When Parents Can't Fix It
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
This moving and important documentary looks at the lives of five families who are raising children with disabilities: the problems they face, how they have learned to cope, and the rewards and stresses of adapting to their child's condition. It explores the medical complexities and financial pressures families encounter, the emotional and physical toll on parents and siblings, and the dangers of child abuse in this population. It offers a very realistic look at different family strengths and coping styles, and highlights the ways society can help meet the needs of families with disabled children.
"A powerful teaching tool which challenges viewers to see the situations families face when they parent children with disabilities."Sara N. Brown, PhD, LSW, Northeastern State University
"The video is sensitively done and certainly introduces the viewer to some of the realities of living with a child with disabilities. A valuable teaching resource that is sure to provoke much discussion."Judith Sandys, PhD, Ryerson Polytechnic University
"The parents present their stories with sensitivity and offer the viewer sage advice about keeping an open mind and always looking for help."Science Books & Film
"The best teaching tool I can think of to present the challenges of negotiating the complex system of health, education and related services."Steven R. Forness, EdD, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital
Citation
Main credits
Thomson, Sharon (film producer)
Thomson, Sharon (film director)
Other credits
Director of photography, Lowel Pierce; music, Steve Houn.
Distributor subjects
Disabilities; Disabilities & Parenting; Family RelationsKeywords
WEBVTT
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Our guide on our diet
00:00:05.369 --> 00:00:11.368
on hardest part come out with a disk
first off the acceptance of deafness
00:00:11.369 --> 00:00:19.369
as children she had been shared with broken
hearings and show those shows again timber.
00:00:22.580 --> 00:00:28.559
I think it\'d be difficult for me to
imagine to imagine this particular term
00:00:28.560 --> 00:00:35.140
this particular type of spring the first
thing I have initially to diminish in mind.
00:00:35.450 --> 00:00:40.018
Most parents first wish for
their child is that it is born
00:00:40.019 --> 00:00:44.029
healthy But more than 10% of the
children in this country have
00:00:44.030 --> 00:00:48.198
a disabling condition no parent
has ever truly prepared for
00:00:48.199 --> 00:00:53.359
the complex task of meeting the special
needs of a child with a disability.
00:00:53.360 --> 00:00:58.354
Especially in the context of a world
designed to reward the fastest.
00:00:58.355 --> 00:01:03.768
The smartest the most physically
attractive as countless professionals
00:01:03.769 --> 00:01:09.258
move in and out of their lives sometimes
helpful sometimes not the only certainty
00:01:09.259 --> 00:01:12.108
for these families is that
their lives will be forever
00:01:12.109 --> 00:01:18.809
changed this is the story
of five such families
00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:36.203
I\'d like to live at least 14
million for some 30 years old.
00:01:36.204 --> 00:01:41.330
I\'ve seen wife. Three decades.
00:02:03.270 --> 00:02:06.979
Ready Dan you loser
00:02:14.430 --> 00:02:19.158
My household consists of myself
my 16-year-old son Matthew
00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:23.678
has Duchenne muscular dystrophy
his half brother Danny.
00:02:23.679 --> 00:02:29.918
Who goes to school at UNC and will we ever
woman that lives downstairs for name is Kerry.
00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:34.449
And she helps us with a lot of the
night stuff that goes on around
00:02:34.450 --> 00:02:39.169
here we\'re only reasonably
GridView everyday
00:02:39.170 --> 00:02:47.170
123 Matthew
00:02:49.189 --> 00:02:51.828
was vibrant
00:02:51.829 --> 00:02:55.549
and healthy and he had developed so
00:02:55.550 --> 00:03:00.649
normally it wasn\'t like I had any
thought that there was something
00:03:00.650 --> 00:03:03.319
seriously wrong with him
that day I took him to
00:03:03.320 --> 00:03:07.159
the doctor I acted to
be told that there was
00:03:07.160 --> 00:03:10.579
a sensory integration problem
that there was something it
00:03:10.580 --> 00:03:15.559
never occurred to me that I would
find out that he was terminally ill.
00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:19.338
I am really grateful that
I had those for six years
00:03:19.339 --> 00:03:24.449
without that knowledge
I\'m glad I didn\'t know
00:03:25.600 --> 00:03:30.709
what I would say that at
00:03:30.710 --> 00:03:36.409
that point in in a lot of ways Matthew
did actually die that morning or
00:03:36.410 --> 00:03:40.699
that afternoon and since
that time we\'ve had
00:03:40.700 --> 00:03:45.799
to reintroduce myself to a
different child and and
00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:46.819
a different life in
00:03:46.820 --> 00:03:54.820
a different expectation y y.
00:03:56.659 --> 00:04:04.659
Any law As mapView
00:04:06.399 --> 00:04:12.650
is gotten older he\'s got to the point where
he had almost no physical abilities.
00:04:13.530 --> 00:04:18.219
It\'s very difficult to
separate the thing that
00:04:18.220 --> 00:04:22.268
you hate the most in the world existing
within the thing that you love
00:04:22.269 --> 00:04:28.269
the most in the world when he was little we
used to have a punching bag that we called
00:04:28.270 --> 00:04:31.449
muscular dystrophy that instead of taking
00:04:31.450 --> 00:04:33.608
our anger or frustration out on each other
00:04:33.609 --> 00:04:36.354
we would try to take it
out on the punching bag.
00:04:36.355 --> 00:04:40.928
As he\'s gotten older you can more clearly
00:04:40.929 --> 00:04:46.783
identify that this really
hurts or I really miss that
00:04:46.784 --> 00:04:50.328
And I didn\'t get to do this or I
really wish this wasn\'t happening
00:04:50.329 --> 00:04:57.749
to me so you really get up to
00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:03.673
two years ago the night before Matthews
birthday I was transferred Linda
00:05:03.674 --> 00:05:08.764
bad and I fractured root
zones in one of his legs
00:05:08.765 --> 00:05:14.419
and when I did that I realized by
couldn\'t no longer take care of him but
00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:20.149
myself and thanks to the orthopedic
surgeon who set his leg.
00:05:20.150 --> 00:05:23.568
He was able to help us get the
help that we\'ve needed through
00:05:23.569 --> 00:05:31.569
Medicaid One part that today
00:05:33.365 --> 00:05:37.159
this disease wasn\'t a pap
major a major loss that was
00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:44.014
about one little tiny loss after
another there were about 35 losses
00:05:44.015 --> 00:05:46.098
before Matthew actually equip
00:05:46.099 --> 00:05:54.099
walking and was the not being
able to bump stairs there was the
00:05:54.170 --> 00:06:00.798
not being able to stay flat on its
feet the actual watching of the
00:06:00.799 --> 00:06:04.084
lost what was very long and there was just
00:06:04.085 --> 00:06:07.984
one continuous long after
another in that ability.
00:06:07.985 --> 00:06:15.869
Before you He lost it right
00:06:20.170 --> 00:06:24.708
now it\'s just little things
you know it\'s it\'s watching
00:06:24.709 --> 00:06:31.248
her struggle to feed
himself his inability to
00:06:31.249 --> 00:06:38.898
write more than his name and have that
take him on with ten minutes just to write
00:06:38.899 --> 00:06:42.829
his name a simple task
that that he could have
00:06:42.830 --> 00:06:47.789
done easily a few years ago he
can\'t he can\'t do that anymore.
00:06:47.860 --> 00:06:53.619
Hmm on Elvis One of the
most difficult things about
00:06:53.620 --> 00:07:00.519
the daily care of Matthew is that he feels
everything he\'s almost ultrasensitive.
00:07:00.520 --> 00:07:02.693
He\'s got osteoporosis.
00:07:02.694 --> 00:07:05.004
Which makes his bones brutal they break
00:07:05.005 --> 00:07:09.188
easily and so what we have to be
real careful with his body or he
00:07:09.189 --> 00:07:13.689
does endorse a lot of pain the
disease is taken on a point
00:07:13.690 --> 00:07:19.403
where it\'s really starting to deform
the body you can see as Peter.
