November : Holiday excitement with grief added in

November is the start of the most wonderful time of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner and everyone is starting to gear up for family time and all the food they can eat! For me, I look forward to the holidays for all of these same reasons, also this time of the year is the BUSIEST time of the year for my career. (If you haven't booked your holiday hair yet.. do is asap!) One more thing that isn't so joyful happened around this time of the year 8 years ago for my family.. an unexpected loss of a beautiful, sassy and incredibly smart 5 year old.

Braylee Jo Pridal, the most positive 5 year old you would ever meet, was born on April 3rd, 2012, making me an auntie of 5. If you know me, you know that I brag heavily about my nieces and nephews.. Braylee is one that will forever outstand me with her outlook on life at such a young age. Braylee was diagnosed with LCHAD when she was a newborn, which is a genetic disorder that is extremely rare. Braylee's diet had to be very particular because her body did not have the ability to convert long-chain fat into energy like the rest of us do. Treatment for this focuses on a specialized diet high in carbohydrates and low in fat, and may include supplements like medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil and L-carnitine. There is a 25% chance to inherit this disorder from both parents who are carriers and actually develop it, theres another 25% chance that you don't have the disorder at all and a 50% chance that you are also just a carrier of LCHAD.

You never would have known that Braylee had LCHAD, the only thing she had to hint at it was a feeding tube. Other than that, she was a bright, sass-driven and exuberant little girl. Always had a story to tell you or a song to sing, she also was a proud big sister to her younger sister, Briella, or "Tornado Baby" is what Braylee called her. When I was in high school, I baby sat Braylee often, which was pretty special to me that my sister and brother-in-law trusted me so much. We created an inseparable bond during that time; we watched many episodes of "Yo-Gaba Gaba" and "Bubble Guppies". We also sang multiple Disney Princess songs, which Moana was her favorite, Mulan was mine... these are memories that I will forever cherish.

6 months before her passing, is when things started to feel uneasy. Braylee started to complain about chest pain that would make her scream and cry in agony, also that would make her throw up as well. I remember holding her in my arms when I was babysitting her while she cried. Once she was finally resting, I couldn't hold back my own tears. It hurt my heart watching such a beautiful soul in so much pain. Countless doctor appointments at The Castle in Sioux Falls - which usually led to unanswered questions and concerns. No one could figure out what was going on in her body, but Braylee still had her "it will be okay" attitude followed by a smile that would light up any room. November 3rd of 2017 was her last day at home.. she started at the hospital in Canby, MN, then to Sioux Falls where she went into cardiac arrest. I was just finishing up cosmetology school where my mom called Lake Area to talk to me about what was going on and that a family friend was coming to pick me up and drive me to Sioux Falls. We had freezing rain that day so my parents didn't want me driving to Sioux Falls by myself after hearing the news of Braylee. The doctors were able to bring her back, but she was sedated when I got there. I was able to see her before they airlifted her to the Children's Masonic Hospital in Minneapolis. There she spent a week where she had some ups and downs, where her organs were showing signs of failing. After fighting as hard as she could, she was taken off life support as the right side of her brain was brain dead. Braylee went to heaven and was dancing with the angels on November 13th, 2017.

This is the most wonderful time of the year, but it would be so much better if Braylee was here with us physically. No matter how many years that have passed, the grief and sorrow will never subside. I miss her every day, and I will always wonder what life would be like if she was still here making memories with all of us.

Never hesitate to ask me about her. I love to talk about her and her sisters just like I love to talk about all of my nieces and nephews. Braylee was truly one of a kind, and she will forever be my guardian angel. I started to get closer in my faith when I would pray by talking to Braylee as it felt so natural to do so. If you come to me for your hair, you have probably seen the tattoo on my right arm. On my forearm I have "With golden wings she flies" with her life dates and along with some butterflies as she was so fascinated by them.

She is dancing in the sky, and she is forever 5. We love and miss you Braylee Boo.