our family to actually ride bikes together...a dream that we had sort of set aside years ago!  Paul took her for a spin on the tandem bike, the company talked to us about how it could be modified, and than the dreaded money conversation came up....the bike, with it's modifications, rounded out around $7000.00.  HA!!!  Even with partial financial aide...that would not be happening.  So, as my mind began reeling with fundraising ideas, selling a kidney, ect...Our therapist said, "Wait, there is ONE tandem bike in the recycled bikes, let's race over there to take a look at that."

So, our whole crew made it across the parking lot, where the therapist had already asked for the ONE tandem bike to be held for us, to see if it could work.  It was in pretty rough shape, but before we knew it, a company from Illinois came over to see how it could be modified for Keyan, and if we could make it work.  Meanwhile, the therapist and I debated the pros and cons of the tandem bike....allowing her to be part of a family activity and giving us as a family some more freedom, but a tandem bike would not give her the Independence to ride in the cul-de-sac with her siblings.  Such decisions!  Our family headed over to the ambucs station where we explained her current level of functioning and they made some recommendations.  They got her on a bike, with the right seat, an adapted set of handle bars, a pulley system on the petals, and she was actually able to get around.  Jamahl helped her with the steering as I sat and wondered what in the world we were going to do.

Just this week, I was talking to another mom about how on a weekly basis,  Paul and I are making decisions for Keyan that will affect her for a long time...all parents do, but how was I going to choose between her Independence and the freedom a tandem bike would bring to our family?  I had tears in my eyes watching her working so hard at getting that bike to go with her siblings cheering her along.  I knew in my heart, we needed both of these bikes, but, "how do we go about that?"  As we talked with our therapist,the other volunteer that had been paired with us,and several people from the different associations that were present,  two different people said, "You really need both bike options."  They took the words right our of my heart...I didn't even know if that was possible, but I was so grateful that others around us had some to the same conclusion.

In the end, to make a really long story a little shorter, the company from Illinois will be able fix and modify the recycled tandem bike for under $1000.....WAY better than $7000! And I have the contact information to move forward with getting her the tricycle that she can do herself.  I was a little overwhelmed with the miracle that had taken place.  How is it that there was ONE tandem bike in the whole lot of recycled bikes?  How was it, that over 300 disabled kids and adults were helped yesterday, and we were able to fit Keyan for that ONE tandem bike?  How is it that we made the right connections to also be able to move in the direction of getting her her own bike as well?  Why in the world did I loose sleep over this event?  Where was my faith?  There are a lot of answers that could be given, but during our quiet car ride home, while all the kids were plugged into their ipods (thanks mom and dad!), I was reminded that we are so truly blessed.  God had his hand in every moment of our morning....as a matter of fact, God knew how it would turn out, before we even went.  What an incredible feeling to fall into that safety net and be reminded that He does indeed watch out for what we need.  It was amazing!

P.S.  I will do my best to keep you all updated as to the progress of our bikes!  It should be exciting!