The Conference was unbelievable. I learned more there about so many things than I ever thought possible.
I plan on a more detailed entry but i just wanted to point out a couple of quick highlights.
The first thing was a realization on my part. Someone said something at the conference that for some reason, made me have, in Oprah terminology, an "Aha" moment. For the first time ever, I realized, despite how "non-severe" their needs might be, that I am the mother of 2 special needs children. Not every parent has to take their child to PT twice a week, or have a specialist come to their home bi-weekly. Not every parent has a child on 504 plan, or a child who has to be medicated every day to control seizures. Not every parent has to take their children for MRI's or EEG's or to a neurologist. It was kind of a profound moment for me, and one that I am not likely to ever forget.
The other highlight: I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Magi Bish. Magi Bish is the mother of Molly Bish, a life guard from Warren, MA who disappeared off of the beach she was working at, almost 6 years ago. My conversation with her moved me to tears. It wasn't really what we were talking about that moved me (although when she said in the years since Molly died (they found some of her remains a couple of years ago) she has realized that there is more goodness in the world than bad, I wondered how someone who has gone through the worst hell I can even imagine could have such a positive attitude), it was how she said what she said that brought me to tears. Her positive attitude, the work she and her husband are doing through the Molly Bish Foundation, and her amazing ability to turn such a horrible tragedy in to such a n amazing foundation were what did it. She was inspiring. And I hugged her and told her that she was. I wasn't the only one either.
Anyway, much more to follow in the days to come. I have so much I want to share but, for now, I am going to have something to eat and go to bed. I was up at 5:30 am today, and out of the house by 6, so I am tired.
Glad I read this! Those parents are extremely brave to be able to carry on! Each parent feels the pain for anything and everything that causes our children pain or unhappiness. I truly believe that a parent who losses a child thru illness or as these parents did are changed forever but it also reminds us all how fortunate we are to have are children no matter what.
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