00:07:19.404 --> 00:07:23.798
Are way too small and never grew
because he never stood on with enough.
00:07:23.799 --> 00:07:25.643
His toes overlap.
00:07:25.644 --> 00:07:29.169
It\'s not an infection in his toes.
00:07:29.170 --> 00:07:34.188
When Matthew was diagnosed I
actually sat down with him and I To
00:07:34.189 --> 00:07:38.299
him what was wrong and why I was having
00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:41.809
such a hard time and why I was so sad and
00:07:41.810 --> 00:07:46.459
let use first question to me
was it like in a die from
00:07:46.460 --> 00:07:54.460
this My response to him was that yeah that
he probably was gonna die from it but that
00:07:56.479 --> 00:08:01.938
none of us knows for sure one we\'re going to
die and that that was a long way away and
00:08:01.939 --> 00:08:03.769
sometimes thinking about death
00:08:03.770 --> 00:08:08.359
but we can\'t let that bother you
because the truth is you don\'t know.
00:08:08.360 --> 00:08:12.199
I think there are times where you could
you could save your life my dad.
00:08:12.200 --> 00:08:16.159
Smart but some of those cases you can\'t
00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:24.160
avoid you\'ll have entered into a great.
00:08:25.270 --> 00:08:28.383
I think we look at life differently.
00:08:28.384 --> 00:08:36.138
I think that it\'s about Seeking
out moment and it\'s always.
00:08:36.139 --> 00:08:39.828
Only about any given moment if I\'m
00:08:39.829 --> 00:08:43.789
doing something that\'s really hard
for me to do or hard for me to cope
00:08:43.790 --> 00:08:48.168
with we will make a job we
will do something to change
00:08:48.169 --> 00:08:53.343
how that moment fields but one
thing that we do is humor
00:08:53.344 --> 00:09:01.344
that would be the major thing that we laugh
at things that aren\'t funny and and make
00:09:01.685 --> 00:09:09.685
T thing a real way of life Matthew has
an open wound at the top of his rectum.
00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:16.908
It\'s about Two inches long and
about a quarter of an inch
00:09:16.909 --> 00:09:22.308
deep and it reopened all
the time it\'s ugly it\'s
00:09:22.309 --> 00:09:26.460
awful it\'s painful and we call it his third
00:09:28.140 --> 00:09:36.140
I heard the new data that chili peppers.
00:09:38.540 --> 00:09:43.279
Now a lot of people did this task before
00:09:43.280 --> 00:09:49.293
me and then leave anything behind.
00:09:49.294 --> 00:09:53.479
Then leave their story about how they did
00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:59.178
it I looked and looked and
looked A book about how to do
00:09:59.179 --> 00:10:03.648
this and are lots and
lots of books written by
00:10:03.649 --> 00:10:08.344
parents after their children die
and there\'s always this level
00:10:08.345 --> 00:10:11.179
I\'m so glad I had this opportunity
00:10:11.180 --> 00:10:16.739
or we feel really blessed that
having had this opportunity
00:10:19.060 --> 00:10:23.298
that\'s really nice as far
as like being able to see
00:10:23.299 --> 00:10:27.199
okay yeah I can survive past
this but I\'ve yet to see
00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:32.824
anything about just the nitty gritty
day-to-day I\'m so tired I can\'t
00:10:32.825 --> 00:10:40.825
move I am in so much pain I
can\'t breathe I don\'t want
00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:45.769
to do this with every inch of
your body telling you I don\'t
00:10:45.770 --> 00:10:51.629
want to do this today and knowing
that there\'s nowhere to run.
00:10:57.340 --> 00:11:00.679
We\'ve had lots of help
from friends and family
00:11:00.680 --> 00:11:04.339
and and if it hadn\'t been
for that I think we would
00:11:04.340 --> 00:11:07.429
probably be homeless or in some kind of
00:11:07.430 --> 00:11:10.699
shelter situation because
there is no system setup
00:11:10.700 --> 00:11:17.374
for the physically disabled child who
is not also multiply handed count.
00:11:17.375 --> 00:11:20.823
There is non-assistive milk there for them
00:11:20.824 --> 00:11:26.478
The technology of the world is that math
you could have all kinds of options
00:11:26.479 --> 00:11:29.718
available to him but there
is no money to pay for
00:11:29.719 --> 00:11:33.769
those options and that no system regards
00:11:33.770 --> 00:11:41.770
quality of life as an issue there though
00:12:09.340 --> 00:12:15.124
I want a kid symptom or people
in general think I\'m retarded.
00:12:15.125 --> 00:12:18.724
Because I\'m in a wheelchair
but a beggar and he taught.
00:12:18.725 --> 00:12:24.634
His idea they probably saw way
or a way that he isn\'t dome.
00:12:24.635 --> 00:12:28.099
He knows a lot more Arduino\'s
lot more neat looks like
00:12:28.100 --> 00:12:31.979
he knew what told people
to wear one retreat.
00:12:31.980 --> 00:12:38.254
Like a human being with 16-year-old in my.
00:12:38.255 --> 00:12:41.689
I want people to talk to me
this much you with somebody
00:12:41.690 --> 00:12:47.449
else but oh it\'s a taut because
But it\'s especially girls.
00:12:47.450 --> 00:12:50.164
They would pass me for some reassurance.
00:12:50.165 --> 00:12:53.748
They probably think I like
rock music the way address and
00:12:53.749 --> 00:12:57.859
stuff but I showed them
I liked what they like
00:12:57.860 --> 00:13:01.699
even though I\'m in a wheelchair
I liked the same things
00:13:01.700 --> 00:13:06.650
with a bar on dress and say
find the same kind of first
00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:28.259
One of the things that\'s important
for me for my fuel and Marie
00:13:28.260 --> 00:13:31.578
is that the next student or
00:13:31.579 --> 00:13:34.578
the next boy to go through
the school district
00:13:34.579 --> 00:13:38.583
or another child or an adult
in this neighborhood.
00:13:38.584 --> 00:13:42.199
Not have to go and fight the
exact same battles that he
00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:46.488
did that we would be passed
that could freely move or have
00:13:46.489 --> 00:13:51.438
access to his own
neighborhood as he\'s gotten
00:13:51.439 --> 00:13:56.448
older and I\'m able to sort of see
what some of my parenting skills
00:13:56.449 --> 00:14:04.449
did it makes me very sad that I will know him
as an adult men I won\'t Get that reward of
00:14:06.469 --> 00:14:10.608
knowing what I did right and how you
00:14:10.609 --> 00:14:15.504
meet a human being he would become
phi died we want to eat but
00:14:15.505 --> 00:14:19.868
he said I don\'t want heavy metal coins
00:14:19.869 --> 00:14:27.869
at my few minutes.
00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:33.209
Literally Jacqueline Hi this is you know
00:14:33.210 --> 00:14:39.303
the sweetest most affectionate
child I\'ve ever seen and in
00:14:39.304 --> 00:14:43.788
this other person and he becomes
doesn\'t even really know who I
00:14:43.789 --> 00:14:51.454
am Reading
00:14:51.455 --> 00:14:58.799
no waiting I naught snow
00:15:08.990 --> 00:15:16.990
lose our family consists of three
and Alan and align myself and
00:15:19.729 --> 00:15:25.008
Ellen and I were both professional
couple both CPAs and then we had
00:15:25.009 --> 00:15:32.299
Eli and He Lie had problems Since he was
born Eli spin diagnosed with autism.
00:15:32.300 --> 00:15:39.183
He also have about 14
or 15 other diagnoses.
00:15:39.184 --> 00:15:41.958
Which include things like eating
00:15:41.959 --> 00:15:47.914
disorder and he has he\'s missing
two of his digestive enzymes.
00:15:47.915 --> 00:15:51.544
The list is pretty endless
he has a sleep disorder.
