Raising God's Rainbow Makers: Donnie, the Stalwart

 


One reason we were able to raise our little rainbow makers without collapsing was Donnie's health. He was never sick. Any one of us could get laid low with whatever was going around, but Donnie could always minister to the needs because he need not catch stuff. How? I don't know. He didn't know. He just did not get sick.

His first time in a hospital after birth was age 70. He had a heart attack -- weight, a sedentary life in later years, love of sugar leading to diabetes -- probably could have predicted that. Even then, he felt something, thought it was a heart attack, took two aspirins, and laid down. I don't think that is the normal prescription!

Nonetheless, no real harm done. When we did go to the ER, the heart attack was confirmed and Donnie was transferred to a larger hospital where the cardiologist determined he needed a stent. Only one? Yep! Only one!

Donnie was always fortunate with his health -- until he developed cancer, Then, it was a massive failure: cancer of unknown primary. Apparently, the original cancer was knocked out by his super good immune system, but it squirted away and grabbed four other organs. The original organ? We don't know.

Still, the oncologist decided Donnie was a candidate for chemotherapy. Off he went to get the obligatory port. Tested for COVID at every step, and though it was the height of the pandemic, he always tested negative, healthy. Round 1 of chemo was eventful. It had no effect on him (or the cancer). Round two, the same. Round three, the same.

After round three, the nurse asked Donnie if the chemotherapy had nauseated him. "Nope," he said. "I have an iron stomach." "Have you ever vomited?" she asked.

"Once," he replied.

"After one of the previous rounds?"

"Oh, no," he said. "When I was 21."

She looked at me in astonishment. He was kidding, right? The hypercalcemia was getting to his memory?

"He's right," I told. "I do not remember him ever vomiting except for one day in Montana. He was 21, working on a US Forest Service crew, and the crew had mistakenly gotten hold of stagnant water. He threw up in the front yard and then went off to work." I don't think she wanted to believe it, but someone vomits only once in a lifetime, your remember. And today, we remember Donnie. It is the 5th anniversary of his death. Healthy until he wasn't -- and the "wasn't" lasted only five months.


Book Description:

Raising God's Rainbow Makers: A Family Memoir of Grace, Grit, and Growing Up Different

What happens when a military family welcomes four children—each with wildly different needs—into a world not always built to support them?

In Raising God’s Rainbow Makers, one mother shares the remarkable journey of raising two children with complex disabilities—one with spina bifida, one with CHARGE Syndrome—and two intellectually gifted children, all born in different states during years of military life. Through medical crises, educational challenges, and societal roadblocks (both intentional and unintentional), this honest and inspiring memoir tells the story of how one family built a life of strength, compassion, and resilience.

With warmth and unflinching honesty, the author reflects on emergency surgeries, IEP battles, unexpected victories, and the fierce sibling bonds that formed in the face of it all. The children—now grown—bear witness to the power of support, faith, and never giving up.

This is not just a story of survival. It is a celebration of difference, a chronicle of hope, and a powerful testament to what love and determination can build when the world says "impossible." 


Keywords:

Parenting memoir; Special needs parenting; Raising children with disabilities; Military family life; Family resilience; Inspirational family story; Faith-based memoir; Coping with medical challenges; Sibling support stories; Gifted children; Spina bifida; CHARGE Syndrome; Hydrocephalus; Congenital disabilities; Complex medical needs; Pediatric neurosurgery; IEP and special education; Gifted education; Educational advocacy; Inclusive education; Hope and healing; Courage and strength; Love and perseverance; Raising different children; Disability acceptance; Parenting through adversity; Overcoming barriers; Finding joy in hardship; Special needs journey; Family unity and support; For parents of disabled children; For parents of gifted children; For educators and therapists; Christian parenting memoir; For families facing rare diagnoses; Real-life parenting stories; Memoirs about raising children; Stories of medical miracles

 



For more posts about Elizabeth and her books, click HERE. 

Read more stories -- and photos -- about the Mahlou family in the blog (no longer maintained), Clan of Mahlou.






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