Scrambled or Fried?

Empower.  This word means different things but to Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC), it means we promote the “self-actualization or influence of” the individuals we serve with developmental disabilities.

Imagine you have been stricken with a bizarre disease that causes you two weeks of paralysis.  You cannot move any part of your body, and you cannot speak. You are completely reliant on someone else to see to your needs; now, think about what is important for you.  Maybe it is that you’re kept safe, your health issues are addressed, and for survival purposes, you are properly fed.  What is important to you?  In other words, what helps you feel satisfied or fulfilled?  What makes you comfortable or happy?  Perhaps you enjoy fresh air and being outdoors.  Perhaps you like to wake up late in the morning, have a cup of coffee with your newspaper, then enjoy a breakfast of fried eggs, over easy, and ease into starting your day.  This routine is a comfortable and leaves you content as you start the day.

Okay, now, you have this disease and someone will take care of you for two weeks while you are totally paralyzed.  He or she ensures that what is important for you is in place:  you’re kept safe from harm; you are fed three times a day; and you get whatever medications you need to see this condition through to its end.  But what about what’s important to you?  The person taking care of you wakes you up at the crack of chickens, hollering in a fake chipper voice, “Rise and shine!”  Then you are pulled out of bed and plopped into a chair in front of a TV where you remain for the balance of your entire day; one spot, inside, all day, because frankly, there are other people with the same disease your caretaker has to take care of as well.  You are given your medications with orange juice (because it’s “healthier for you”), and fed a breakfast of runny scrambled eggs before you get your newspaper.  Oh, the newspaper, the subscription for which you paid, is in the other room in a shambles because your caretaker was scouring it for extra coupons.

Is this person caring for you taking into consideration of what is important for you?  You are safe in a chair out of harm’s way.  You received your medications for the day and breakfast too.  Did the person consider what is important to you? 

The problem with this scenario is no one asked you before or even after the paralyzing disease took hold “what is important to you.” 

No one asked you how you like your eggs, or what you like to drink with breakfast; and while your caretaker enjoys Judge Judy and Montel, s/he did not bother asking you if you did before leaving you in front of the TV to watch all day. Given you are paralyzed, you cannot hold the newspaper anyway, so it is no big deal she rummaged through it to get that extra coupon for the Macy’s sale and clip out a recipe she wants to try. Yet, what is important to you is what time you get up in the morning, that you have your caffeine, catch up on the latest news and ease into your day with a walk and fresh air.  What is important to you was not important enough to your caretaker to bother asking you; or even to give you some choices you could in some subtle way clue her in on about what makes you happy and fulfilled.

Wendell Foster’s Campus and its staff focuses our efforts to better understand what is important to the individuals we serve, by finding out from them and their loved ones what makes them happy and fulfilled.  Focusing on each individual, not only what important is for him or her (service centered) but also what is important to him or her (person-centered) allows the potential for the individual to live a greater quality of life.  This task challenges our staff, especially when those we serve cannot verbally communicate with us their interests and personal desires.  Sometimes, we even have to surmise personality traits based on history and guess until we get it right.   Together with concerted effort, diligent attention to the subtleties of body language, good ole-fashioned trial and error, and a commitment to see this discovery process through with energy, time and resources, we have figured it out and are seeing results.  Historically, WFC has done a great job of meeting each individual’s needs; however, staff is now more consciously exploring what uniquely is important to him or her, even if these things are not easily communicated.

Case in point:  Brad.  The staff in Centre Pointe’s Cottage C started this very process over a year ago.  They quickly learned it takes time, focused energy, and a commitment to placing what is important to the individual first.  Once they figured this out, the results were amazing and even surprising to everyone who knows Brad.

In the Next Blog Entry:  Hear Me When I Can't Speak - "When troubled or restless, Brad would express his frustration by pacing constantly, make vocalization sounds. . . . . Brad is not the same man he was over a year earlier."

We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
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Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

I AM NOT My Body

You and I look at other people every day and vice versa, and we size each other up based on what we see in that slice of time through our own perceptual filter, often clogged with our own stuff:  personal self-image, past experiences, and belief systems developed through social, cultural, religious, gender, and familial influences.  I have learned that anyone, me included, deciding on whom someone is, especially someone with a developmental disability based on the first impression, or deciding what he or she is capable of doing commits a grave mistake.  Did not American Idol’s Simon Cowell deciding upon seeing a frumpy Susan Boyle her audition was going to be a waste of time realize his mistake when she belted her song with a voice that came from out of nowhere?  How often we do this to others in our everyday lives?