00:15:51.545 --> 00:15:54.198
So in most of the things that we take for
00:15:54.199 --> 00:15:58.338
granted the things like eating
and sleeping and being able to
00:15:58.339 --> 00:16:01.248
eliminate waste and things like
that those are the things he
00:16:01.249 --> 00:16:04.669
has trouble with and now
he\'s seven and we\'re still
00:16:04.670 --> 00:16:09.468
working on his health issues and he\'s
stymied every medical Specialist in
00:16:09.469 --> 00:16:14.359
the Denver Metro area and that consumes
00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:18.979
our life the whole bedroom around
00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:24.289
his bed as padded with four-inch thick
padding for up to the ceiling and we\'ve
00:16:24.290 --> 00:16:26.808
put rails on there and
padded that bought furniture
00:16:26.809 --> 00:16:29.418
that was all padding so if you
did try to slam his head into
00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:33.288
the wall or to the bed that it
was all padded the nurses and
00:16:33.289 --> 00:16:37.249
L and a nice log a lot of hours
in that bed with him trying to
00:16:37.250 --> 00:16:43.098
get him comfortable and prevent him
from hurting himself is sleep patterns
00:16:43.099 --> 00:16:46.069
they they keep changing he went
to bed at nine last night got
00:16:46.070 --> 00:16:49.369
up at 345 so that happens online.
00:16:49.370 --> 00:16:53.089
Often still Because of you
lives sensitive hearing
00:16:53.090 --> 00:16:59.553
and his problems we spent a lot
of time in complete silence and
00:16:59.554 --> 00:17:07.233
that is incredibly difficult you can\'t
even express yourself because it will
00:17:07.234 --> 00:17:11.419
irritate your son and
he fell even think it\'d
00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:16.263
be difficult for anyone to imagine
this particular type of life.
00:17:16.264 --> 00:17:21.034
Although I would say it
has parallels to maybe.
00:17:21.035 --> 00:17:26.849
Leaving the secular world and
going to join a monastery.
00:17:27.010 --> 00:17:30.424
We can play puzzle. Or cookies.
00:17:30.425 --> 00:17:38.425
What do you want What
00:17:38.620 --> 00:17:45.329
the monkey okay this plate them on
your scope with the market Houston.
00:17:47.340 --> 00:17:50.409
Generally when their
self-injurious behaviors there
00:17:50.410 --> 00:17:53.709
for tension or because
there\'s difficulty with
00:17:53.710 --> 00:18:01.710
communication pieces with Eli
00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:06.428
we it\'s very difficult to
single out when he does to
00:18:06.429 --> 00:18:12.049
himself as a result of being in pain
or if it\'s because he\'s frustrated.
00:18:13.830 --> 00:18:19.069
One of the things With the traditional
medical community is that they
00:18:19.070 --> 00:18:23.719
would see the word autism and that
would be the behaviors would be
00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:27.154
considered strictly related to
the fact that he had autism
00:18:27.155 --> 00:18:31.860
and we knew that he was in pain
00:18:35.530 --> 00:18:41.089
we were dismissed by a pediatric
gastroenterologist who
00:18:41.090 --> 00:18:46.399
essentially said Get over it
or get used to it it took me I
00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:49.368
don\'t know eight months to
get up the gumption to go to
00:18:49.369 --> 00:18:55.338
a second pediatric gastroenterologists who
only spent five minutes examining Eli and
00:18:55.339 --> 00:18:58.804
could readily Ascertained
that he was missing
00:18:58.805 --> 00:19:04.909
at least one digestive enzyme and when they
did a biopsy found out that he was missing or
00:19:04.910 --> 00:19:08.149
extremely deficient in two
of the digestive enzymes
00:19:08.150 --> 00:19:11.779
that you need to digest sugar and
that this in conjunction with
00:19:11.780 --> 00:19:16.923
severe constipation was causing him
excruciating agony and that it was all real
00:19:16.924 --> 00:19:23.958
and that other people hadn\'t given
UI that kind of consideration.
00:19:23.959 --> 00:19:28.594
They were confused they were confused
about the fact that he had autism.
00:19:28.595 --> 00:19:33.919
Which does play a role in this but
it\'s not the exclusive cause of
00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:38.734
the problem what up today
we talk a little bit about
00:19:38.735 --> 00:19:44.404
Some of the needs that Eli has in order to
stay at home and some of those will be.
00:19:44.405 --> 00:19:47.839
Obviously things like
having a mom and dad I feel
00:19:47.840 --> 00:19:51.138
the head of elides team is
most definitely his family.
00:19:51.139 --> 00:19:55.998
His parents and most specifically
his mom I think it\'s evolved out of
00:19:55.999 --> 00:20:01.099
necessity necessity because
no one can care like
00:20:01.100 --> 00:20:09.079
a parent can the things that Eli needs is Betty
has said many times are not luxuries but
00:20:09.080 --> 00:20:13.069
necessities for them to stay
together as a family when
00:20:13.070 --> 00:20:17.523
he\'s in pain his adrenaline makes them
so strong that it takes to people.
00:20:17.524 --> 00:20:20.149
So Alan and I even when we get
00:20:20.150 --> 00:20:26.178
Um help assistance we get one person and
that means that one of us we never spend
00:20:26.179 --> 00:20:29.329
time alone together anymore like we used
00:20:29.330 --> 00:20:32.508
to go out every Saturday night on
a date that was something that I
00:20:32.509 --> 00:20:35.209
made him do that but we can\'t do
00:20:35.210 --> 00:20:38.179
that anymore one or the other of
the testicle out because if he has
00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:42.678
an episode mean he one of his
nurses is six foot one and weighs
00:20:42.679 --> 00:20:47.179
190 and he knocked him
out cold and he can\'t be
00:20:47.180 --> 00:20:50.898
here with somebody who\'s out cold
the parent is the lead person
00:20:50.899 --> 00:20:55.129
and that\'s a very difficult role to
assume because nobody wants you to have
00:20:55.130 --> 00:21:00.139
that role they do want to feel that
they are the professionals that they
00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:05.914
do know what they\'re doing but if
If you don\'t take charge then.
00:21:05.915 --> 00:21:09.229
Time is wasted and time is
lost while people are fumbling
00:21:09.230 --> 00:21:12.799
around this is not about people\'s egos.
00:21:12.800 --> 00:21:16.158
This is about a child who\'s
suffering this is about
00:21:16.159 --> 00:21:20.149
a child who needs to recover
and I\'m the one who can
00:21:20.150 --> 00:21:24.424
coordinate I\'m the one
who is interfaced with
00:21:24.425 --> 00:21:29.554
all the medical people with all of the private
therapy team with his educational team.
00:21:29.555 --> 00:21:32.959
I\'m the one who\'s there and I\'m the
one who\'s going to be there for
00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:39.558
now and the future It\'s very
00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:43.593
important that people
support me in that role
00:21:43.594 --> 00:21:48.108
but parents originally there so
afraid they want somebody to assume
00:21:48.109 --> 00:21:53.478
the leadership roles and people are
really happy to extend that out
00:21:53.479 --> 00:21:56.268
there that they I can handle
this this is what I do
00:21:56.269 --> 00:21:59.298
I\'ve worked with thousands of
children with the label of autism.
00:21:59.299 --> 00:22:03.333
I\'ve worked with this I can do this and
we\'ll handle this for you don\'t you worry.
00:22:03.334 --> 00:22:07.444
But that\'s not the reality
and a parent has to
00:22:07.445 --> 00:22:12.348
not give that power away and has to
be respected for keeping that power
00:22:12.349 --> 00:22:15.109
and a parent also has to learn how to grow
00:22:15.110 --> 00:22:17.779
into that role because they
didn\'t Ever plan on having
00:22:17.780 --> 00:22:22.488
it if you\'re in
00:22:22.489 --> 00:22:28.833
a service provider rule I feel it\'s so important
to learn how to behave without judgment.
00:22:28.834 --> 00:22:32.344
I think the best way to do
that is to walk the walk.
00:22:32.345 --> 00:22:36.738
Provide respite services for the
families who deal where they need
00:22:36.739 --> 00:22:42.604
you desperately and it\'ll be a learning
experience that\'ll take you out of yourself.
