written By Leslie Ann Snyder
Alison was born 15 weeks premature, weighing 1 lb, 13 oz, 12” long on July 26, 1983, 2:12 PM. And she wasn’t alone. Two minutes later, Paul Jr. arrived, smaller and sicker yet. You can’t imagine the conflicting roller-coaster like emotions that Paul and I were feeling that day. We were frightened, excited, worried, and forever in love with these two little fighters. They had all their super-tiny fingers and toes, ultra thin skin and distinct personalities. We were blessed pink and blue with miracles.
All the grandparents came to help. My parents drove the motor home from California. Luckily, Paul’s folks lived in nearby Rochelle, IL. To see the joy all over their faces when the met the twins, I knew they had fallen in love too. They were allowed to come inside the NICU…but if they followed the rules…a tough thing for new grandparents…NO TOUCHING THE BABIES! Good lord, you’ve got to be kidding! You’d think we shot them. They did their best and the nurses didn’t see too much, but they had their moments of glory with a rub here and there.
Born at the Rockford Memorial Hospital, they started to receive the best nursing care possible in the NICU anywhere! The kids had their good and bad hours; we walked on pins and needles for days. Unfortunately my parents had to eventually go home. The next day, after 6 corrective surgeries, Paul Jr began to fail. His little system could take no more and God called our son home on September 10, 1983. We had six weeks of kissing his cheeks, touching his arms, holding is hands, bathing him and singing sweet lullabies.
The roller-coaster continues, Alison required surgery on her heart the next day. We were exhausted, but still prayed hourly for our remaining daughter. She was still so tiny, weighing only 2 lbs. Within 45 minutes, she was back, alive, pumping better and vitals strong. Thank you, God! My fighter came through! Four weeks later, she was transferred to Kishwaukee Community Hospital Nursery for the real job to gain weight and the grandparents are behind glass – Oh, the pain of it all.
We had our fun days at Kishwaukee; she was interviewed as a miracle baby by the local television channel, her picture was taken by the DeKalb Chronicle newspaper on Halloween as the Littlest Witch. Then finally, November 1st, she was discharged to come home at 4 lbs, 6 oz!! Oh, my God! Now I was really scared! A true reality check! Grandma Jean was in was floating in air…she held Alison for the first time.
Slow with both growth and development, we received lots of help from the DeKalb County Home Care program for infants. The physical therapists were wonderful teaching me how to care for this special little girl. We also discovered that Alison’s right eye was totally blind. RLF or Retrolental Fibroplasia occurs in premature infants has been linked to the high concentrations of oxygen used to support their underdeveloped lungs. With support from the Hauser-Ross Eye Clinic in DeKalb and a gift of eye glasses from the Cortland Lion’s Club, Alison stayed on track as she grew.
On her 1st birthday, Alison weighed a whooping 11 lbs! By her 3rd birthday, our girl was walking and talking; just get out of her way! Still tiny at 5 yrs old, I decided to hold her back a year to start kindergarten...yet she caught up at 5 ½. Who knew!
Grandma Jean and Grandpa Art were constants in her life. She visited them on winter weekends and camping in the summer for weeks. She was their only grandchild; no, they didn’t spoil her – not too much. They would ask if they could have her for a few days while packing her bags at the same time. If we told them no, they looked as if we had taken their toys away. But that didn’t happen to often; we shared this gift from God.
Jake was HER dog. He was a 57 Heinz that we were told shouldn’t grow to much….at least no more than 25 lbs. Yeah, right! At 50 lbs, the love this girl had for Jake was unwavering….if she’s only clean-up after him. But he started sleeping in her room the day she came home from the hospital. Jake was there every day with her until his time ended when Alison was 11 yrs old. That was Alison’s first real heartbreak…I spent several nights in her bed, hold her tightly.
We strongly believed in Linda Smith at the Bridge Pre-school Program at Tyler School and loved Mrs. Johnson at Chesebro. Brownies was great and Girl Scouts in Sycamore was even better thanks to Phyllis Pleckham. She adored Girl Scout Summer Camp in Wisconsin, especially the horseback riding program.
