As a current Tutor/Teacher/Building Sustitute, I get to see all important three sides to many students. All of my student are in or hve some type of disability. If you ever hurt your big thumb and could not use it at all and your job depended on you, wht would you do? First thing you said probably, "wrap it up nd keep going" right? Well for you thats easy way out. Now think of that permanently affecting you nd you might not have ny muscle control t all. Are you getting the picture yet?

A little closer,; your child is normal right now, but what happens later when their memory goes. Paying attention in class now 40 minutes and drops to 5 minutes. Or get letters backwards in reading, typing, numbers backwords in math. Wht do you do? Well, for many parents this is every day.

My question to you can you learn how to help other kids who fight this everyday. I never plan this job I have now but destiny put me here by Volunteering many years ago {1984} to a tv show on Muscular Dystrophy. I have helped ever since. Now teaching.

So whats your thoughts on this

There are always solutions to every problem. If the solution is not already known, you simply need to step outside the box and look elsewhere. I know that sound simplistic, but that really is the only way to deal with new problems. If you have a child with a particular problem you need help with, it would be easier to give you possible solutions.

I have to applaud you - I know that I simply haven't got the intestinal fortitude to deal with the things afflicting students on a daily basis. I can see both sides of the mainstream question, but no really wise solution. However you manage to cope with having a number of kids with all different problems, I can only sit in awe of your strength of character. My cousin has severe cerebral palsy - impacts his walking, talking, eating, and more, but he has an amazing mind and great sense of humor. My niece had early-onset Huntington's Chorea, and I helped her mom care for her as she regressed, mentally and emotionally, to toddler-hood - she lost her abilty to walk and speak clearly about helf-way through her illness.

You sound almost angry or maybe discouraged. I understand these feelings because I have dealt with them over the years as a heatlh educator, guiding others through them, and going through them myself. In my own case, I had a stroke almost 2 years ago - I lost my job, was forced out of college because I couldn't pay for a medical exam. On top of this, I could no longer trust my brain - my most prized and valued organ - and have spent the past year struggling with the question of whether to attempt another program in graduate school. While I was dealing with the ramifications of the stroke, the MEd program I was taking was eliminated due to lack of interest and I still can't pay for the medical exam so that the college's disability office will help me to resolve the 25 units of graduate education with no degree. While I have been extremely lucky - my most noticeable deficit was the first 3 months, when I could not remember any basic words - I could identify a particular bone by name and anatomical position, but could not recall the simple term "finger." Lucky for me that both of my kids are adults and were able to translate for me...It has taken me a significant amount of work to deal with my worst issue: anger at God for letting this happen to me when I have tried so hard to maintain a healthy body for the past 50 years. Perhaps I should mention that I am a minister, and for ten years I used to handle the Youth Education program, which was always based on a lesson where a different kid each week would bring in 'something' and I would give a talk on the subject. The kids loved to try and stump the pastor, and I loved seeing what they would have in the box to stump me with. I can't do that any more. For now, I simply don't work with any church because it is too hard to face the constant reminders of what I used to do and be.

My point is not to make you, or anyone else, feel sorry for me. You need to know that there are people like me who know just exactly how much you do on a daily basis. There are so many tears of frustration that those children and their families shed, but there are occasionally those miraculous rainbow moments when a child beams with the pride of accomplishment. Others can't appreciate the moment as much as you, because you have seen the effort and struggle that has gone before. Treasure those moments. And be grateful that you have the ability to do such a vital job on an on-going basis. Brightest blessings upon you, and a wealth of rainbow moments in your future!