Getty Owl Foundation

Baby Steps with Dad

From Mark:

Today was shaping up to be just another Saturday. Mom was out of town in an effort to destroy SMA with some other SMA warriors. I was home, having some coffee and making Getty’s food for the day.

It dawned on me that it was Father’s Day weekend. Then I thought I would love to do something special — just Daddy and Getty. I instantly decided Getty and I were going to go have lunch out on the town.

It may not seem like a big deal, but since Getty lost her swallow function, about two years ago to this day, Kate and I have NEVER taken Getty out with only ONE adult present because (1) Getty has a bunch of unwieldy equipment; and (2) Getty can find herself with an instant airway obstruction thanks to SMA taking her swallow and cough functions.

I was reluctant to take Getty out alone. I reminded myself that I know the drill and I can handle it.

Getty and I took off for lunch! I was a bit nervous in the van with Kate absent from the back seat, but it wasn’t too bad. I picked The Streets of London Pub mainly because  it’s one of the closest places to home should I need to return in a hurry.

Getty and I had a fabulous lunch and enjoyed some great father-daughter time together. Our server was nice. I told our server we were out for Father’s Day and she was delighted.

After quietly singing a couple of Getty’s favorite tunes, she spotted the soccer game on the TV across the room. Suddenly, she wasn’t so interested in Daddy anymore. Oh well, it was still a good time.

I had discreetly hidden her G-tube, feeding pump, and feeding bag. I wonder if our server thought it odd that I ordered no food for Getty and ate the whole meal myself without offering Getty so much as a crumb.

In all, we had a great time out and about. Going out alone was a new experience that will hopefully lead to more opportunities for Getty to see the world. What began as a ho-hum Saturday turned into a day I will always cherish. I loved sharing these baby steps with my little girl.

Here we are at Streets in West Sacramento, California. Yes, our first trip out as a pair was to a pub — not the zoo, toy store, or a park.

PS: I put her on bipap (the nose mask in the photo) because it provides filtered air to help prevent germs and also helps her blow her own spit out so it’s less likely to get down her throat.