http://prayingforparker.com Raising a Special Needs Kid in a Typical World Tue, 22 May 2012 12:52:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://prayingforparker.com/photos/comment-page-1/#comment-408723 Lorraine Mooney Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:56:55 +0000 http://www.prayingforparker.com/?page_id=821#comment-408723 While blog hopping on quilting sites I came across your blog and will put in some prayers for Parker. I have a 22 year old son (the youngest of 4 children). I have fought doctors, hospitals, school districts for years before moving to Virginia 4 1/2 years ago. For some reason here in Va. our son finally got all he was governmentally, educationally, and medically entitled to without a struggle. What a relief it has been. I know where you are coming from with your struggles and will pray for extra strength for you. My son Kevin is now 22 and aged out of school and within a few months should be in a sheltered workshop a few days a week. He lives in his own apartment under our supervision and the supervision of some respite care workers. ( The house we got in Virginia fortunately had a small apartment in it). Kevin can pretty much take care of himself and amuse himself. He even does some simple meal prep and cooking. Although speech escapes him he communicates easily with sign language and the help of an augmentive communication device that lets him say almost 400 preprogrammed words and phrases and switches to an alphabetical keyboard he can use to spell out anything that he wants to say that isn't already programmed. He reads, writes, does simple math and has a very happy life and constantly makes "friends" where ever he goes which is all over. I wish you the best with raising your precious Parker. Kevin was born with a hole in his heart and complete respiratory failure but the respiration cleared up in a rew days and within a year the heart hole closed on its own. We were so fortunate that he never required surgery. I send you a big hug and kudos for your attitude that Parker is a child first and foremost and will add your family often to my prayer list. Sincerely, Lorraine Mooney While blog hopping on quilting sites I came across your blog and will put in some prayers for Parker. I have a 22 year old son (the youngest of 4 children). I have fought doctors, hospitals, school districts for years before moving to Virginia 4 1/2 years ago. For some reason here in Va. our son finally got all he was governmentally, educationally, and medically entitled to without a struggle. What a relief it has been. I know where you are coming from with your struggles and will pray for extra strength for you. My son Kevin is now 22 and aged out of school and within a few months should be in a sheltered workshop a few days a week. He lives in his own apartment under our supervision and the supervision of some respite care workers. ( The house we got in Virginia fortunately had a small apartment in it). Kevin can pretty much take care of himself and amuse himself. He even does some simple meal prep and cooking. Although speech escapes him he communicates easily with sign language and the help of an augmentive communication device that lets him say almost 400 preprogrammed words and phrases and switches to an alphabetical keyboard he can use to spell out anything that he wants to say that isn’t already programmed. He reads, writes, does simple math and has a very happy life and constantly makes “friends” where ever he goes which is all over. I wish you the best with raising your precious Parker. Kevin was born with a hole in his heart and complete respiratory failure but the respiration cleared up in a rew days and within a year the heart hole closed on its own. We were so fortunate that he never required surgery. I send you a big hug and kudos for your attitude that Parker is a child first and foremost and will add your family often to my prayer list. Sincerely, Lorraine Mooney

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