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Fire engine delights Bath family facing host of concerns at holiday
By Tracy Wheeler
Beacon Journal
Published on Sunday, Dec 23, 2007
BATH TWP.: Seeing Santa pull up in front of her house in an antique fire engine, the siren blaring and lights flashing, 8-year-old Sea Derry's smile said it all.
It would have to.
Sea has few other ways to communicate, other than her smile, because of a condition known as Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that has stolen her speech and limited her mobility.
But she can smile. And she did plenty of that Saturday afternoon.
So did her mom, Deanne Derry.
''They are going to have the best Christmas ever,'' Derry said of Sea (pronounced ''shay'') and her 6-year-old sister, Ireland, and 4-year-old brother, Afton. ''They're always going to remember this Christmas as the Christmas when Santa came on the firetruck.''
Santa climbed off the truck, handing a package to Sea, then pulled one gift after another out of his big red sack.
''Look at this!'' Afton shouted, after opening a toy car. He kept ripping into the packages, uncovering a yellow hooded sweatshirt, a Cars T-shirt and a Bionicle character, to name just a few. Ireland tore open boxes containing a Doodle Girl doll, a princess crown and a pink
feather boa, among many other things.
Sea, after Ireland opened a Care Bears gift for her, mostly stood in her mom's arms and watched.
But she understood what was happening. She understood that Santa was standing right in front of her, handing out gifts.
''Her eyes were huge,'' her mom said. ''She kept looking at me, smiling.''
With a hearty ''Merry Christmas, everybody,'' Santa — who bore a striking resemblance to Bath Township Fire Chief Michael Paulett — bid farewell.
''This has been amazing,'' Derry said. ''With medical bills, this just wouldn't have been possible. Any little thing I can give to her is huge. Seeing Santa is really going to lift her spirits. It's been a rough couple of months.''
Rough is an understatement.
No health insurance
In addition to Sea's special needs, Derry, 31, found out that she has cervical neoplasia, the growth of abnormal cells in the cervix, along with a lump in her left breast. Exactly what that means is unclear, though. With no insurance, her doctors have encouraged her to forego blood tests and biopsies, taking a wait-and-see approach instead. The cervical neoplasia will be checked every three months and the breast lump will be checked every six months to see what, if any, changes, have taken place.
All Derry knows for sure, she said, is that ''I don't feel very good. The hardest thing for me when I feel like this is that I'm not the mom I normally am.''
Despite working about 60 hours a week as a licensed practical nurse, caring for a ventilator-dependent disabled child at night, Derry has no insurance and no paid sick time.
She's been overwhelmed by the community's willingness to give to her and her family.
Help with home
It started in early December, when members of the Bath police and fire departments helped put a ramp on the front of her house, so Sea can walk out the front door without assistance. Members of Grace Church North painted the kids' bedrooms.
''I'm mainly a stay-at-home, deal-with-what-I've-got type of person,'' she said, then pointed toward her neighbor Nancy Trexler. ''She made all of it happen.''
Derry deserves it, Trexler said.
Before Sea was diagnosed with Rett, Derry worked at a mission hospital in Zimbabwe and volunteered in Pakistan with Afghan refugees.
Now, she's the one who needs a hand.
''She's depleted,'' Trexler said. ''She's running on 'E.' ''
Silent auction
Trexler, wife of Beacon Journal reporter Phil Trexler, circulated a letter throughout the community, seeking donations and gifts for the Derrys and making Saturday's visit from Santa possible. She has organized a silent auction on Jan. 17 at the Radisson Inn on Montrose West Hill. The Radisson has donated its facilities and she is still accepting items for the auction, as well as direct donations to the family. (To donate, contact Nancy Trexler at ptrex99@adelphia.net or 330-687-7655.)
An account has been set up with Chase Bank. Donations for Deanne Derry can be made at any Chase Bank location.
Bath police officer Rob Robinson said that the holiday spirit has certainly infected the Bath community.
''Every time there was a need, it would get taken care of,'' he said. ''Somebody would say, 'Oh, well, I know somebody who could do that.' ''
Tracy Wheeler can be reached at 330-996-3721 or tawheeler@thebeaconjournal.com.
BATH TWP.: Seeing Santa pull up in front of her house in an antique fire engine, the siren blaring and lights flashing, 8-year-old Sea Derry's smile said it all.
Get the full article here.
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