Sycamore Middle School developed Alison’s love for music through both flute and eventually piccolo. She practiced for hours; lots of hours we spent sitting in the car, waiting for her lessons to end. Sycamore High School marching band was thrilling as she traveled with the group for competitions, including a trip to Disneyworld. School concerts were also attended by us and the grandparents who beamed with pride! Thank you so much to both her music instructors Chris Nicholas and Ken Goodman; you gave us all wonderful memories.
Writing was Alison’s passion. She wrote very beautiful poems and heart felt stories, mostly of the Renaissance and Shakespeare. Her words flowed comfortably from her pen and onto the paper. When I can, I’ll share some with you all.
During her sophomore year, the class took a trip to London, England. Paul gladly sold his beloved truck and I worked over-time for several weeks to pay for the expensive trip. She had seven glorious days of exploring, absorbing, and imagining all of the history as it unfolded at her feet. Those days lived over and over again within dreams to return as planned in 2009 with her best friend, Lindsey Pleckham.
Alison was a born leader. While in school she took a stand and started the Sci Fi Club, under the direction of Mr Iandola. As one of the founders, she was the treasurer and secretary. There were many nights that the club purchased pizza, watched movies, and talked Sci Fi highlights. The friends made in this club have been lifetime relationships.
The Class of 2002 graduates from Sycamore High School and tears are rolling down my cheeks as we watched her accept her diploma. The future had rolled out the red carpet and foot prints are running as fast as possible. My baby girl was about to fly higher that ever before. My silent prayers were running along side just as fast to keep up.
The next 5 years were pretty much as Alison wanted. Her life, her decisions regardless if they were right or wrong as she lived, learned and loved. We gave our advice and tried to accept her decisions. She was an adult now and we raised this independent little person.
Alison, had many close friends that shaped her life before and after high school graduation. I remember sitting in the family room and listening as she entertained in her room. Oh the noise of girls that are laughing and screaming, sleepovers and study groups, music blaring and phones ringing. Phone calls from boys and talking to them in the closets – she didn’t think I knew. She'd stop everything to go help a friend in trouble, give advice or hold their hand as they cried. She’d often extend this care to many people she barely knew.
Lindsey was her best friend, her “sister” and confidante for life. CaryAnn and A.J. were also called “sissy”. Dana was her long distant friend who moved away during middle school. There is no room to list the entire cast of loving friends, it’s just extremely long, of all makes and models. She didn’t care if you were purple with poka-dot pink hair. She’d cast her web, pull you in, and call you her friend. Her tolerance was high and her faith in you was forever strong.
In the last year of Alison's life, she was bitten by the Rock Band bug. With her love of music, and the shear factor of being in a group of friends, she found the video game naturally intriguing. Alison would spend many a nights playing and enjoying time with her friends. With the group of 5 gathering every night, it became known as "band practice". I as her mother, kept asking when I could go and watch the band and where did they’d expect to have a performance. Silly me, it’s a Playstation Video Game???
It was a car accident that had captured her soul, March 19, 2008 at 3:50 PM. I’m told that she didn’t look as she approached the yield sign; I’m told neither car was speeding; I’m trying with everything I have to understand why God insisted to take my little girl away from all of us. Our lives stopped for weeks as we tried to deal with this heartbreaking loss. Alison’s friends and our friends came from all directions, holding us up when we wanted to fall. I’m sure Alison sent her messages that we needed them now.
Continuing to hold me up, Alison’s friendships are just as important today. And it’s for her friends that I continue to help keep Alison alive in our hearts. Alison is here with each and every one of us. We miss her smile, her infectious laughter, and the smell of her hair as she hugs us. She was an angel who walked the earth and called us mommy and daddy.
I don’t think Alison’s job on earth is finished yet, therefore, we have to help continue it for her. With your donations, we have created the Alison Marie Snyder Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is to be awarded to a Sycamore High School graduate that shares the love of all kinds of music, reading and writing poems and short stories, and most importantly, expresses friendship, honesty and sincerity. The essence of Alison, the core of her life.
