Welcome to this week’s New Members!
January 21, 2011 in Around the Site, Featured by Admin Dawn
Wow, we are growing quickly! Welcome to all our new members!
Jean Kes: “I am a stay at home mom. I have my own home-based business in the coffee business. Everyone usually drinks coffee, latte, mocha, hot chocolate or green tea and this is healthy. I have 1 son who is 10 and has L1 Syndrome (genetic hydrocephalus) CP, non-verbal (for the most part) has a communication device, in a wheel chair. I am big advocate for special needs. Believe in alot of alternative therapies. My son get’s weekly massage to help with different issues we have done Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Vision Therapy, Music Therapy. He does Conductive Ed in the summer a very good program to help with gross motors skills and all. We have done Ionic Foot Bath, and others. I like to think outside the box. We also like to do alot of natural alternatives with out the side effects to stay healthy. I go to Closingthegap.com which is a assistive technology conference plus others. I enjoy being home making $ so I can be there to help my son with what ever he needs.”
Brandi Fought: “I am the mommy to two wonderfully special children. Matthew is almost two with many diagnosis. Autumn is one and a half. She was born much too early and is paraplegic. We live our lives one day at a time, celebrating each and every victory!”
Emma Sterland: “I manage a website for parents, carers and professionals connected with learning disability. http://www.Netbuddy.org.uk is a free online resource with hundreds of practical tips and ideas on supporting someone with special needs.”
Stephanie: “I’m a stay at home mom to 2 kids. My youngest, Jack, is 17 months old and has special needs. Jack was born with congenital bilateral cataracts. He had cataract removal surgery and now wears glasses or contact lenses. He is legally blind, has microcephaly and major developmental delays. Jack is extremely small for his age and has been labeled with faiilure to thrive. He has been tested for chromosome abnormalities, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders. Tests have come back normal, so we are still on the hunt for a diagnosis. In the meantime, Jack does OT and visual stimulation therapy.”
Single mother of three special needs children, two biological, “typical” children (now adults!), and one stray foster daughter. I chose this gig. My special kids were adopted. My three special kids are still at home: ages ten, eleven, and nineteen. It’s just now occurring to me that probably two of them will be with me for life. Some days, I’m very okay with that; some days not so much. It’s a rough road for us all, but I want it to be a terrific adventure. Kameron, the eleven year old, was a 25 week preemie with a grade IV bleed, crack-exposed; vented and trached for the first 3 years; now diagnosed with AVMs. He is very smart, funny, and can be annoying as heck – especially to his sister, Klaryssia. He also has CP and is DD and is considered a spastic quadriplegic. Klaryssia is the 19 year old; she has DD and mental health issues, but is pretty high-functioning, maybe around eight years old cognitively… Kobi is ten and only has some learning delays. He was also premature, but his main issues stem from failure to thrive and drug-exposure in utero. I don’t have much compassion left for their bio-moms. But, I love the children they made.”
Christine Patch: “Mom to 3 boys. Twins – William & Kevin born at 27 weeks in 1999 and Tyler was born full-term in 2005. The twins both had a Stage III brain bleed, only 1 requiring a VP shunt. They are developmentally delayed and have tested on a 2 – 5 year old level and classified as MR.”
Amy Fisher: “SAHM to son with hypotonia, delayed myelination, apraxia of speech & epilepsy. No dx – though have literally had every genetic test in the book – all neg./normal.”
Jennifer Kneice: “I have 4 children. 3 have some special needs right now. I love them all.”
In Real Life Connect Event in Atlanta
Meet Julia in person and get inspired by speakers Sue Boardman, MDiv, PhD and special education teacher Whitney Blackmore at our first (but not our last!) In Real Life Connect event! Our goal has always been to help you build relationships online and off so expect more meet up opportunities around the country this year! We would love to see you in Atlanta this spring! Get more information and register here. (This first ten registrants will get a copy of A Boy and a Turtle, Lori Lite’s relaxation book for kids!)
Children love to visualize or imagine filling their bodies with the colors of the rainbow. This effective stress-management technique also known as guided imagery is widely accepted and used by both traditional and holistic communities. This gentle but powerful technique stimulates the imagination. Visualization can have a positive impact on your health, creativity and performance. It can lower stress and anxiety levels. It can be used to decrease pain and anger.The colorful imagery in this story quiets the mind and relaxes the body so your child can manage stress and fall asleep peacefully. Relax with colors!
Remember our Thursday chat!
Each Thursday we have a live chat from 8pm EST. Our chat moderator, community member Michelle Howard signs off at 9pm but you are welcome to hang out as long as you like. Our chat is available to any community member at any time so feel free to set up your own chat time, too.
Avatar Issues
Our software has some crazy bug and we’re waiting for an update that will fix it. Meanwhile if you’re having trouble getting your avatar up there as the right size, you can email your image to Dawn and she’ll crop it and email it back to you so it’ll upload correctly.
Wow is right! Welcome! Looking forward to getting to know you all!