Re: a parents perspective/photo

[Guest guest]

I think that poem is a very good analogy. I can't

really identify with it in our case since we " picked "

Micah, but it helps to explain how others may feel.

We were at a store recently where a woman works who

knew we were waiting for Micah to come home. As she

watched him run around with the other kids and play

she looked at me and said in a questioning manner, " I

thought he was special needs? " To which I replied,

" No, he's just special " .

I put a new picture in our photo album - " Eisele

Family " . The kids are now 5, 3, & 2.

:)April

--- How <reneehow@...> wrote:

> Hi all,

>

> I just read this email and had a couple of

> reactions.

> Please understand that these are just my opinions.

>

> I like the concept of Italy vs. Holland. We have 2

> kids, one with BPES and one without. Both have been

> entirely different than we would have ever imagined,

> somewhat like a fantasy vacation that is a little

> different than we'd planned.

>

> HOWEVER, BPES is not a disability. Anyone who tells

> you it is doesn't understand what constitutes a

> disability. My sister is disabled - profoundly. She

> is

> in her mid-30s and has the intellectual capacity of

> a

> 3 year old. She cannot remain potty trained with any

> consistency. She is confined to a wheel chair. She

> is

> disabled.

>

> My husband has BPES. When I met him I noticed there

> was something a little funny about his eye, and

> didn't

> think anything else about it. Most people don't even

> notice anything at all (I was just looking closely

> because I thought he was cute). His BPES is one

> rather

> insignificant element of who he is. He is the most

> wonderful, kind, caring, brilliant man I know. I

> wouldn't change a thing.

>

> Our son also has BPES. This means that he sees a

> doctor for his eyes more freqently than other

> children, and will need surgery at least once. Some

> people say " oh he's sleepy. " However, there is much

> more to him than his BPES.

>

> If anyone tells you your child is " disabled " because

> of BPES, they are really off base. There is a

> cosmetic

> issue with your child's eyes that may also include

> some vision issues, but it is not a disability.

> Please

> don't underestimate your child because of BPES.

>

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

> --- leah Forsyth <leahs_male@...> wrote:

>

> > This was sent to me by Sari, who also belongs to

> the

> > group.. Id just like to share cos i thought it was

> > pretty neat. Thanks Sari

> >

> >

> > I am often asked to describe the experience of

> > raising a child with a

> > disability - to try to help people who have not

> > shared that unique

> > experience to understand it, to imagine how it

> would

> > feel. It's like

> > this......

> >

> > When you're going to have a baby, it's like

> planning

> > a fabulous vacation

> > trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books

> and

> > make your wonderful

> > plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo . The

> > gondolas in Venice. You

> > may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all

> > very exciting.

> >

> > After months of eager anticipation, the day

> finally

> > arrives. You pack

> > your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the

> > plane lands. The

> > stewardess comes in and says, " Welcome to

> Holland. "

> >

> > " Holland?!? " you say. " What do you mean Holland??

> I

> > signed up for Italy!

> > I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've

> > dreamed of going to

> > Italy. "

> >

> > But there's been a change in the flight plan.

> > They've landed in Holland

> > and there you must stay.

> >

> > The important thing is that they haven't taken you

> > to a horrible,

> > disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence,

> famine

> > and disease. It's

> > just a different place.

> > So you must go out and buy new guide books. And

> you

> > must learn a whole

> > new language. And you will meet a whole new group

> of

> > people you would

> > never have met.

> > It's just a different place. It's slower-paced

> than

> > Italy, less flashy

> > than Italy. But after you've been there for a

> while

> > and you catch your

> > breath, you look around.... and you begin to

> notice

> > that Holland has

> > windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even

> > has Rembrandts.

> >

> > But everyone you know is busy coming and going

> from

> > Italy... and they're

> > all bragging about what a wonderful time they had

> > there. And for the

> > rest of your life, you will say " Yes, that's where

> I

> > was supposed to go.

> > That's what I had planned. "

> >

> > And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever

> go

> > away... because the

> > loss of that dream is a very very significant

> loss.

> >

> > But... if you spend your life mourning the fact

> that

> > you didn't get to

> > Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very

> > special, the very lovely

> > things ... about Holland.

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

> __________________________________

> - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005

> http://mail.

>

__________________________________

- PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005

http://mail.

[Guest guest]

Friend, your words are awesome. When I see your name on the message board, I always look forward to your amazing words.

karen mieritz