Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Parenting
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 10-30-2010, 07:39 PM
 
Location: THE USA
3,257 posts, read 6,114,825 times
Reputation: 1998

Advertisements

I was watching my children's school Halloween parade and saw the special education class go by and realized how lucky I am to have 3 healthy, happy children.

I used to work with special education children so I know how hard it can be to raise them. I know it is rewarding, but it is such a lifetime commitment I don't know how they do it.

I just admire the parents and feel blessed that I don't have to deal with that intensity. Medical problems, Emotional problems, and all the other kinds in between.

Does anyone else ever pause to think how different your life would be raising special needs children?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 10-30-2010, 07:47 PM
 
Location: here
24,873 posts, read 36,069,758 times
Reputation: 32726
I do think about it. I don't know how well I'd deal with that.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 08:12 PM
 
Location: In the real world!
2,178 posts, read 9,557,839 times
Reputation: 2847
I do all the time, especially right now. Have 2 family members fighting cancer, one old, one young.. A young man about 24 years old, a only child and what he has will kill him.

I am so thankful that all my kids were & are healthy. So many of the people they grew up with have some form of cancer, some terminal, some not. I have a son that 5 years ago was burned on 82% of his body, 2nd and 3rd degree burns and he is alive and well, still has surgeries ahead of him but he can still work and does work every day. I have so many things to be thankful for and I know it!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 09:04 PM
 
43,011 posts, read 107,747,195 times
Reputation: 30711
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taboo2 View Post
Does anyone else ever pause to think how different your life would be raising special needs children?
It has briefly crossed my mind on occassion.

However, my mind tends to wander more towards wondering what it would have been like to have triplets or other multiples.

I don't think I could have survived multiples. I just don't. One baby at a time was hard enough.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 09:10 PM
 
43,011 posts, read 107,747,195 times
Reputation: 30711
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laura707 View Post
I have a son that 5 years ago was burned on 82% of his body, 2nd and 3rd degree burns and he is alive and well, still has surgeries ahead of him but he can still work and does work every day. I have so many things to be thankful for and I know it!
I know trauma really puts life into perspective. My sister's adult child was in an accident and broke her back in four places, along with many other life-altering injuries (brain, legs, etc.) Two years later, she only has slight disabilities from the injuries remaining. Even though she won't be 100%, everyone is thankful she is alive and will be able to function fairly normal in society. It really does help remind us of what's truly important, such as being beautiful doesn't matter and it's the person inside that counts.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 09:46 PM
 
Location: Geneva, IL
12,980 posts, read 14,522,330 times
Reputation: 14862
I have the greatest admiration for parents with special needs children. I don't think any of us know how we would deal with different situations, but I am eternally grateful that I have 2 wonderful children.

My cousin's then-16 year-old son was in a motor vehicle accident 2 years ago, and had a devastating brain injury. He is now in a completely vegetative state, he can sometimes smile, but that's it. It breaks my heart to read her updates, it always seems to be 1 step forward, and 2 steps back. He is in a specialized care center in a different city to receive the care he needs, she needs to keep her job for the medical insurance, so only get to see him about every other weekend. It is truly heartbreaking. He will never recover. I often wonder how she gets through each day, and how she contemplates the future. I can't imagine myself in her situation.

Last edited by Zimbochick; 10-30-2010 at 10:54 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 09:51 PM
 
Location: Rochester Hills, Mi
812 posts, read 1,900,807 times
Reputation: 421
I think about it quite frequently due to 2+ yrs in home health and lots of sick babies/children and even a few were trached and/or on ventilators. Then throw in all the people I know that have 1 child or more with autism/asperger's and relatives kids with learning/speech disabilities--I am beyond THANKFUL!

I feel very lucky but then always in the far reaches of my mind knowing they could have an accident or come down with leukemia or some other childhood cancer even now so I don't think you are ever out of the woods so to speak. I had a patient the other day that was raising her 30+ yr old son and he wasn't even able to follow the simple command of blowing thru a straw-it sure puts things in perspective. I worry about where these "kids" will go when their family caretakers grow old/die/dementia and can no longer be there for them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 10:07 PM
 
326 posts, read 834,251 times
Reputation: 237
I am always thankful... Thankfull for everything I have and everyone I have. Thanks to my depressing childhood I have never gone a day without just being over joyed with thankfulness.

I sit and watch her and just think in my head how thankfull I am to have a healthy child. I see these sick children, children dieing, and children that have died and I just tell my daughter how much she means to me and kiss her, her young innocent soul has no clue how lucky she is to be healthy and loved.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 10:47 PM
 
2,540 posts, read 6,216,751 times
Reputation: 3579
I feel blessed beyond words that my daughter is a healthy, thriving teen. She's truly a miracle!

Here's her story:

Due to a traumatic birth caused by the nurse rupturing my placenta (I was diaganosed w/ Placenta Previa) inserting a fetal monitor, my daughter lost over 50% of her blood. She was delivered via an emergency c-section. Her apgar score was 1, after 15 minutes, it was still 1. She spent 24 hours on total life support. She was born w/ fixed dialated pupils, no respiratory rate and a h/r of 35! These are HALLMARKS of BRAIN DEATH!! After 18 hrs she developed seizures, a grave sign of prognosis in the neonate. She was started on phenobarbitol at less than 24 hrs of age. The pediatric neurologist and neonatologist gave my husband and I a poor prognosis. Due to the initial fear of permanent brain damage due to the lack of oxygen when she lost so much blood, she also had to be tested through the Children's Medical Services Early Intervention Program on her present levels of development in areas of physical (fine/gross motor), cognitive, communication, social or emotional and adaptive. We were told, she would never have function of her left side. She went from her 1st evaluation at 3 mths to being in the normal range, her next evaluaton at 6 mths she was in the 9-12 mth range, at 12 mths she was in the 20-24 mth range and finally released from E.I.P. at 2 yrs w/ a report that she was doing extremely well, very bright and functioning in the above average range in physical development, and she was in 3 1/2 yr range in her cognitive development, communication (very well understood, good pronounciation and extensive vocabulary), and social skills (shy but warms up easily and is interactive). The neurologist and doctors had no explanation for her miraculous recovery. Against all odds, she suffered no permanent damage.

So yes, I'm thankful each day that my child beat the odds, but I was also willing to accept the cards dealt me. I tear up everytime I see a special needs child, knowing very well that could have been my child. My heart goes out to those special parents that have a special child.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-30-2010, 11:24 PM
 
Location: Australia
1,492 posts, read 3,224,319 times
Reputation: 1723
I am thankful every day and on those days when I am angry or depressed or whatever, I try to catch myself and just take time out and to give thanks. I am a christian and I find great joy in my faith and great joy in the community in which I live. I have a lovely wife, beautiful kids. I live in a rich country.

It must be so so hard for families where there is a sick or disabled person. It seems to me that as a society we have forgotten compassion. The money isn't there for the social services and in fact there is almost a stigma attached to receiving government support.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Parenting
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top