I remember hearing someone once say, that if you were with a group of people and everyone was to chuck their problems onto the table, you would quietly grab your own and sneak back out of the room. This was echoed a few years back when I was suffering from Depression and attended Group Therapy…
Category Archives: Dealing With Public Perceptions
Once Upon A Time There Was A Retard….
Such is the tag line to a new, big budget, R-rated summer movie opening today. “Tropic Thunder” is a comedy produced by DreamWorks/Paramount, and directed and written by Ben Stiller, who also stars in the movie. The plot includes a group of pampered actors, lost in the jungle while making a war movie. Tugg Speedman,…
Hey, Beautiful
“She’s not a pretty baby”, the social worker told me for the third time. “Are you sure you want to meet her?” I hid my impatience with a calm smile and nodded yes. We drove just a short distance from the social services office, and the social worker slowed in front of a row of…
Licensed To Asphyxiate
That’s Stinkbomb. Parker Stinkbomb. Licensed to asphyxiate. It took a whole day for the doctors to discover the gamut of Parker’s issues after he was born. Just when we thought we had them all figured out, God decided to save the best for last. He sent this bit of information via Parker’s Pediatrician. It went…
This Just In
Parker and I give two big thumbs UP for the University of Michigan’s bicycle program. Did you know that just 10% of kids with Down syndrome learn to ride a bike. And I didn’t know that autistic children have similar issues when facing this challenge. You can read the entire article at Freep.com Then you…
This Is My Normal
Three of my four kids have sensory processing dysfunction, a condition that exists when sensory signals don’t get organized into appropriate responses. The jury is out on the two year old but I’m starting to see some signs of what’s yet to come. When the older three were toddlers I never questioned if any of…
A Letter To Our Occupational Therapist
Dear OT, My son absolutely can and does reach across midline, on a regular basis, spontaneously during regular play. Oh. You need proof, eh? Here is Parker bearing weight on his left hand while crossing his midline with his right hand to correctly place the puzzle piece. And the reverse: And, yes, my son can…
The Last To Blink
I am a very positive person and almost always see my glass as half full. I don’t mind a challenge, especially when it comes to the rights of my children with disabilities. My first approach is to be pleasant and professional, but I have no problem going toe to toe. And I promise you, I…
Redeeming Elvis (A Vacation Story)
What a whirlwind the last couple of weeks have been – working on articles and various details for the launch of 5 Minutes for Special Needs between posting on my own blog, going to work, taking care of my husband and son, handling ongoing transportation problems and getting ready for a family vacation that started…
Four Sons, Lots of Questions
Four sons not expected to live. “We do not understand how he survived” we were told…four times. Once at the birth of our oldest son and then each time one of our three younger sons was placed in our arms by the precious gift of adoption. Often I ask myself why we were blessed with…