00:22:42.605 --> 00:22:46.638
We need to be able to serve each other
without judgment and that\'s very
00:22:46.639 --> 00:22:51.063
hard because I\'m a very
judgmental person myself Eli
00:22:51.064 --> 00:22:53.029
doesn\'t understand safety
issues and once on
00:22:53.030 --> 00:22:56.898
a playground a mother watched me
hovering over him while he was teetering
00:22:56.899 --> 00:22:59.269
up on the top of the slide And she
00:22:59.270 --> 00:23:02.028
came and took it upon herself to come
over and say you know you\'re the
00:23:02.029 --> 00:23:04.503
most over protective person I\'ve ever seen
00:23:04.504 --> 00:23:07.593
and I tell you the most
judgmental person I\'ve ever seen.
00:23:07.594 --> 00:23:09.348
She knew nothing about what I was actually
00:23:09.349 --> 00:23:11.688
facing because he lie
looks like a typical kid.
00:23:11.689 --> 00:23:16.218
We find ourselves offering our judgments
to people when when that\'s not
00:23:16.219 --> 00:23:23.464
really what\'s needed what\'s needed
is either support consideration.
00:23:23.465 --> 00:23:28.639
Even if we don\'t want to give it
the other thing that\'s hard is
00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:34.113
is to lose it is to lose it it\'s it\'s some
00:23:34.114 --> 00:23:38.509
mortifying personally I may
be here home alone but I can
00:23:38.510 --> 00:23:43.029
feel myself losing it and That
I need a break and I need
00:23:43.030 --> 00:23:44.498
a vacation and I can\'t have
00:23:44.499 --> 00:23:48.908
one support people they need to
assess how could apparent get into
00:23:48.909 --> 00:23:52.598
an abusive situation children with disabilities
especially those that aren\'t able to
00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:57.189
speak for themselves are the
highest risk of being abused.
00:23:57.190 --> 00:24:03.038
Plus if you add the stress of the situation
like ours on top of that it\'s real possible
00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:05.589
that abuse could occur people need to say
00:24:05.590 --> 00:24:08.933
what can I do to make certain
that this child is safe.
00:24:08.934 --> 00:24:11.708
There is no more
institutionalization for children
00:24:11.709 --> 00:24:14.769
like these with a point is
they need to stay at home but
00:24:14.770 --> 00:24:22.179
that home needs to be supported properly so
that if you use does not occur even though
00:24:22.180 --> 00:24:25.638
we have all the support Get
from private insurance and
00:24:25.639 --> 00:24:30.109
Medicaid waiver program and
some public funding agencies.
00:24:30.110 --> 00:24:38.110
We still have 20 to $30 thousand in
out-of-pocket costs here Alan wasn\'t employed.
00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:41.898
We would have to reduce
ourselves to poverty level in
00:24:41.899 --> 00:24:45.409
order to qualify for SSI so that
we could continue with Medicaid.
00:24:45.410 --> 00:24:47.868
That people who get stuffed a lot are
00:24:47.869 --> 00:24:51.649
the middle-class because you make
too much money to qualify for
00:24:51.650 --> 00:24:55.429
some programs but it\'s so expensive to keep
00:24:55.430 --> 00:25:00.199
a childlike Eli at home that
there\'s a lot of sacrifice.
00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:03.018
I\'m an optimistic person I\'m I\'m looking at
00:25:03.019 --> 00:25:06.739
an optimistic future I don\'t think it\'s
always going to be like this I think
00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:10.819
UI\'s going to in one way
or another he\'s going to
00:25:10.820 --> 00:25:16.920
come out in the sun and the quality of
our lives can improve dramatically.
00:25:20.590 --> 00:25:25.563
I would never have chosen this life couldn\'t
have conceived of having this life.
00:25:25.564 --> 00:25:28.759
I\'m very grateful to whatever versus that
00:25:28.760 --> 00:25:33.889
be that this happened to me in the fact
that it broadened me out of being.
00:25:33.890 --> 00:25:38.989
I think having an insignificant life
having a life that was consumed with
00:25:38.990 --> 00:25:44.193
things that really aren\'t a priority
don\'t really matter and so.
00:25:44.194 --> 00:25:52.080
Although I wouldn\'t have chosen it it
certainly On a better direction in my heart.
00:25:55.150 --> 00:25:59.988
Well red font is 16 now so
when she became a teenager.
00:25:59.989 --> 00:26:07.680
I was just so up here on debt there were
things that were just not right with red font.
00:26:08.050 --> 00:26:14.884
I really didn\'t know how to deal with it
and I felt like I was humming abusive with
00:26:14.885 --> 00:26:19.549
her because I I try to control
00:26:19.550 --> 00:26:26.039
the situation and I couldn\'t use
my MBA Defoe and intelligent
00:26:35.670 --> 00:26:43.670
I know. I needed
00:26:45.699 --> 00:26:48.399
some more peaceful environment and
00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:53.719
also we just needed to make a move
to change our lives a little bit.
00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:58.629
This is a picture we worked
with to help us get on we have
00:26:58.630 --> 00:27:02.439
a lot of work to do yet
it took a lot of time and
00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:05.468
effort in a lot of work to get into
00:27:05.469 --> 00:27:08.828
this health is withdrawal determined
to get away from that neighborhood
00:27:08.829 --> 00:27:12.128
the entire neighborhood is
surrounded by all the games
00:27:12.129 --> 00:27:17.538
in My daughters are
influenced to be a part of
00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:25.020
that longest favorite place
00:27:27.580 --> 00:27:35.580
I have four children the two older ones
are 2426 years old and then I have
00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:39.948
two teenage daughters
that are 1516 years old
00:27:39.949 --> 00:27:45.693
and their aunt Doris is staying with us right
now when read one was three months old.
00:27:45.694 --> 00:27:48.918
I adopted her from my cousin
00:27:48.919 --> 00:27:55.848
And I\'ve had her since then from the
very beginning respond had problems like
00:27:55.849 --> 00:28:03.849
her digestive system was completely formed
and she had a severe allergy to milk which
00:28:04.249 --> 00:28:12.249
nobody had found until she was three
months old and she was very very small.
00:28:15.670 --> 00:28:19.819
Her biological mother drink off and on.
00:28:19.820 --> 00:28:23.959
During her pregnancy the doctors
have told us that it did in
00:28:23.960 --> 00:28:28.448
fact have something to do with
the development of the fetus.
00:28:28.449 --> 00:28:33.619
It he didn\'t he couldn\'t tell us When
she was a baby how it would affect her.
00:28:33.620 --> 00:28:41.620
Later development but he told us that you know
to be prepared for behavioral problems not
00:28:43.549 --> 00:28:46.893
having the proper nourishment in
00:28:46.894 --> 00:28:53.299
not just physical nourishment but emotional
nourishment as well it it had a lot to do
00:28:53.300 --> 00:28:56.279
with red phone behavior
00:28:59.530 --> 00:29:04.819
there are certain things that are not
affected like with funds learning ability.
00:29:04.820 --> 00:29:07.669
She\'s very very bright and she has.
00:29:07.670 --> 00:29:15.670
She\'s she has so many gifts But
the areas that she short in are
00:29:16.030 --> 00:29:18.789
the things that people can\'t see she has
00:29:18.790 --> 00:29:21.669
attention deficit disorder
syndrome nothing is
00:29:21.670 --> 00:29:25.074
very relevant for her
for any length of time.
00:29:25.075 --> 00:29:30.339
She\'s not able to really control
her anger and her temper and she\'s
00:29:30.340 --> 00:29:35.614
been to the anger management classes in and
00:29:35.615 --> 00:29:40.419
everything is all right
for a little while but I
00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:45.249
think she was capable of changing
her behavior she would she felt
00:29:45.250 --> 00:29:47.499
really bad that it causes
a lot of problem for
00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:50.889
everybody and I think that she would if she
00:29:50.890 --> 00:29:57.754
could but she can\'t I don\'t
care Really mad row row quick.
00:29:57.755 --> 00:30:04.208
But if I\'m in a bad mood
then I\'ll go off real quick.
