Selena has always been the life of the party! Before her life-changing diagnosis of ALS, Selena loved hosting family and friends for all kinds of gatherings, and her guests could always count on a good time, good food, and the comfort and joy of basking in Selena’s warm and effervescent presence! Family has always come first to Selena, who took pride in caring for her elderly mother in her home. Strong family values run in the family, for when Selena’s health prevented her from continuing to care for her mother or herself, Selena’s daughter, Lisa, quit her job without a second thought to welcome her family’s beloved matriarchs to her home.
The ravages of ALS have taken away Selena’s ability to speak and walk, but she is still quick to smile and the sparkle in her
eye shines through in her every interaction. Selena’s hospice social worker was moved by Selena’s faith and positivity and nominated her to receive a Dream. Selena’s daughter, Lisa, helped us get to know Selena during the interview process, and we learned that Selena loves to travel and all things Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter! Selena, who communicates through a dry erase board, was moved to tears at the thought of hosting a big family party! No longer able to eat herself, she insisted that the guests were well-fed, and that Olive Garden (a family favorite!) provide the catering. Selena is a woman who knows what she wants and decided that she wanted the party to be Harry Potter themed! Unbeknownst to Selena, her son, Marco, had planned a visit for the first weekend of December, and Lisa helped us plan the party to coordinate with his visit to give this Harry-Potter themed soiree an extra touch of magic!
Selena always likes to look her best, so we asked our friends at Jadomte’ Mobile Nail Bar to provide both Selena and her hard-working daughter, Lisa, with manicures before the party! Dreamweaver hired a friend of the family to take professional pictures during the party to capture the magic. We gave Selena a luxurious custom pair of Harry Potter pajama’s—to keep with the theme of the party and to ensure her comfort! Selena glowed as guests arrived and the home filled with the sounds of laughter and music. Not one to ever be underestimated, Selena was so moved with excitement and joy at being surrounded by so many loved ones, that she hit the dance floor in the arms of her children—swaying to the beat of her favorite Mexican tunes.
Magic was definitely in the air the night of Selena’s party, which lasted until the wee hours of the morning! When we caught up with Selena and Lisa on the Monday following the party, they were both still tired from the festivities, but invigorated by the experience! Selena jotted a note of thanks on her dry-erase board, “Thank you to everyone who made this possible.”
Dreamweaver Foundation would like to echo Selena’s sentiment. Thank you to AseraCare Hospice for introducing us to Selena through the nomination process, Jadomte’ Mobile Nail Bar for making a house call for manicures for our Dreamer and her amazing daughter, and to Olive Garden in Council Bluffs for making sure that Selena’s party guests were well fed!
