I seemed to overlook offering a welcome to the readers of my Special Needs Blogs. Better late then never is my motto–especially when it comes to parenting special needs children.
My name is Anna Glendenning and I am the mother of four children. My oldest Sean and Victoria (Tori) are nearly 23 and 22-year-old. I gave birth to both of them by way of cesarean section. Sean was born under emergency circumstances and in the NIC-ICU for several days following his birth. He had an infection, jaundice and some complications concerning his heart rate. I was a 20-year-old mother scared half to death and never really given all the information concerning his birth.
Fourteen months later Tori was born, originally scheduled as a planned cesarean she arrived 9-days early. Which is the story of her life; she has always made her own plans. In fact, the doctors had considered allowing a normal birth for her, but she insisted on being born feet first. Tori is my OCD child and she has suffered her fair share of anxiety over the years.
When Sean was 9-years-old he suffered a sledding accident and severed his left leg just below the knee. He also fractured his femur bone. The amazing doctor who was called to amputate decided instead to re-attach his leg and today, Sean has one size 13 and one size 14 foot. One leg a little longer then the other, below the knee and one leg a little longer then the other above the knee. He walks and he has to replace the clutch in his truck every few years due to the fact he has no feeling below his knee on the left leg, even though he thinks he does.
Dealing with a major traumatic injury was really my first adventure as a special needs mother. It is still by far the most traumatic experience of my parenting history and made me strong enough that when Tori was 18-years-old my husband and I adopted biological siblings through our state foster care system.
Makala was 5-years-old when I became her mother and Jeremiah celebrated his first birthday a few days after we brought them home. That was over 3 and half years ago and this experience has fully qualified me in every way as a special needs parent.
Little of Makala’s history was know when we became her forever parents. Today we still advocate all over two different states to have her special needs addressed. Our beautiful little girl was sexually abused before the age of four, is diagnosed with Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders, ADHD, and Reactive Attachment Disorder. She is about 75% of my daily prayer list and 100% of my attention. My hope is to live long enough to see her become everything she can possibly be.
Jeremiah was born drug affected. He has Obstructive Sleep Apnea, which is currently being treated and next week set an appointment for the removal of his tonsils. He is developmentally delayed and receives speech therapy. He suffers from anxiety, likely due to living in the chaos of a home with a sister who has the sever issues she does.
I am an at home mother, who writes on the side. I am retired Insurance Agent and an Insurance Blogger here at Families.com. I have created a website for other families who adopt or foster children who are in state care, and co-lead a support group for families in our area. I have written several Blogs on the topic of adoption and recently asked to spend some time writing about my experience as a Special Needs parent.
I love being a mother and consider it to be the most important job I will ever have. I have the attitude that parenting is about the relationship I WILL have with my children once they become adults. It is all about helping my children become the best adults they can become. Special needs or not I understand that hopefully I will know my children as adults much longer then I know them as my minor child. With this in mind I find I can make sensible choices for each of my four children.
Writing is something no one who knew me as a child would have ever expected I would do for a career. I am a left-handed, dyslexic, ADHD child who overcame because I just don’t give up. While sometimes, I still see a typo slip out here and there, overall I have learned to spell, sometimes however I tend to phrase things a bit awkward. But, that is fine with me as long as my message is understood. I was not able to read until the 5th grade and couldn’t spell until I forced myself to believe I could!
I take the same approach when advocating for the needs of my children. I simply do not give up and will make sure they have what they need to become adults I want to know and spend my old age pestering.
So that is my introduction and sorry it is late! Welcome to anyone who might be reading my Blogs. Thank you and please feel free to PM me on the forum or leave comments on my Blogs.