00:30:04.209 --> 00:30:08.134
If I mainland goodwill
then it would take awhile.
00:30:08.135 --> 00:30:12.274
That\'s one of the really troubling things
about red faunas that she\'ll be all right.
00:30:12.275 --> 00:30:15.784
But when she gets frustrated. There\'s no.
00:30:15.785 --> 00:30:21.019
Switching gears It\'s just from
one extreme to another it can
00:30:21.020 --> 00:30:25.909
just snap a onetime I my mom
put basket of clothes on
00:30:25.910 --> 00:30:33.910
my desk and I thought she lost my diamond
hearing and often to my TV and everything
00:30:34.565 --> 00:30:42.559
diverting on floor And she called
the cops read Kuan has been at
00:30:42.560 --> 00:30:46.129
the courts probably on
00:30:46.130 --> 00:30:52.594
20 different cases and the majority of the
cases or for fighting in disturbance.
00:30:52.595 --> 00:30:56.688
The teachers that are always saying
that they\'re afraid of her and that to
00:30:56.689 --> 00:31:01.113
own the other kids are afraid
of her when she gets angry.
00:31:01.114 --> 00:31:09.114
She\'s a little tiny girl and she weighs
95 pounds but when she gets angry
00:31:09.544 --> 00:31:17.544
she\'s a rule dynamic little powerhouse in
Xi She has heard other children you know.
00:31:18.710 --> 00:31:24.108
She has broken their noses and
she\'s hurt them you know a very.
00:31:24.109 --> 00:31:32.109
Again troubled and I\'ll go to jail for
a long time everybody talks about
00:31:32.329 --> 00:31:36.540
social services and violence prevention
00:31:36.580 --> 00:31:42.018
in all the problems that all the youths
are having but there really isn\'t any
00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:47.149
any Buddy healthier to really actually
work with a child like red phone.
00:31:47.150 --> 00:31:48.589
She has been dismissed from
00:31:48.590 --> 00:31:54.919
every single school day treatment program
she went away from the psychiatric ward.
00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:58.668
I wanted her to Be in some kind of
00:31:58.669 --> 00:32:02.763
a treatment program and to get the
counseling and the help that she needed.
00:32:02.764 --> 00:32:06.618
While she was still a juvenile
because I know that when she turns
00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:13.383
18 years old and she acts out with his
behavior she\'s going to end up in prison.
00:32:13.384 --> 00:32:19.189
When they I got crazy idea that
I would take my car for arrive.
00:32:19.190 --> 00:32:23.059
I stole it we had to go to court
and she was put on probation
00:32:23.060 --> 00:32:26.509
as a result of that she\'s
on a home detection
00:32:26.510 --> 00:32:29.358
for about maybe six months so hooked up to
00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:33.694
the phone and it determines that
she\'s home at a certain time
00:32:33.695 --> 00:32:37.729
everybody always tells me that I
look like a 100 pages touched
00:32:37.730 --> 00:32:42.424
my ankle It\'s sort of a pager.
00:32:42.425 --> 00:32:46.219
If I knew what would helper I would
have done it a long time ago we
00:32:46.220 --> 00:32:49.939
have done in exhausted
as many things as we can
00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:57.844
think of we pray for her we had
ceremonies and largest or her we\'ve done
00:32:57.845 --> 00:33:02.239
those kind of spiritual themes
that we know how to do they
00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:07.324
say that the children like
her that have the AD DS.
00:33:07.325 --> 00:33:11.719
That if they can be in a very
controlled environment that they do
00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:17.328
better but we don\'t we don\'t
live that lifestyle we live
00:33:17.329 --> 00:33:21.138
a more traditional lifestyle
or retried too And
00:33:21.139 --> 00:33:25.668
then they go back into the main
stream and everything they learn
00:33:25.669 --> 00:33:33.434
there is in contrast to what they learn
at home another feet where she have
00:33:33.435 --> 00:33:38.328
tiniest alcohol is one
of the worst problems
00:33:38.329 --> 00:33:43.458
we have I think what happened to the Indian
is they weren\'t they took their spirit
00:33:43.459 --> 00:33:46.099
away from them they took
their religion away from
00:33:46.100 --> 00:33:48.889
them they took the food away
from them that they were
00:33:48.890 --> 00:33:54.754
used to having and so they they go to
alcohol or they go to something stronger.
00:33:54.755 --> 00:33:59.629
But I know it\'s because their
heart and their mind and
00:33:59.630 --> 00:34:04.638
their religion and everything was
taken away from them and Then
00:34:04.639 --> 00:34:07.729
the soul has lost almost
00:34:07.730 --> 00:34:11.959
gone the reason the alcohol doesn\'t
have such a prevalence in our family
00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:15.709
is is because my mother didn\'t
drink and my grandmother didn\'t
00:34:15.710 --> 00:34:20.178
drink I\'d I don\'t drink and I tried
to pass that down to my daughters.
00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:22.864
If everybody in the family drink then
00:34:22.865 --> 00:34:26.328
the children are more likely to drink
and their babies are more likely to be
00:34:26.329 --> 00:34:31.789
affected the only way to break
that cycle is to stop it
00:34:31.790 --> 00:34:34.908
altogether stop the the
things that are going to
00:34:34.909 --> 00:34:38.523
affect our children because
the damage is irreversible.
00:34:38.524 --> 00:34:40.789
These kids know that already
you know they\'re they\'re
00:34:40.790 --> 00:34:43.548
only teenagers and they
know they know everything
00:34:43.549 --> 00:34:46.968
already And we didn\'t know that when we
were teenagers we didn\'t know that we
00:34:46.969 --> 00:34:50.943
weren\'t going up when he didn\'t know that when
she was growing up but she knows that no.
00:34:50.944 --> 00:34:56.523
Now I see what she\'s talking about and
now I. I understand and i hate it and
00:34:56.524 --> 00:35:02.554
I don\'t want to raise my kids
you know there is hope for her.
00:35:02.555 --> 00:35:07.039
But you\'ve got to want to be
able to do it you can\'t expect
00:35:07.040 --> 00:35:11.689
somebody else to make the grade for you and
00:35:11.690 --> 00:35:15.258
what I was telling her about
healing yourself you do have to
00:35:15.259 --> 00:35:19.068
work with your doctors in your
trainers and everything but
00:35:19.069 --> 00:35:23.718
in the meantime you take your arms
and your hands and put them around
00:35:23.719 --> 00:35:28.624
your head and you can feel A vibration
00:35:28.625 --> 00:35:31.369
whatever\'s bothering you or
whatever is hurting you you
00:35:31.370 --> 00:35:34.519
take them and you offer him
up and take them away from
00:35:34.520 --> 00:35:36.994
your body and throw him
up and say I am what
00:35:36.995 --> 00:35:40.459
my power of healing to heal
myself grandfather please give
00:35:40.460 --> 00:35:43.339
me that power you find that eventually get
00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:46.458
it if you work at it long
enough I would just like for
00:35:46.459 --> 00:35:49.428
understanding from a non-Indian people and
00:35:49.429 --> 00:35:53.449
people in social services and people who are
teaching our children and people who are
00:35:53.450 --> 00:35:56.463
administering programs to
our children you know to
00:35:56.464 --> 00:35:59.929
have a better understanding
of why things are the way
00:35:59.930 --> 00:36:01.608
they are and you know we still have
00:36:01.609 --> 00:36:06.829
the highest infant mortality are
people Have a least longevity.
00:36:06.830 --> 00:36:10.039
He can\'t get well by ourselves
we have to deal with
00:36:10.040 --> 00:36:13.488
social services we have to send
our children to public schools we
00:36:13.489 --> 00:36:16.968
have to live within the
society you know if there was
00:36:16.969 --> 00:36:20.643
a way that we could go
away and heal ourselves we
00:36:20.644 --> 00:36:23.448
would do that we would choose to do
00:36:23.449 --> 00:36:27.109
that but it isn\'t possible we
have to be here and we have to do
00:36:27.110 --> 00:36:35.110
the best we can with whatever there
is here we will find placement
00:36:36.950 --> 00:36:41.809
for Nathan if it\'s not through the state and
we will find something we will we will have
00:36:41.810 --> 00:36:47.013
to work out something with With another
family maybe draw up a contract or Nathan.
