Author Archives: Deborah

In addition to her job as a computer engineer and her single parent responsibilities, Deborah is president of a state-wide family support group for families whose lives are touched by deafblindness, and is a tireless advocate for all people with disabilities. She writes at Pipe Cleaner Dreams and her writing has also been featured in local magazines and newspapers. Ashley’s story has also been chronicled in a book by Jonathan Mooney titled Short Bus Stories.

Flu Shot, Anyone?

****WARNING – HIGH YUCK FACTOR****

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Insensitive

As many of you know, I have a 19 year old daughter named Jessica. I adopted Jessica when she was 9 years old. She had spent most of her life in foster care, and along the way was both physically and sexually abused. In addition, she was diagnosed as an infant with brain cancer. She…

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Where Did You Go?

If you leave me now You’ll take away the biggest part of me Ooo oh, no, baby please don’t go And if you leave me now You’ll take away the very heart of me Ooo oh, no, baby please don’t go. Ooo, oh, girl, I just want you to stay (Peter Cetera, 1976) When Ashley…

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The Best Job in the World

This is the 9th day of a very difficult hospitalization and surgery for my newest son, Ronnie. I have been spending every waking moment at the hospital, and fortunately, the end is in sight. I believe Ronnie may be able to come home tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind that I pulled a post out…

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Blooming Things

As I sat on my front porch last night enjoying an unusually pleasant late July breeze, I really looked at my yard and all the plants growing in it. I noticed that many of the plants and flowers had flourished despite the near drought conditions we have experienced this summer. Perhaps it was because I…

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Here Stuff, There Stuff, Everywhere Stuff

My 17 year old son, Corey, has been gone the last two weeks working for the Youth Conservation Corps. He’s got one more week before he comes home, and as a surprise for him, I decided to clean his room from top to bottom. I admit that it was as much for me as for…

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Journey Into The Unknown

My new son, Ronnie, is having surgery in two weeks – significant, scary surgery. I’ve been through many significant surgeries with my daughter, Ashley, including brain surgery twice, but since Ronnie just joined my family three months ago, I have no idea how THIS surgery will go. With Ashley, I can predict exactly how she…

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Freedom Hopes

This Fourth of July week I’ve been thinking a lot about the word ‘freedom’ as it pertains to my children with significant disabilities. It’s not flags and fireworks I’m thinking about, but rather the freedom of choice. I want my children to be able to make choices, to live life their own way. I want…

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Your Thoughts?

I need your advice. This past weekend, my boys and I took a trip to Baltimore and left Ashley at home with her aide. The aide has been with Ashley for five years, so I am quite comfortable with the two of them spending the weekend together. Here is a picture of Ashley and her…

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Butterfly Spring

This was the Spring that my little caterpillar turned into a butterfly. My sweet Ashley, the child who in the past would get very anxious when venturing out in a crowd, now gets very bored staying home. On the weekends, she is adamant that we must “go car” as she signs in American Sign Language….

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