The Hippopotamus Balloon

C. H. had such devoted parents.  C. H. was a young adult woman who very much wanted what she wanted and was quite reactive if she did not get it.  Her parents were wonderful.  In their phone calls between their very regular visits, they would take a request from C. (usually a toy or stuffed animal).  We always thought that her parents must live near the biggest toy store in the whole world because they always came with the right thing. 

I got a dose of what Mr. And Mrs. H. went through when we took a van of staff and residents to Knoeble's Grove (amusement park).  I usually tried to relieve the direct care staff by escorting someone challenging.  On one trip, that someone was C. H.   One of the care staff advised me to go immediately and get her something to eat and something to hold in her hand.  Before I could even think about that, C. got off of the van screaming, "I want a hippopotamus balloon".

My heart sank and I thought that I would be sitting in the van with C instead of enjoying the park.  We walked toward the stand where they had different shaped balloons on a stick, and GUESS WHAT!  They had a HIPPOPOTAMUS BALLOON!!

I don't remember much from the rest of the trip except that there was no more screaming.  I am quite sure we stayed close to the food stands and only went on the calm rides.  God bless the H. family!!

By Judy P.