In Order To Tell You How This Website Came About, I Need To Tell You My Story!
At twenty-five years of age (seems like a lifetime ago), I had written and published my first book "Jeremiah" and spent the next two years on the road increasing awareness with reference to the handicapped and their families. I was known as a professional speaker and advocate for "exceptional" children and spent many years working with Municipal, Provincial and Federal governments, schools and 'special care' facilities, as well as other organizations on their behalf.
Our own children are incredible, miraculous individuals, who have taught us more about courage, perseverance, patience, hope and love than we could have learned in a lifetime without them. They are all truly courageous, wonderful and talented individuals!
For those of you who know me personally, you know that I have three
adult
children, as well as a ten year old grandson. Sherry, my oldest
daughter, was
just recently diagnosed with a life-threatening debilitating disease.
We're
still reeling from and learning to deal with this latest news. Our
middle son
Jeremiah was born prematurely and was subsequently diagnosed with
Cerebral
Palsy, which in his case includes physical, social, developmental and
mental
handicaps. Jeremiah is considered 'total care' and functions somewhere
between
the ages of 6 and 11 months of age. That also means that he is
non-ambulatory,
non-verbal, diapered and unable to feed or dress himself - the full
gamut. Our
youngest son Jonathan, at the age of nineteen, was in a severe car
accident
just two months after Jeremiah was placed in a private, full care
facility and
to this day is still fighting his way back to total health.
With Jeremiah, physical and occupational therapy sessions were part of
my
everyday life, as well as the multitude of other components associated
with
advocating and taking care of an individual who can't fight for their
own
rights and/or take care of themselves. Being a full-time caretaker made
me appreciate
the enormity of what full health and total wellness is all about. My
certifications were a natural extension of the areas of expertise that
I had
already spent innumerable years studying and investigating. Believe me,
health
is a big, big deal in our family!!