In 2001 on my daughter's 21st birthday, despite our strained relationship, I offered to drive Lindsey the three-plus hours from the Willamette Valley, over the…
Category: Special Needs
Blog, Life Stories, Special Needs, Traveling
Mothers Hold Children’s Hands for a While—Or Sometimes Forever
When I co-owned a home décor business, one of the products featured in our catalog was a calligraphy sign that said: Mothers hold their children’s…
Blog, Life Stories, Recommended, Special Needs
How Disabled Individuals Can Save Without Penalizing Social Security Benefits
Our daughter has received Social Security Disability and Medicaid ever since she turned eighteen. The amount Lindsey receives has gone up over time, yet for…
Blog, Life Stories, Special Needs
Special Needs Recognition: Making A Difference in Her Community
Sometimes you meet a person in the world who deserves to be recognized. And last month, I met Lindsay Stephens. She is thirty-four, and although…
Blog, Life Stories, Special Needs
When A Daughter With Developmental Delays Becomes Combative
I've been quiet on the blog front for a very long time because shame is a powerful emotion. Many memoir workshop facilitators tell us to…
Blog, Life Stories, Special Needs
Good-bye Norma Jean: Thank You For Loving My Special Needs Daughter
“I’ve lost a good friend, a wonderful friend,” Lindsey (35) said upon hearing that longtime, Silverton resident Norma Jean had died. At 90, she still…
Blog, Life Stories, Special Needs
Dear Mr. Trump: A Letter From A Mother Whose Daughter Struggles With Her Own Special Needs
Dear Mr. Trump: I watched the CNN news clip of your recent Presidential campaign stop where you imitated the way you thought New York Times…
Blog, Life Stories, Special Needs
Kids Who Are Bullied Don’t Always Grow Up And Get Over It
One might think that kids who are bullied grow up and get over it, but my cousin says he remembers every shove, every taunt, every…