Nutshell.

I have PKU. When I was 10 years old 2 doctors (one of them mine), my nurse, and my dietician decided to start a week long summer camp for children with PKU. The first ever Camp PHEver was established in 1997 and held at Camp Allen in Navasota, Texas. One year later, Camp For All opened.

(Camp For All, located in the rolling hills of Washington County, Texas, is a unique camping and retreat facility that strives to enrich the lives of people with special needs. A not-profit organization, Camp For All works in partnership with special needs groups whose members gain self-esteem, self-awareness and independence by participating in programs that are recreational, therapeutic and educational. The camp provides a fully-accessible environment and programs that are tailored to meet the needs of campers of all ages, interests and abilities. www.campforall.org )

1998-2005 I spent 6 days out of my year in Burton, TX at a place often described as "Heaven On Earth". These 6 days were my reason for living. Camp PHEver cuts off at age 18, and requires that you take off a year before becoming a counselor to "mature." This was not going to keep me away.

My dream since I was 11 years old was to become CFA Staff. I applied in 2006, and screamed bloody murder when I got the call that I had fullfilled this passionate goal of mine. When Camp PHEver came, I could not have been more proud to show off that I was "one of them" now. That summer I lived, and "worked" for Camp For All for 3 months straight. It forever changed everything about my life.

I worked my second summer in 2007. This was the first time I would take off work from CFA the week that Camp PHEver came to be a counselor.

After some second summer turmoil, I considered that my last round. I quickly realized that I needed to be there, but due to college, would only be able to make it out the second half. This would soon change...

Fast forward to today, and I am happy to say that I will be out for my 3rd full summer as CFA Program Staff.


And that is what this blog is for. I really wish I would have done this before, especially that first summer. I want to be able to share stories about this other world that I have spent a lot of my time talking about over the years.

Some entries may be long, some short. Either way, ignore my grammar. I like to type the way I speak...which means I may ramble. Im sorry if you happen to get so lost in it that you get uninterested and stop reading. Lord knows I am not the best writer. Im assuming my closest friends and family are reading this, so I will try my best to express what is on my mind and heart in the best manner I can.

If you are reading this, I probably love you.

love,
Callie Mae
(or "Salad" in t-minus 10 days!)