Winter 2006

A Love Story

(George and Monnie Rogers)

George Rogers and Monnie Bell met in Seattle, fell in love, and were married 40 wonderful years ago.  They lived in Seattle for  a couple years before moving to Bellingham  where George finished his schooling and     earned a BA in accounting.  Monnie completed cosmetology school even though they were already starting a much anticipated family.  Strands of love seamlessly wove their way through their family tapestry with all the vivid, vibrant colors of faith, optimism and commitment.        Several years and three lovely children later found them living first in Des Moines, WA., then onto Vashon Island where they lived as one by one their children reached adulthood and left home to begin  their own lives.

Their relationship, now relieved of the day to day stresses and chaos of child-rearing, George and Monnie purchased a lovely home in Port Orchard and settled in to discover their own magic.  Little by little, their              grandchildren were being born and George and Monnie, feeling the echo and emptiness of their own home over the course of the years, became foster parents for seven hard-to-place children, each of whom had a variety of behavioral disorders.  Placed in their home at the difficult ages between 10 and 15 years, George and Monnie patiently parented most of them all the way through their high school years.  They worked hard, loved strong, and dreamed of the day when they could enjoy their hard earned, peaceful retirement years,        hopefully at the ocean.

When the last of the foster  children moved on to their own adult lives, George and Monnie busied themselves with work and their grandchildren.  They           remained active as always in their church, family, civic duties, and volunteering through the schools.  Then, in 2001, as the result of a medical crisis of one of their       children, they became the full-time caregivers for their 16 year old grandson, Kenny.

This was a huge transition: To go from having no children living in the home for over eight years, to instantly receiving this much loved, however, very medically fragile child.  Kenny was diagnosed at birth with quadriplegic spastic   cerebral palsy, with static            encephalopathy and blindness.  He is non-ambulatory and non-verbal, suffers recurring seizures, is fed through a G-Tube, and requires constant supervision.

Through the generosity and kindness of a school bus driver from a town far away where Kenny had previously lived, George and Monnie were given a bed and some of the basic equipment necessary to enable them to care for their       grandchild.  They would learn from day one, square one, exactly what that would entail.  Just wading through the mountains of             paperwork and jumping through all the bureaucratic hoops was a           monumental task, let alone the 24 hour vigilant care now required to provide for this precious child.    After the initial period of being  lovingly overwhelmed, George and Monnie gracefully fell into a       nurturing and predictable routine for their grandson. They read every book and article they could find about cerebral palsy and joined with the other parents in support groups for added comfort and peace of mind.

Grandparenting full-time is a daunting experience for even the most youthful of people.  George  and Monnie, even though            experiencing good health, were rapidly approaching their sixties and the time in their lives where they had dreamed of retirement.  Then, in 2003, two years into their “new direction,” George was      offered a position with the city of Ocean Shores.  So, they listed their home in Port Orchard and in no time found their dream home at the beach.  Not on the ocean as they had envisioned, but waterfront property, on a lake, with perfect accommodations for Kenny.  Cozy and inviting with a sweeping view of the lake, their home is truly their paradise.  There’s a big fluffy cat and a droopy-eared beagle to round out the picture.

There is a track overhead, with an electric lift for moving Kenny from  room to room, including into the bathtub.  In the driveway sits a brand new mobility van with all the bells and whistles; all purchased out of the pocket by George and Monnie for Kenny.  They are in the process of setting up guardianship for him and are very involved in future planning for when the time arrives that they will no longer be physically capable of providing his daily care.

In 2005, Kenny completed high school with a certificate of          completion in the special education program at North Beach.  Now, almost 22, Kenny attends Evergreen Mental Health day program in   Hoquiam two days a week.  His transportation is provided by the para-transit system which also   provides a gasoline assistance    allowance for George and Monnie to take Kenny to Seattle for his many medical and dental appointments.  The family receives 204 care giving hours each month and 30 days of respite care at the Yakima Valley School in Yakima, WA.

In the coming springtime, George and Monnie are going to avail themselves of this much needed respite care and take a three week, 40th anniversary cruise through the Panama Canal..

And yes, their precious   grandson really is Kenny Rogers, and his dog’s name is Elvis!!