Jim

We found our place. We found our people.

 

“With Bounce, we get to see our kids truly be themselves. It gives us the opportunity to relate and let our guard down for once.”

Bing.

Another email rolls in. This one catches Jim Taylor’s eye: an invite to a Bounce Bash® family outing. He immediately signs his family up. Excitement ensues. Of course Jim claimed their spots; Bounce is where his whole family feels safe, able to connect with others without worrying about whether tube feeding issues will create a “scene”.

Jim and his wife, Bridgette, are parents to Kevin, 8, Aidan, 3, and Kyleigh, 6.

When Kyleigh was born, the family’s “new normal” included turning her older brother’s world upside down. For Jim this was as devastating as the diagnosis. Kevin’s childhood quickly encompassed learning about feeding tubes and watching his sister leave for yet another hospitalization.

Although accustomed to it, their sister’s absence takes a toll on both Kevin and Aidan. Kevin becomes uneasy and anxious, more likely to have emotional outbursts. Aidan exhibits regression, resorting to more baby talk or needing help getting dressed.

Nurturing left-behind siblings aligns with Bridgette’s role as a pediatric social worker. Dealing with the medical community comes more naturally to Jim, a pediatric occupational therapist.

Yet despite their respective expertise, there is only so much a parent can do. Kyleigh’s chronic illness ripples through, and adversely impacts, the whole family. Bounce helps.

“With Bounce, we get to see our kids truly be themselves,” said Jim. “It gives us the opportunity to relate and let our guard down for once.”

Bounce events are grounding, especially after a hospitalization, releasing tension for all. Kyleigh is calmer, happier and more engaged, giggling and grinning. Kevin and Aidan focus on fun and friends, running around with others in their same situation, less stressed – even when they repeatedly return to check on Kyleigh.

During the Taylor family’s first Bounce Bash, another parent commented on the “impressive height” of Kyleigh’s tube feeding-induced vomit. Both broke out in laughter, Jim knowing right then that, “These are our people. This is our place.”

“The best thing about Bounce is the opportunity to be with other families who get you. There is an unspoken understanding and acceptance here,” said Jim.

Bounce allows the family dynamic to shift, serving as an insulation factor that makes the Taylor’s willing to venture out, knowing events will be “Kyleigh-friendly.” No one is staring, no one is worrying.