Equestrian Internat'l Special Olympics - We're In!

My DH Steve has dedicated his work to the developmentally disabled for the past 35 years. He presently operates day programs for individuals with these disabilities. It takes a lot of patience and the progress is slow, but the rewards are tremendous milestones. Yesterday he got word that one of his clients has been selected for the Equestrian Int'l. Special Olympics in Ireland. She (I can't give the name) is so excited. She has cerebral palsy and her biggest joy in life is getting on that horse! Sorry I can't post the pics I have taken of her on horseback, but if you could see that smile! Just wanted to share the good news.

haighr, I have worked in the offices of agencies serving such cases, and I know how proud she must be. It is such a thrill to these special people to be able to achieve even a simple goal, and this is a real biggie. Extend my congratulations to her if you would, and a big thumbs up to your guy. Takes a special breed to give what your family gives. Even working in records and not being responsible for the actual care and training of clients, I was so often amazed and touched by what they overcame.

A couple of real heroes!!!

Congratulations to all.

Wintermoor

Thanks for the words of praise. We will be supporting her all the way. Maybe she'll come back with a medal, she would just be so tickled. I spent 12 years in that field and it was quite splendid. Steve used to have a program for criminal offenders with mental retardation (you talk about a challenge) IHP programs for their behaviors (which could be quite bizarre) and complete with the razor wire fence. Glad he is now doing the day program thing! By the way, her mom is quite excited also as you may imagine as she has always been exceptionally protective, but is all for this trip to Ireland!

Maybe you will be able to shield her face and show us some filtered pics?

celebrating with you here! That is so awsome! Bless you for giving your time and helping make life more rewarding to those who face such challanges. Bless you, bless you.

wonderful news!!! be sure and tell her we're all pulling for her! keep us updated!

Thanks we will tell her. Don't have the specific on the trip yet, but I am sure we will find out soon. Imagine Ireland, she will be floored. She is so cute. I will ask Steve to ask her mom about posting the pic, but I doubt it, as I said mom is very particular. I am so glad she is letting her go on this trip as she misses out on a lot because mom won't let her go to hardly any social events. We always have dances and gatherings and even though her mobility is impaired (so is everyone elses) she would love to come and socialize, but mom rules. Anyway, she will make up for all the dances and outings with this trip and maybe mom will loosen up a bit too!

Haighr, that is wonderful news, and I will be rooting for your gal, sending up a prayer for her as well as her mom. I can understand her protectiveness, it's hard not to be. I guess the biggest favor I can do for my son is letting him experience things, the good as well as the bad, the difference is that (and I am just comparing my two children, one with CP the other normal) my daughter will bounce back much easier, where as my son will be wounded much deeper, and those deeper wounds take forever to heal. thank god, my son has learned to turn the other cheek (literally he will turn his head when someone is making fun of him and ignore it - a sight that brought me to tears) and he will bounce back eventually, it's just that we would like to shield them from this.

I will be looking forward to hearing about how she does.

Oh, Pebble, I thought of you and Alex as I read this, and recalled a trip he was going on and how nervous you were. I don't know how I could stand the worry and seeing the hurts. My Laura was so self-concious about her necessary coughing from the mucus of CF, and I often wanted to smash insensitive people who would move away from her so obviously, thinking she was contagious, or comment on her thinness, but she had a great sense of humor and would handle it far better than I could. I so admire you for your ability to keep it in perspective. I hope this child's mother can learn to turn loose.

I am so sorry for the instances you have encountered. People can be so hateful. But you know over all these years we have seen great changes. We take clients everywhere, Disney World, Las Vegas, Europe, cruises in the Carribbean and other exotic places. I think as they become more exposed, the less likely the stares! Hope for the future is a precious gift to give God's special children and I think they are well on their way to a world of acceptance rather than ridicule! My I hope I am right!

Aimee, I had forgotten how petrified I was leading up to that trip....I was just a nervous brick, I had a pit in my stomach like you wouldnt believe...When I went to the airport to pick him up, he had been sick the last couple of days of the trip, and couldnt walk...he was the last one out, and in a wheelchair....my heart sank, and his life flashed before my eyes in a wheelchair....we have his wheelchair in the garage, but he only uses it after surgeries or when both legs are in thigh high casts. It just scared me to no end. But he made it, had fun, didnt get trampled on (much) got shoved around in NY - had to use a wheelchair at some of the museams, I guess he got stopped at all the check points and searched thouroughly, especially in washington dc.....there was an incident with an automatic door that i just heard about....otherwise, he had a blast. knowing how I am petrified with letting him loose, can you believe that I am thinking of sending him overseas for a year of schooling with AFS?
I just got a notification that they are looking for host families, and though I can't manage it financially this year, I am thinking of hosting a child next year, and then send my son the year after and then it will be my daughter's turn. I will of course wory about him one hundred times more...but then again, maybe not, the other one is a girl........another set of worries....

