[tri-med] respite . . . Faren

Michelle:
   
  I know it's hard.  I think you really should focus on some type of regular 
respite.  Soleah had overnight respite through a grant for a few years at a 
children's hospital.  Then when she outgrew that (too mobile . . . ran away 
from the room!  YIKES, Soleah on the loose!)  Call the local mental health 
folks, insurance, hospitals, churches, everywhere!  Right now, our only respite 
is with a church in our area (about 30 minutes away) - they take special needs 
kids and their sibs.  Soleah and Corey LOVE it.  It's one Friday night a 
month--they volunteers are great.  I save money aside to go shopping, out to 
eat with friends, the girls, Mike . . . sometimes I go to a bookstore and sip 
coffee and browse through books "quietly" - it's four hours of bliss and keeps 
me going until the next break.  I didn't have any family perse but the girls 
helped when they got old enough and I got a break.  I have also had the luxury 
of working part time which gives me a break and lets me
 interact with the outside world.  Don't beat yourself up over the feelings you 
have, they are normal and typical.  Feeling that way doesn't make you 
ungrateful for the other things you do have.  You are young and want to have 
the freedom to have fun now and then.  Let's brainstorm about places you can 
find respite!  Anyone have any ideas?  Where do some of your kids get respite?
Michelle Wilson <mewildflower1@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
  Hi Nanci, so glad to hear that Soleah is improving! 
Faren's behavior is much better than it use to be. It
really is. She still is a bit of a crab though and
has occasional sleep issues still, but the hardest
part of life with Faren is the "prison" that I feel
I'm living in. Believe me, I tell myself every day to
be thankful for all the blessings in my life. I know
how much worse it can be, but good grief, I just want
to be able to go places and spend time outside. My
life is so different now than it used to be. I
suppose Faren really snapped me out of my blissfull
delusion when she was born, which I guess could be
considered good. ahh, I miss the blissfull delusion :
)) I think it would be alot better though if my
parents would offer to babysit. I know I shouldn't
expect anything from anyone, but how nice it would be
if they could just take the load off every now and
then. Rick's parents have done us a huge favor in the
past by taking Faren for long periods of time, like 2
weeks or so. I know that many of you don't even get
that. Just to have a life where I could do the things
I love....oh well. Sigh, aTleast I'm healthy and have
a roof over my head...

Sometimes I think I'M the disabled one,
Michelle Wilson, mother to our BIG GIRL(ok, really the forever baby), 
Faren(t18, 6 yrs old!!), the Barbarian aka "The Booper" and Quenby, aka Quen 
Bee Bee. Oh, and wife to Rickeeeeee!

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it 
deserves it. -Mark Twain

Oh, to have a lodge in some vast wilderness, where rumors of oppression and 
deceit, of unsuccessful and successful wars may never reach me anymore. 
-William Cowper, poet



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                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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