00:36:47.014 --> 00:36:50.973
Is that their home during the
week and he\'s home on weekends.
00:36:50.974 --> 00:36:58.919
We\'ll find something for an eighth and
because I will find something for Nathan.
00:37:04.240 --> 00:37:09.228
Most tiny Barry and I have been married.
00:37:09.229 --> 00:37:14.029
Almost 25 years it\'ll be
25-years in July and I
00:37:14.030 --> 00:37:18.994
have an older son he\'s 21 his name
is Gary Charles and he\'s married
00:37:18.995 --> 00:37:26.995
and then we have Nathan who
just turned 17 years old Yeah
00:37:33.610 --> 00:37:41.610
okay good jack Nathan was diagnosed at
approximately 2.5 years old with cerebral palsy he
00:37:43.715 --> 00:37:47.509
myoclonic that means he
has low muscle tone and
00:37:47.510 --> 00:37:53.658
so he just would like wet noodles
or spaghetti he just would flop
00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:57.528
all over him had a hard time
sitting up and holding his head
00:37:57.529 --> 00:38:01.819
up and standing or doing anything
because of his low muscle tone and
00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:05.224
then of course he he\'s also
being diagnosed with multiples
00:38:05.225 --> 00:38:09.738
Yours and mental retardation
also if you want
00:38:09.739 --> 00:38:17.739
this one up here. you get your other Hannah I
remember finding out about Nathan and I felt
00:38:19.460 --> 00:38:24.199
physically I actually felt
my heartbreaking I I I can
00:38:24.200 --> 00:38:28.909
say that I felt physical pain when I\'ve went
someone came in the room and told me you
00:38:28.910 --> 00:38:33.618
know Nathan\'s going to be handicap
et cetera and and so I think in
00:38:33.619 --> 00:38:38.689
that as always that little bit that
chronic sorrow there that that no matter
00:38:38.690 --> 00:38:41.599
what you do no matter how hard you try to
00:38:41.600 --> 00:38:45.409
accept even when you do accept and
you feel good about your life
00:38:45.410 --> 00:38:48.168
and you\'re happy and you
can go on There\'s still
00:38:48.169 --> 00:38:52.414
that little bit of sorrow and
regret against that things aren\'t.
00:38:52.415 --> 00:38:58.860
What they could have been Jack.
00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:04.654
I think one of the key
things for me was the fix-it
00:39:04.655 --> 00:39:08.689
person in the family in order
to make something wasn\'t right
00:39:08.690 --> 00:39:12.529
that I\'d go off and try to
find the right resources
00:39:12.530 --> 00:39:16.369
if you want and get it fixed
a whole does happen if you
00:39:16.370 --> 00:39:18.318
tried to find different
doctors tried to find
00:39:18.319 --> 00:39:23.418
different Cures and if you want
you know most men I talked to you
00:39:23.419 --> 00:39:26.358
that\'s again there that
the leader of the family
00:39:26.359 --> 00:39:31.014
the breadwinner and once again when something\'s
wrong it\'s their job to make it right.
00:39:31.015 --> 00:39:34.308
And it faced. Unfortunately
though when it comes
00:39:34.309 --> 00:39:38.809
to families with kids with
developmental disabilities.
00:39:38.810 --> 00:39:43.729
When the father can\'t fix
it they take it personal.
00:39:43.730 --> 00:39:46.939
Okay and that\'s why I
think part of what you\'re
00:39:46.940 --> 00:39:50.329
obviously a lot of single parents
and usually again the mother.
00:39:50.330 --> 00:39:53.643
Because the father just
can\'t deal with it anymore
00:39:53.644 --> 00:39:57.138
not maybe not so much not dealing
with a particular child but can\'t
00:39:57.139 --> 00:40:03.499
deal with the fact that
he failed Junior walker
00:40:03.500 --> 00:40:10.624
OK. Say that Nathan\'s care
involves 24-hour monitoring.
00:40:10.625 --> 00:40:14.418
He is not toilet trained and he needs
00:40:14.419 --> 00:40:18.619
constant monitoring he needs
people by him because he will fall
00:40:18.620 --> 00:40:22.139
he\'ll trip and fall he\'s
broken his job he\'s not
00:40:22.140 --> 00:40:27.353
disparate tooth out just my fall in it you
know when he\'s walking with his walker.
00:40:27.354 --> 00:40:33.784
And started about I guess maybe
four years ago having in-home help.
00:40:33.785 --> 00:40:37.158
Up until that point all
the care I\'d say was
00:40:37.159 --> 00:40:43.339
mine I used to give Nathan
his baths and and that was
00:40:43.340 --> 00:40:48.228
Very difficult on my back also
so after a while I just could
00:40:48.229 --> 00:40:52.489
not even give him a bath and
so then my husband took
00:40:52.490 --> 00:40:56.179
over the duties of bathing
him giving him a shower in
00:40:56.180 --> 00:40:59.988
the morning and helping dress
but up until then I was
00:40:59.989 --> 00:41:07.989
responsible for all of his care we
were just like any other young couple.
00:41:08.509 --> 00:41:11.103
In fact when we picked out Nathan\'s name.
00:41:11.104 --> 00:41:16.099
We\'ve spent a lot of time doing
that because Nathan Alexander.
00:41:16.100 --> 00:41:19.098
We pick that a name that would be good
for president we we said that each
00:41:19.099 --> 00:41:23.043
other and then when he was born you know.
00:41:23.044 --> 00:41:25.909
I\'d say you can do as good
as Java someone but And
00:41:25.910 --> 00:41:30.393
time is certainly not
going to be President.
00:41:30.394 --> 00:41:34.849
So it\'s our dream child if you want that on
00:41:34.850 --> 00:41:38.868
net they died because he\'s
not going to be able to do
00:41:38.869 --> 00:41:42.619
the things that we wanted
the hardest part for me
00:41:42.620 --> 00:41:46.983
having a child with a disability
is first off the acceptance.
00:41:46.984 --> 00:41:49.173
That\'s been That was tough.
00:41:49.174 --> 00:41:51.424
Since now I accepted my guess.
00:41:51.425 --> 00:41:54.889
Now I\'m looking for other people
to accept the integration in
00:41:54.890 --> 00:42:00.094
school that\'s one of my big things
is to get him into regular classes
00:42:00.095 --> 00:42:06.154
in some teachers can understand why
would want him in A history class
00:42:06.155 --> 00:42:13.574
or a science class and this is well what\'s
he going to learn while he\'s in there.
00:42:13.575 --> 00:42:18.979
So the knock-in math it\'s not going
to learn is 123 so you know.
00:42:18.980 --> 00:42:20.733
But at the same time I don\'t.
00:42:20.734 --> 00:42:23.569
He\'s gonna learn when it\'s
appropriate to be quiet.
00:42:23.570 --> 00:42:25.519
He\'s got his own goals and he\'s
00:42:25.520 --> 00:42:33.520
the worker circled type tails
00:42:35.060 --> 00:42:38.850
presents the easy we\'ll see spider.
