The Origin, The Inspiration for
Edisonian.com
The early electric history items exhibited on the Edisonian.com virtual museum are from a collection originally gathered during a period over 26 years by Aaron's Dad. The eventual intention of all this collecting endeavor was to form a basis for a strong Father - Son relationship when that time came. However, life played one of its curious tricks in this case, a strange twist of fate.
After the first 18 years of collecting (1990), the day finally arrived, however, the birth on May 12, 1990 of our first son, Aaron Daniel Brackett, was compromised with neonatal seizures caused by "early onset" Sepsis, a meningitis like condition which can cause organic brain lesions. After just a few hours of life, Aaron was rushed to the hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hooked up to a variety of medical monitors for testing. His tiny little arms, hands and feet were bombarded with needles for drug injections, blood drawing and intravenous tubes. He was treated with a host of highly toxic anti convulsion drugs. His neonatal seizures kept him hospitalized in ICU for the first 23 days of his life.
After release from the hospital, Aaron was home for a week and then he was rushed back to the hospital. This time for "late onset" Sepsis. For seven more days Aaron's tiny little eight pound body was hitched to monitors, pricked with needles again, filled with drugs and analyze for a remedy since the doctors did not cure the Sepsis the first time around.
From that point on, Aaron's development was slow and disturbing. His complex medical history grew. He suffered from chronic ear infections. He was diagnosed with motor skill delays and severe language development problems. Aaron developed what appeared to be Autistic features, but he did not develop certain other Autistic features enough to categorize him as having "Classic Autism."
Aaron has recently been re evaluated and diagnosed with Developmental Delay and Aphasia caused by the neonatal seizures, a result of his complicated Sepsis as a neonate. Because of his complex medical history, Aaron's list of Physicians has grown to include a number of Pediatricians, Neurologists and Neuro Psychiatrists with an equal number of Therapy Specialists.
Although Aaron has grown into a handsome 9 years old, he is still a 24 hour care "special needs" child. During this long period of medical treatments, it became a reality that his special condition would be around for a long time and would not permit his having interest in this Edisonian early electric collection. We sadly put the collection away for a time.
Aaron at Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Orlando, Florida 1996
After some years of working with Aaron through his numerous medical treatments and therapies, it became clear that the collection would best serve him if its sale could offset the cost of his special care and allow us the time to personally participate more in his life and therapy. How to properly make his collection sale happen was the next big question.
In January 98, the idea of selling Aaron's collection on eBay and thereby creating the Edisonian.com Virtual Internet Museum suddenly came to me in a flash of inspiration like Edison's own. The inspiration gave us the answer we were looking for.
The idea was that each early lighting item in Aaron's collection would be researched, photographed and auctioned off on eBay. By preparing these auction ads for eBay, the auction advertisement images accumulate as Edisonian.com museum exhibits. Through this auction preparation process, each new set of exhibits was created for Aaron's Edisonian.com virtual museum.
The more than 250 exhibits will now be around forever in digital form for everyone to appreciate, especially Aaron if he gets his miracle.
The sale of the collection has been at a significant loss compared to its actual cost, however the sale proceeds have maintained Edisonian.com and helped pay costs during Aaron's critical childhood growth period (since his insurance policy has unfairly denied him insurance benefits, but that is another story for another day).
Aaron's smile is an unforgettable part of his remarkable inner spirit
Aaron's collection can fulfill a bigger purpose now via the internet. Aaron's Edisonian.com collection of early electric history is available world wide for kids from 5 to 95. It is a rich source of history for all to enjoy and learn from.
He is a beautiful child, with remarkable inner strength which is helping him to emerge in special ways from his medical condition. Although Aaron is 9 years old, he had never spoken (aphasia) up until recent months. He now cognitively speaks a vocabulary of a half dozen words and growing. Those words take considerable effort on his part, but he finds great joy in getting each one out. He is obviously proud of each triumph.
Being a part of his battle, his emergence, is truly inspirational. It has surely changed all our lives for the better and his collection has played a wonderful part in a very unique way. I'm sure Aaron would be in total agreement with what his Edisonian Collection has become.
Everyone, including kids, Moms, Dads, teachers, professors, politicians, celebrities, corporations and institutions have participated in Aaron's eBay auctions and his Edisonian.com Virtual Museum
We now look forward to its continuation, God willing.
Good fortune to all,
dcb © 1998