 

Many look at the individuals we serve on Campus through our residential and outpatient therapy programs and only see their physical disabilities and what they “can’t” do; however, their bodies do not define who they are!  Each person has a unique story, experiences unlike anything you and I can even imagine.  They also have personal interests, desires, goals, dreams, just like you and me.  The only difference is we see these individuals’ “story” depicted more clearly  through the physiological appearance of their bodies, which tends to make the sub-story of who they really seemingly invisible.  Their physical appearances only tell part of a story:

·         A young man physically abused as a child.

·         A young man suffered a head injury from a skateboard accident.

·         A young man carried during pregnancy by a mother addicted to drugs.

·         A young boy deprived of oxygen for two minutes during an emergency premature birth.

·         A young woman violently shaken as an infant.

·         A young woman abandoned by her parents after learning she had cerebral palsy.

We all have a history that influences us in who and how we present ourselves to the world; but that history does not DEFINE who we are unless we let it.  We cannot possibly see or know the whole person in one quick glance or meeting.  The unique bodies, awkward muscular movements, slumped-over heads, and/or unintelligible verbal communication depicts only a part of the sum of an individual, just as a frumpy overweight and seemingly unkempt physical appearance only depicted a part of the sum of Susan Boyle.  Unfortunately, we as a society still tends to discount individuals with disabilities, dismissing them as inept and/or unable based on a brief encounter and a whole lot of assumption.

I recently spoke to an elderly neighbor who said when he learned I worked with WFC, “That’s a sad place; those are sad people.”  This outdated opinion could not be further from the truth! Denise and Zach actively volunteer within our community!  Gary, Lonnie and Brad work out in local gyms!  Bryant (pictured below) continues his education online, and another Gary keeps his eye on the riverfront work and socializes all over town!  Roger and Shelly advocate for street safety for those in wheelchairs with the city!

Our Campus individuals have more courage and determination to live life than I do some days.  We at Wendell Foster’s Campus work to ensure the empowerment of each individual with developmental disabilities who lives on and off Campus.   We take seriously our mission statement of empowering these individuals in realizing their dreams and their potential, and we reaffirmed our promise to continue ensuring those we serve do not simply “get by” in life but “thrive” by providing them the opportunity to enjoy a quality of life that reflects who they are beneath the physical disabilities.

Over the next several months, Unique Bodies~Determined Souls will share the stories of how Wendell Foster’s Campus is keeping our promises to the amazing individuals we serve.   WFC and its staff are challenging ourselves to broaden our perspective and deepen our understanding of each individual we serve by learning more about what is important to him or her. 

And, it is through this effort we are seeing our residents take ownership to becoming more independent, greater self-advocates, more active members within our community, and living even  more fulfilling lives!

In the Next Blog Entry:  Scrambled or Fried - "The person taking care of you wakes you up at the crack of chickens, hollering in a fake chipper voice, “Rise and shine!” Then you are pulled out of bed and plopped into a chair in front of a TV. . . . .   "

We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

Keeping Our Promises

Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC) hosted its Annual Auction and Benefit Dinner in September, a fundraising event we have held for the past nine years.  This event, and its theme of “Keeping Promises,” is a huge undertaking for our staff that begins several months before it happens.  I am continuously amazed and touched by the support our Owensboro community gives to this effort.  In addition to several businesses that sponsor the event, well over two-hundred businesses and individuals donate incredible items valued from $15 to $1500 to our silent and live auctions.  Over 420 people attend the benefit held at the Owensboro Sportscenter that transforms into a beautiful setting supporting our theme.  Countless hours go into finalizing details during the few weeks and days before the event; and the payoff is worth it.  Everyone, staff included has a good time, and the generosity that flows during the auctions bring tears of pride to one’s eyes.  The enthusiastic support for WFC and keeping our promises to the individuals we serve is overwhelming to the heart.

