10/26/16
I took Talia to the Y to use her neck floatie (oteroo) for the first time in a public pool. She has loved it in the bath tub. The sense of weightlessness makes her immediately smile. Manuvering her into her bathing suit is complicated since she is unable to help move her body and the dressing room is cold. When we got to the pool the lifeguard came over to tell me that I couldn’t use the floatie since it is not coast guard approved but I calmly told her that my daughter needed it and she immediately said “if she needs it because of a condition, she can absolutely use it” and she even took down my name to ensure that all other lifeguards would allow me to use it without needing to ask me about it. It felt like just the kind of kindness that the world should offer a person in need. The whole space felt warm and welcoming. As we entered the pool Talia’s eyes got bright and she immediately started smiling, cooing and laughing. I almost broke out into tears right there. She kept her eyes on me the whole time. Her arms swayed in the water. At times her legs were directly underneath herself like she was standing. It felt magical and beautiful.