00:42:39.220 --> 00:42:42.959
Down came the rain
00:42:51.370 --> 00:42:56.433
About four years ago my
oldest son he\'s 21 now
00:42:56.434 --> 00:43:01.578
move moved off to college I think
maybe that was the start of it for me
00:43:01.579 --> 00:43:04.128
was for me to start thinking about
00:43:04.129 --> 00:43:08.269
that I was feeling even before
Nathan turned 18 it was time for
00:43:08.270 --> 00:43:12.829
him to move on to that I\'ve
given 14 or 15 years of my life
00:43:12.830 --> 00:43:18.108
24 hours a day and my
physical stamina to him
00:43:18.109 --> 00:43:21.618
and feeling like it it\'s about
time for him to move on to
00:43:21.619 --> 00:43:25.738
so and that was really
difficult to come to grips
00:43:25.739 --> 00:43:29.629
because I think as a parent It\'s normal
00:43:29.630 --> 00:43:33.739
for an 18-year-old to move out and
go on to college but when a child
00:43:33.740 --> 00:43:37.968
is is has disability and
00:43:37.969 --> 00:43:42.379
a lot of people see you thinking
about them moving out is as you know
00:43:42.380 --> 00:43:45.228
a bad mother or not carrying I was even
00:43:45.229 --> 00:43:49.893
asked a year ago because I moved
out of the home because I was so
00:43:49.894 --> 00:43:52.953
stressed out about Nathan I
was even asked if I loved
00:43:52.954 --> 00:43:56.989
my son and that has nothing
to do with it I mean I moved
00:43:56.990 --> 00:44:00.018
out because I needed to save
my life I can tell Robin
00:44:00.019 --> 00:44:03.078
was having problems okay
with taking care of Nathan
00:44:03.079 --> 00:44:06.949
and with the stress and such before
she ended up in the hospital instead
00:44:06.950 --> 00:44:11.358
things And that\'s again
where my solution to
00:44:11.359 --> 00:44:14.148
it really was to have someone to
come into the home to assist with
00:44:14.149 --> 00:44:19.353
it and her solution was
more so of it had to be
00:44:19.354 --> 00:44:22.548
taken care of him saying you
know use respite care more
00:44:22.549 --> 00:44:26.509
often that sounds easy but
when you look through
00:44:26.510 --> 00:44:30.378
the list and the list says no heavy
lifting everyone has restrictions
00:44:30.379 --> 00:44:35.369
that are not wheelchair accessible nobody
else wants to come over on weekends.
00:44:35.440 --> 00:44:39.394
They don\'t want people that
are aren\'t toilet trained or
00:44:39.395 --> 00:44:43.968
so you\'re limited in some part
of me said you have to do
00:44:43.969 --> 00:44:47.658
this you\'re the mother you
love your child you are
00:44:47.659 --> 00:44:51.648
you\'re responsible when Robin
wasn\'t Well and we were
00:44:51.649 --> 00:44:56.569
having some problems I guess I\'ve
presented a lot the fact that
00:44:56.570 --> 00:45:02.013
I had to an almost make a decision
between my wife and my son.
00:45:02.014 --> 00:45:08.219
A choice and that I did I presented
that paid us back the hardest
00:45:16.750 --> 00:45:21.843
I would have nightmares recurring
nightmares that on my tombstone.
00:45:21.844 --> 00:45:27.164
It was going to read here
lies Robin maintenance mom.
00:45:27.165 --> 00:45:31.339
Yes that\'s all that was
written that lies night and
00:45:31.340 --> 00:45:37.189
Mt And I felt like I was not even alive.
00:45:37.190 --> 00:45:41.598
Before he ended up in the hospital I
recognized that I was going to hurt myself I
00:45:41.599 --> 00:45:43.669
would never hurt Nathan but I sure
00:45:43.670 --> 00:45:46.950
what hurt me because I didn\'t
want to go through this anymore.
00:45:49.330 --> 00:45:53.689
We tried to have respite care
on weekends so they fit would
00:45:53.690 --> 00:45:57.138
be gone and after a while the
weekend recipe cared wasn\'t
00:45:57.139 --> 00:46:01.278
enough it wasn\'t satisfying my need and
00:46:01.279 --> 00:46:05.688
we\'d go pick them up and in the van and
I\'d sit in the fan and cry because
00:46:05.689 --> 00:46:08.478
we had to bring him home I
did not want him to come
00:46:08.479 --> 00:46:11.839
home because I knew it was
can start all over again
00:46:11.840 --> 00:46:14.928
The diapers the feeding the lifting the you
00:46:14.929 --> 00:46:18.344
know that chronic pain
all over again and that
00:46:18.345 --> 00:46:25.428
overwhelming feeling and so finally
my husband and I talked to him about.
00:46:25.429 --> 00:46:29.808
Perhaps you know putting Nathan in foster
care for a few months just to have
00:46:29.809 --> 00:46:34.503
a break into c. What we could
do with our lives and I saw.
00:46:34.504 --> 00:46:38.688
Having Nathan gone as freedom
and basically what it
00:46:38.689 --> 00:46:43.159
came down to was he saw
having Nathan gone as him
00:46:43.160 --> 00:46:46.308
abandoning Nathan placing
Nathan outside of the home
00:46:46.309 --> 00:46:49.758
is something that I\'m still I still
struggle with a little bit and that\'s
00:46:49.759 --> 00:46:53.509
so much that he would be
living someplace ounces or
00:46:53.510 --> 00:46:57.909
so The fact that for me I
need to know he\'s taken care
00:46:57.910 --> 00:47:02.423
of we just had a friend of ours there
00:47:02.424 --> 00:47:05.079
their son died and as a sudden at
00:47:05.080 --> 00:47:08.154
the funeral that the biggest
thing I was wondering about was.
00:47:08.155 --> 00:47:11.830
How\'s he going to check i
in the mixture is okay.
00:47:12.270 --> 00:47:16.779
And that\'s when I think it really
dawned on me that that was
00:47:16.780 --> 00:47:20.918
my real concern not that
he has to live with us but
00:47:20.919 --> 00:47:24.758
I just need to feel comfortable in my own
mind that he\'s being taken care of in
00:47:24.759 --> 00:47:29.018
his knees okay our auctions are minimal.
00:47:29.019 --> 00:47:37.019
Right now with the state financing and when
Nathan is on a waiting list of course And
00:47:39.130 --> 00:47:43.129
he\'s second or third on
the waiting list for
00:47:43.130 --> 00:47:47.599
a group home placement
but many people that are
00:47:47.600 --> 00:47:51.408
moved into group homes are no live for for
00:47:51.409 --> 00:47:55.489
many many years so could be
years and years before Nathan.
00:47:55.490 --> 00:47:57.484
Has a slot open.
00:47:57.485 --> 00:48:01.849
Very frustrating to know that you\'ve
made that decision that conscious
00:48:01.850 --> 00:48:06.453
decision separate and this is
good for your family but so what.
00:48:06.454 --> 00:48:09.648
There\'s no place for him to
go so here he is he\'s he\'s at
00:48:09.649 --> 00:48:17.649
home Loving in respecting
00:48:18.410 --> 00:48:23.209
each individual within the family
for who they are what they are that
00:48:23.210 --> 00:48:28.563
was just so ingrained in me and so that\'s
natural and in dealing with Blair.
00:48:28.564 --> 00:48:35.358
That helped me to accept her for who she is I
don\'t see Blair\'s being an imperfect child.
00:48:35.359 --> 00:48:37.860
Where\'s my sweetie.
00:48:44.500 --> 00:48:52.279
Actually my daughter was my inspiration
for me wisdom Blair is her name and
00:48:52.280 --> 00:49:00.280
she She was born premature and her
development in all areas is delayed.
00:49:00.995 --> 00:49:05.688
Pretty significantly and
because of her I am doing
00:49:05.689 --> 00:49:11.208
we wisdom because holding a
conventional job just didn\'t give me
00:49:11.209 --> 00:49:16.099
the necessary latitude to eye
fields damn top of it play
00:49:16.100 --> 00:49:21.574
a clap your hands If today did
aptly she doesn\'t wanna do it
00:49:21.575 --> 00:49:25.909
layer has the label of
deaf blind because she has
00:49:25.910 --> 00:49:30.439
a degree of vision and hearing
loss she\'s not totally
00:49:30.440 --> 00:49:38.440
deaf or blind but she does have a significant
degree of loss in each area Come on email
00:49:39.320 --> 00:49:46.219
have to Blair\'s introduction
00:49:46.220 --> 00:49:51.814
and to her family was very stressful
and it continues to be stressful.
00:49:51.815 --> 00:49:56.959
It affected all facets and my wife.
00:49:56.960 --> 00:50:00.768
Unfortunately our marriage
denser bye-bye can\'t say that
00:50:00.769 --> 00:50:05.374
just the introduction of blaring to the
family was the cause of our divorce.