WFC’s “Keeping Promises” continues long after the event.   In an advertising campaign launched in September, we share how WFC and this community are keeping our promises to those with developmental disabilities through advertisements, radio and TV spots, and billboards.  You may have already seen the faces of people who benefit from our efforts to support and empower them to reach their potential.   WFC has fulfilled this mission since 1947, and within the past year is increasing its efforts to a new meaningful level through a concept of “person-centered” service.  The truth is Wendell Foster’s Campus and its staff have consistently committed themselves to empowering individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) for decades.  In fact, it has been the best-kept secret in town; but not anymore!  The Owensboro community will meet the people we serve, men and women such as Denise, Josh and Gary.

Owensboro will meet Denise who had no voice, but loves to talk and now can, thanks to the generosity of donors attending the 2010 Auction and Benefit Dinner.  When Denise arrived in 2008, she communicated with only her eyes, but made the request of WFC to help her find a better way to “talk” with and to people.  WFC and our speech therapy department kept that promise.  Today, Denise communicates what is on her mind through a computer communication device that utilizes her eyes to select what she wants to say.  She shares her witty sense of humor, and volunteers to read to elementary and preschool children in town.

Josh is a young man with a vibrant personality, and as a social butterfly, he loves meeting people.  Josh also loves photography, capturing a point of view from his wheelchair that gives others a fresh new perspective through his lens.  After Josh graduated from high school, WFC renewed its promise to support him in becoming an active and contributing adult in our community.  Josh volunteers at our front reception desk, and helps manage our on-Campus recycling program.  He is also the caretaker of his Cottage’s raised-garden box, and recently started a new job with Hugh E. Sandefur Industries.

Gary’s history with Wendell Foster’s Campus began when he was seven years old, arriving into the care of Mr. and Mrs. Foster in 1953. His goal?  Independence.  In 1982, Gary moved into his own home for many years before returning to WFC in 2008.  He moves around town in his wheelchair, from the south end for lunch at Show Me’s restaurant to the north end to check out the riverfront reconstruction.  Gary (seen above in photo by Gary Emord-Netzley of Messenger-Inquirer) knows everyone in town, and everyone knows Gary because WFC kept its promise to empower him in his mobility and ability to remain an active member of our community.

Wendell Foster’s Campus is not just keeping our promises to those we serve with developmental disabilities.  We are also keeping our promises to a community who supports and generously donates to our efforts for over the last six decades.  More importantly, we the staff and board members are keeping our promise to Wendell and Edith Foster to continue their life’s legacy: the commitment to their vision and dream of supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.

While our Campus has greatly changed over the years, our staff and board stay the course in fulfilling our mission to empower individuals with developmental disabilities in reaching their dreams and their potential.  Today, we renew our commitment and promise to focus our efforts more on each individual, and his and her uniqueness in order to bring forth even more their potential.  In doing so, we open up even more possibilities for them  to create an even greater quality of life.

In the Next Blog Entry:  I AM Not My Body - ". . . we see these individuals’ “story” depicted more clearly through the physiological appearance of their bodies . . . . Their physical appearances only tell part of a story:  . . . . . physically abused as a child. . . . . suffered a head injury . . .  carried in pregnancy by a mother addicted to drugs. . . . "

We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

I invite you to consider what your handicap is in this life.  “What?” you respond?  “I don’t have a handicap!”  Maybe.  Maybe not.  We all have something that blocks our being all that we can be (which is not just for the Marines!), and doing what we want to do, achieving what we desire the most in life.  Handicaps do not only come in physical form.  A negative attitude handicaps one’s efforts to succeed in or even enjoy one’s job.  Conflicted thinking and actions handicap one’s efforts to lose weight.  “I can’t” handicaps someone who wants to do something really out of their comfort zone, something wild and out there.

As the father of Mike Berkson says, “We all have a wheelchair.”

Wendell Foster’s Campus for Developmental Disabilities recently enjoyed the honor and pleasure of meeting and hosting Handicap This!, and its crew Mike Berkson, Tim Wambach, Dennis Berkson, and Chris Bachmann.  Handicap This! offers a provocative stage performance that tells an incredible story of how two men, Mike and Tim, become friends.  It stirs the senses, challenges your thinking and awakens your attitude while motivating and inspiring by example to live your life as a better you.  Mike was born with cerebral palsy (CP) and defied a doctor’s “prognosis” that he would be unable to do much, much less be able to speak.  By age three, Mike’s expansive vocabulary prompted a visit to the doctor at which time, with a little urging from his mom, Mike told the medical professional, “Quit your day job.”  Mike’s sharp wit, intelligence, and sense of humor detract one’s attention from the physical challenges CP creates within his body.  Mike and Tim develop a friendship over “spilt Taco Bell” which is the beginning of their wild adventure together.  In the show, they personally share their ups and their downs over the last ten years and the lesson learned that no matter the physical, mental or emotional handicap, living life happens through improvisation and adaptation in order to overcome any challenge.  Consider it a less sappy version of Julie Andrews’ Climb Every Mountain.

