Author Posts: Orange Socks
September 2019 Newsletter
My youngest daughter, who has Down syndrome, has just started her Senior year in high school. With her final year in high school, it has me thinking about her first days in school. My wife and I have now had many years of practice attending IEPs (Individualized...
August 2019 Newsletter
I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing Representative Cathy McMorris-Rogers (R-WA) and Brian Rogers about life with their son Cole with Down syndrome. They were a delight to work with, and I loved how much each of them advocate for disability...
Stacy and Terry: Cri Du Chat syndrome
Stacy said that her daughters have been a blessing from the beginning but that she had to adjust her thinking to a different path than what she had expected. Now they are just “Sydney and Logan. Stacy tells us, “They are actually easier to raise than my other two daughters who are non-delayed.” Despite the challenges they know it is worth it. “Everyone has problems, you just have to adjust…They are worth it. I wouldn’t give up anything. I love coming home…,” said Terry. He loves that his twin daughters still live at home and he gets about 20 hugs a day from them.
Cathy and Brian: Down Syndrome
Cathy McMorris Rodgers and her husband Brian Rodgers found out their son Cole had Down syndrome at his birth. “It was tough. The doctors laid out a lot of things and it was very difficult. The fear of the unknown is what is overwhelming in that moment. Go talk to other people, don’t make an isolated decision. Educate yourself, I remember when we go the news about Cole, that so much of it was focused on the negative. It was focused on what health issues he may have or other challenges. Rather than really being told what the potential was.”
July 2019 Newsletter
My kids often tease me about the “paint pants” I wear. I enjoy doing projects at home and most of my jeans can attest to that. Perhaps I should buy new pants, but aside from buying various orange socks, I don’t enjoy shopping for clothes. Shopping is already a...
June 2019 Newsletter
We live in a great age and I am grateful for bright motivated people who are using their talents to help those with communication challenges. I recently came across some information regarding a terrific use of artificial intelligence to help our...
Jessica and Chewy: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Jessica is a single mom and the parent of two boys, Britton and Chewy. Britton was born at 28 weeks gestation weighing only two pounds and 14 ounces. He is 13 years old now and has had many health challenges, including a stroke and brain bleed which has resulted in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
May 2019 Newsletter
Most of the time the arrival of a new baby is a joyous event to his or her parents. But, what if that baby has a disability? Is the welcome sign just as big, or is there hesitancy, or even shame? Raising any child has its challenges and the question can be asked about...
Resource: Disability Parenting When Your Partner Is Abusive
For this Good In Our Community feature, we're featuring Betrayal Trauma Recovery. This is a great resource for anyone that is parenting a child with disabilities and has a parter who is abusive. Here is a blog written by their founder, Anne Blythe: We all know women...
Nikki and Sean: OI- Brittle Bones
They told us they thought he had a form of dwarfism based on his femur length. His femurs are shortened and curved, which is a marker for other conditions. At 32 weeks we got the results back that it was Osteogenesis Imperfecta- also known as brittle bones.
April 2019 Newsletter
USA Today said that after proposing an $18 million cut to the Special Olympics program, United States Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, has reversed her course. President Trump also backed off cutting the funding, saying, "I just told my people I want to fund...
Natalie: Rett Syndrome and Facial Differences
“I held her and I cried and the nurse held me and from that moment on I said “I don’t care about anything else other than protecting her and doing whatever it takes to keep her happy and safe and loved.”
Orange Socks
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