00:50:05.375 --> 00:50:11.149
Because there were other issues but
yet and still it was effector.
00:50:11.150 --> 00:50:16.309
We each had to deal with the fact
that Blair is the way she is
00:50:16.310 --> 00:50:21.588
that was a very hard Listen I just can\'t I
00:50:21.589 --> 00:50:25.399
can\'t say it any other way
it was just it was gut
00:50:25.400 --> 00:50:29.719
wrenching it made me look
at what\'s important in life
00:50:29.720 --> 00:50:32.959
and what\'s not important and
it also made me realize
00:50:32.960 --> 00:50:37.818
hell to a degree we can get
caught up in material things and
00:50:37.819 --> 00:50:42.229
get caught up in careers and
get caught up in all types
00:50:42.230 --> 00:50:46.999
of I label it extra curricular
things when your children
00:50:47.000 --> 00:50:53.029
your family that\'s what\'s the most Thing
in Blair drove that listen home to
00:50:53.030 --> 00:51:00.529
me and we\'d been
00:51:00.530 --> 00:51:04.999
working on feedings it she was
totally fed by her mom or whoever.
00:51:05.000 --> 00:51:07.669
And you know she\'s a
progress from just accepting
00:51:07.670 --> 00:51:10.429
stuff from a spoon to do and
most of it yourself right
00:51:10.430 --> 00:51:13.278
now the main thing that we\'re
working on is getting a little bit
00:51:13.279 --> 00:51:16.773
more of a scoop on there she\'s not playing.
00:51:16.774 --> 00:51:20.748
I have to have trained professionals and
00:51:20.749 --> 00:51:25.128
experts to help support me
to support where we have to
00:51:25.129 --> 00:51:33.129
work as a team it\'s no no one player
has any more power or It\'s held with
00:51:33.469 --> 00:51:35.118
anymore regard than any of
00:51:35.119 --> 00:51:43.119
the other players as a minority parent
trying to interface with professionals.
00:51:43.775 --> 00:51:47.508
Sometimes they do
stigmatize you according to
00:51:47.509 --> 00:51:51.438
what they see as opposed
to getting to know you as
00:51:51.439 --> 00:51:55.698
an individual and I say
that because I do a lot of
00:51:55.699 --> 00:52:01.219
my leg work by phone and I have
things lined up and coordinated
00:52:01.220 --> 00:52:05.088
and then when we arrive
there little surprise
00:52:05.089 --> 00:52:08.868
because whatever vision
why voice prompted in
00:52:08.869 --> 00:52:16.869
their head did not match up with my lovely
face when they saw me So I detect that through
00:52:17.465 --> 00:52:20.493
a lot of nonverbal types of
00:52:20.494 --> 00:52:26.479
interaction they they kind of have that
can\'t be overt with it obviously but
00:52:26.480 --> 00:52:31.834
it\'s subtle but it\'s there but I ignore
that because I let them know that
00:52:31.835 --> 00:52:37.593
my mission is seeking help for Blair and
I understand that you can help her.
00:52:37.594 --> 00:52:40.849
Now if I\'ve been led wrong then I\'ll
00:52:40.850 --> 00:52:45.420
see you later and I\'ll you know
I\'ll be on to the next stop.
00:52:45.850 --> 00:52:49.848
The first thing I would
say to a professional.
00:52:49.849 --> 00:52:54.228
That\'s dealing with me
initially is to please keep
00:52:54.229 --> 00:53:00.093
an open mind Don\'t come to me
with any preconceived notions or
00:53:00.094 --> 00:53:03.949
ideas or or with a prescription
because you\'ve read
00:53:03.950 --> 00:53:08.629
the case history that\'s fine
that just treat that as as
00:53:08.630 --> 00:53:12.984
some background knowledge
and come with an open mind
00:53:12.985 --> 00:53:18.588
and bounce it back down to
the wonderful thing about
00:53:18.589 --> 00:53:22.669
diggers as I\'m the only one the only
00:53:22.670 --> 00:53:29.688
one you want molar molar.
00:53:29.689 --> 00:53:32.869
My philosophy is that all children are
00:53:32.870 --> 00:53:37.548
special and should be loved
and respected for who they
00:53:37.549 --> 00:53:45.549
are I hate to pigeonhole kids do to level
of activity level of ability their child.
00:53:47.134 --> 00:53:55.134
They\'re innocent they don\'t need
all these labels Josh could I
00:53:57.614 --> 00:54:05.614
helped her feel safe again the children
don\'t even see the barriers that we see
00:54:07.385 --> 00:54:11.969
they just see that that\'s a
kid and they want to play
00:54:16.210 --> 00:54:24.210
B Religion
00:54:25.700 --> 00:54:28.068
is a very important part
00:54:28.069 --> 00:54:31.908
of my life in that I was raised as a in
00:54:31.909 --> 00:54:37.158
the Baptist Church probably as long as I\'ve
been breathing I\'ve been going to church.
00:54:37.159 --> 00:54:39.903
Because my mom or grandma.
00:54:39.904 --> 00:54:44.164
Was taking me my religious beliefs and
00:54:44.165 --> 00:54:49.788
practice do help me deal with
stress as well as I would say again
00:54:49.789 --> 00:54:52.999
my family because they\'re
there at least to listen if
00:54:53.000 --> 00:54:56.478
they can\'t do a thing at
all but they\'re there to
00:54:56.479 --> 00:55:00.289
listen and we all live You know very
00:55:00.290 --> 00:55:04.939
close to one another in fact
my sister lives next door and
00:55:04.940 --> 00:55:08.929
that home actually has a
lot of significance to me
00:55:08.930 --> 00:55:14.134
because it was my grandmother\'s
house mean living next door.
00:55:14.135 --> 00:55:19.428
It means a lot because it\'s kind
of a sense of who I am in a.
00:55:19.429 --> 00:55:22.979
An a chunk of family history.
00:55:24.190 --> 00:55:30.364
Maybe you are here maybe you
mean when she stands up.
00:55:30.365 --> 00:55:34.819
Yeah yeah that\'s my helper
do that to television year.
00:55:34.820 --> 00:55:40.549
Challenge. She\'s really big she\'s
she\'s almost about here she\'s
00:55:40.550 --> 00:55:45.618
right Here it here he helps her stand them
00:55:45.619 --> 00:55:53.619
sometimes blip rice is is active in all
phases of Blair\'s life I mean he\'s
00:55:55.399 --> 00:56:01.098
just been right there the whole
time it CSE they talk to each
00:56:01.099 --> 00:56:09.099
other for a while I didn\'t realize that I
could have the same expectations for Blair.
00:56:09.904 --> 00:56:14.389
And the same hopes and dreams for
blair As I do for my son Bryce
00:56:14.390 --> 00:56:18.949
who has no quote unquote
challenges which I beg to
00:56:18.950 --> 00:56:22.759
differ but I I have just learned
00:56:22.760 --> 00:56:30.653
that Any limitations that are placed
on Blair they replaced Uponor.
00:56:30.654 --> 00:56:34.133
Do that plea. She didn\'t
play some upon or sell
00:56:34.134 --> 00:56:38.259
email and to a degree I did
that because I was like.
00:56:38.260 --> 00:56:44.798
Where can\'t do this or where can\'t do that
and instead of thinking about what she can
00:56:44.799 --> 00:56:52.759
do and she sure can make me happy and that\'s
the richest give that she could ever give me
00:57:08.440 --> 00:57:11.340
I know that
00:57:26.380 --> 00:57:27.648
I
00:57:27.649 --> 00:57:27.919
Know
00:57:27.920 --> 00:57:35.920
what you mean
00:57:47.050 --> 00:57:51.784
So we can write that
00:57:51.785 --> 00:57:59.764
sometimes when I\'m writing.
00:57:59.765 --> 00:58:02.069
Sometimes
00:58:02.950 --> 00:58:05.609
I check
00:58:14.950 --> 00:58:17.339
here