Over 1100 middle and high school students from mainstream classes and those with special needs attended a school performance of Handicap This! at the RiverPark Center in Owensboro, KY.  WFC’s goal was to educate young people to see past physical appearances and understand the person within the unique body.  Think it is a crazy idea getting this many adolescents together in a room to watch a guy in a wheelchair get his friend to play dead and do somersaults?  After the show, one teacher confided her dread of bringing her students to this performance; yet, she marveled at how teenaged restlessness morphed into a quiet and engaged audience as they intently watched and listened to Mike and Tim share their stories.

Another teacher of students with special needs shared this amazing story that leaves anyone on a mission to change lives (and the world) with goose bumps filled with hopeful possibility:  “. . . ironically, right before the show started, several 8^th grade students sitting behind us made a derogatory comment about my students who were sitting in wheelchairs. After the performance was over, the four of them apologized to my students and me. I could tell their apology was heartfelt and the performance made an impact on them.”

During a Q & A following the public performance, Mike shared his point of view and personal preference for the word “handicap” over the word “disabled.”  For Mike, “disabled” sounded permanent in its limitations.  Merriam-Webster defines “disabled” as being incapacitated in such a way that limits activity.  On the other hand, the word “handicap” reflects room for possibility.  For example, horseracing “handicaps” successfully winning horses with additional weight to their saddles to “even the field” so horses with lesser success (or ability) have a chance to win, thus varying the odds.   The handicap places the successful horse at a disadvantage designed to making its achievement at winning a race unusually difficult; however, its possibility of winning still remains.  Mike states emphatically, “I never dwell on my limitations.  Instead, I ponder unlimited possibilities.”

Mike and Tim master their handicaps by living and teaching their motto, “Improvise.  Adapt. Overcome.”  One teacher witnessed the possibility of teens overcoming their handicap of ignorance to realizing those in wheelchairs are people with feelings just as fragile as their own.  Handicap This! gently dispels barriers as Tim and Mike poignantly share their own unique flavor of personal handicaps in life.  When we strip away the physical aspect of the human body, we reveal the human spirit and realize that no matter the handicap, the potential within each one of us is the same.

So get over your handicap.  Improvise!  Adapt!  Overcome!  If Mike, and countless others living life from a wheelchair can do it, so can you and I walking tall on our own two legs.

In the Next Blog Entry:  Keeping Our Promises - ". . . meet Denise who had no voice . . . . . Josh graduated from high school, WFC renewed its promise to support him in becoming an active and contributing adult in our community. . . . . . Gary’s history with Wendell Foster’s Campus began when he was seven years old . . . . arriving into the care of Mr. and Mrs. Foster in 1953. . . . ."

We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

Flash Mobs, Cabbage & Serenades

When you bring together a unique group of individuals that bring their unique personalities, you never know what you can expect.  From the staff to those we serve here on Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC), we know how to keep life fun and interesting.  One can always find juicy experiences that break up the monotony of work.

One pretty spring day, a little staff birdie pops into my office to alert me to a photo op in front of the building.  I find Josh holding a long yellow plastic pole cover while Ronnie, a maintenance staff member works on the actual pole it covers.  Josh seemed happy as a lark to be helping Ronnie out, grinning from ear to ear.  He also enjoyed the ribbing Mark gave him about supervising Ronnie’s handiwork.  Josh loved the attention and appreciated helping out on Campus when he can.

Occasionally, I will take a break to roam the Campus and see what is going on, always armed with my camera.  One day I wandered into the Green Therapy Pavilion (CORF) where music was blaring from the open work area.  Upon further investigation, I found twenty or more people participating in a Friday Flash Mob!  Therapists, therapy assistants, DSP’s, outpatients, and residents were dancing to a Wii dance video! Evidently, CORF has these dance flash mobs every Friday at 2 p.m. as a way to celebrate the week’s end.  In fact, several residents look forward to them, making sure they are there before it starts.  The following week I returned with video camera in hand to catch the action.  What a fun way to end the week!
 
