The main inspiration for this blog was the unbelievable perseverence Miles has shown throughout his life accepting his blindness and it’s challenges always with a smile on his face.
Shortly after we moved to Florida a co-worker sent me a list of “local” things to do. On the list was what she described as an authentic aquarium called the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. When I visited their website and read the story of the aquarium I was enthralled to learn how this place had grown over time starting with research and then moving into marine life rescue.
I bought H2 a membership for her birthday. We finally went for the first time when dad and Gayle were in town and it’s really cool. If you go to their site you’ll see their main claim to fame now is one of the residents. Her name is Winter (she was rescued in December) and she’s a 5 year old dolphin who was brought in as a calf because her tail was wrapped up in a crab line. She was brought to CMA for rehab but the damage to her tail was too severe and she ended up losing it.
Most dolphins would never survive a ordeal like that but Winter is tough girl and had some really creative people pulling for her. I won’t share the entire story because it’s more fun to read it yourself. The end result is that through the work of a prosthetic manufacturer they developed a special rubbery sleeve to put on her tail that they could then strap a specially made prosthetic tale to. That sleeve material is now being used with amputees to ease some of the pain associated with their prosthesis. Coincidentally on September 23rd a movie about Winter is being released called “Dolphin Tale”.
http://www.seewinter.com/winter
The thing I really liked about CMA is the amazing amount of stories of different mammals and fish that call the aquarium home. From the sea otter with paralyzed back legs to handful of sea turtles with a variety of problems including one named Cocoa who is blind.
It’s good to know our wonderful Miles isn’t the only lesson of how the right kind of attitude with a little extra support can make for a remarkable live.
Have a great Friday.
LOVE IS BLIND 
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