Pebble, pat yourself on the back. That was such a scare, especially after dreading it, but you never mentioned it here. You must have really conquered more demons than Alex did. I smiled at myself, reading your description and going "Oh, no!" Then it turned out alright, and I was as relieved as if it was my own.

Pebble, I can only imagine how much courage it must take. Knowing all the challenges from our end is only a portion of what the families suffer every day. You must be a very strong individual and I am sure you can thank your children for that!

Aimee, thank you! In this life, I have learned that it is one challenge after another...and somehow it all ends well.
Every major step scares me deep down to the core of my soul, when he started walking at 4 or 5, I was scared that he would hurt himself with all the falling, when he graduated to crutches when he was 7-8 i was nervous as all get out - especially since he resited the notion, because with a walker he had gained speed and could just run all over the place, but with crutches, it was like starting all over again, and he would never get as fast...school was of course another scare, then came middle school - after seeing how cruel kids can be in grade school, I was worried that in that age range they would be worse, then there was gym class, how on earth would he be able to change his clothes - dress down as it where? he would have to lie on the floor to get dressed, well, as luck would have it, those snap on pants became the rage, and this was one of those little blessings - he would wear shorts under the pants, same with shoes...another blessing from above, he couldnt tie, no fine motor skills....but wait...they came up with velcro, when he wasnt walking, he crawled, and would jsut wear out pants in no time, I learned how to sew to make him pants, and I got so good, I could whip up a pair in half an hour, maybe less.... Life is good, whenever I am scared, frightened down to the core of my sould, the kind of fright that turns your bowels to jelly - something comes up...this year I was scared about alex going into high school, the population of the high school is over 2 thousand, I was a nervous nellie about him getting trampled in the halls, having to walk from one end of campus to the other. but what happend? another blessing, he got acepted into the honors academy, a school within a school that only aceepts 9 percent of the incoming students. all the classes are in one building. Now, do not get me wrong, I am very excited that he is so smart, and got accepted into this prestigious program for his brain power, but what I was more excited about (not that I would ever voice this to anyone - least of all him) is the fact that it will be a smaller group of kids, in a smaller area.......I wont be worrying about him getting knocked over in the halls - to let you know how his balance works: if a door slams somewhere in the house, and disturbs the air circulation, it throws his balance off and he falls... - if he sneezes unexpectadly or laughs hysterically and cant hang on to something, he will fall - if he is standing outside, and you run past him quickly disturbing the air flow - he will fall, well, when he was smaller, and he fell it was no big deal, i would bend down and give him a big hug, he would put his arms around me, and I would stand up and bring him up with me, but egads...he is bigger than i am and i just cant physically do it anymore, and it is just painful watching him try to get up....and he doesnt want help, he is like a turtle on his back....
anyway, I didnt mean to hijack haighrs thread about the gal going to Ireland on the equestrian team, I can understand to some extent how her mother might feel.

Wow, that's great, Candee...And to Ireland no less! Pebble you guys are in my prayers. One of my best friends has CP - a mild case, thank goodness - but her identical twin does not. My friend was inside her mom too long since no one knew she was having twins! Her mom's water broke and she had the first baby in the toilet, thought she was dead, and went to the hospital with her wrapped in newspaper only to learn she wasn't dead and there was another baby girl waiting to come out!

U guys arent usurping anything this is a great conversation and now here is Steve, he is the expert - he can say a couple of things - this is ayoung woman who has cp and is developmentally disabled. she is quiet and has difficulty expressing herself. when she is riding she takesw on a whole different personality candee enlarged some photos of her on her horse and she was so excited to get them she could hardly contain herself showing them proudly to the people she works with and her instructors. we are all wishing her well at the olympics. surprisingly enough we found out today that anoyher person we work with has also been invited to the international games to compete in track and field events so we are twice blessed.

I am overcome with thankfullness that these people have a caring friend like Steve!! How wonderful for them...and I'll bet Steve gets a lot of satisfaction out of his job too. Jo

He gets great satisfaction. I only wish I had stayed, I was in the field for 12 years and thought a good opportunity had come along for me in criminal justice. It was quite satisfying for the first few years, but now has just become a headache with very little reward. Unlike seeing someone hold a spoon for the very first time, I am now dealing with people who just can't keep themselves out of trouble and out of jail. I will probably get back into the DDA field in a few years when I retire from this job. Steve certainly thanks all of you for your words of wisdom and support and will pass that along to 'S' when he sees her today. Thanks!

I admire Steve, and all the people who like Steve have chosen this field to work in. It must be very very satisfying.
Please keep us updated on this gal's progress, when will she be going to Ireland, and will she really be going without her Mother?

Will keep you posted.