Then, there was John’s cabbage harvest. Cottage C planted a raised-garden box this summer in which they grew watermelon, tomatoes and cabbage. John, a Cottage C resident, loves coleslaw, so staff earmarked the cabbage “crop” for John. After watching and nurturing its produce to maturity, the time came for harvesting. With a little help, John cut the first cabbage head of the season, then took it from the garden to the kitchen to ensure it transformed into creamy coleslaw, which he did with a little help from Stacy, his Direct Support Professional (DSP). John enjoyed the fruit of his efforts, literally from start (seed) to finish (dining on coleslaw!). 

One morning, I heard someone in the hallway loudly singing out, “An-jay!”  Rather unusual from the usual morning hall noise, I grabbed my cameras and followed the musical sound to investigate.  Upon entering the break area, I find Joey (photographed here with his "muse," Angie) sitting in his wheelchair near a table where three staff members sat, notably one named Angie.  Joey continued his serenade, calling out Angie’s name similar to how Romeo would call out Juliet’s, minus the romantic pining tone.  Evidently, Joey was expressing his fondness for Angie by “pestering” her, much as a little brother would his sister.  It was working, and Joey knew it because Angie was red with embarrassment at the attention and laughing, which only fueled Joey’s serenade more.  When I turned on the video camera to capture the scene, this Adam Sandler fan stopped, looked into the camera and launched into an introduction, announcing who he was, where he was, and what he was doing before relentlessly resuming his loving harassment of Angie.  What a spectacle!  Everyone in the break area was cracking up, and Joey loved it.  When a different staff member moved through the area, Joey switched up his serenade to use their name:  “Angie! Angie!  Richie!  Anna!  Angie!”  This young man beamed with joy and amusement as he won his audience’s favor with his entertaining antics.

These are only but a few of the many gold nuggets found here on WFC.  Amazingly, many still believe this is a gloom and doom kind of place, a “sad place” as one person once said to me.  Wendell Foster’s Campus is anything but sad!  Sometimes upon meeting our folks, people struggle to get past the physical appearances that cerebral palsy causes in their bodies; but with a willingness to look beyond the surface, anyone can come to know their unique and beautiful personalities. Our staff works hard to serve those who live on our Campus.  Just with any job, there are up and down days, but we become an active part of our Campus members’ lives, and vice versa. 
Many say we are a blessing to the individuals we serve with developmental disabilities.  Quite honestly, I believe we the staff are the ones truly blessed by their presence in our lives.

In the Next Blog Entry:  Improvise.  Adapt.  Overcome. - "Another teacher of students with special needs shared this amazing story . . . . . "ironically, right before the show started, several 8^th grade students sitting behind us made a derogatory comment about my students who were sitting in wheelchairs. . . . ."

We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

I Count!

Life on Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC) is anything but dull.  Something interesting is always going on which keeps me busy in my task of keeping up with all that is happening.  Be they birthday celebrations, monumental milestones, Campus-wide activities or individual antics, you can bet I will be there with my camera in hand.

One day I learned a representative from the U.S. Census Bureau (USCB) was on Campus conducting interviews of a cross-section of our Campus members for their American Community Survey.  This survey collects information about the social and economic needs within the overall community, and which is used when assessing the need for new schools or improved emergency services.  With residents’ permission, I observed the interviews in which some of the answers seemed to startle the USCB rep.  Bryant shared to the interviewer’s surprise that he knew several languages.  A couple of staff members put Jeffrey up to no good, telling him that when asked his name to respond “Trouble!”  Always game for a good joke, Jeffrey did just that to his and the staffers’ delight.  Fortunately, the USCB rep had a great sense of humor.  Fun aside, it was wonderful to know that our Campus members were not overlooked when it comes to the Census Bureau’s work.  

Did you know several of our residents vote?  It never occurred to me that some would, but several most certainly did during the Primary this past May. WFC actually hosts a voting poll on site, which brings people in this precinct to our Campus (if they choose to exercise their right to vote).   I received word that Shelly and her Direct Support Provider were checking in to vote if I wanted to get a photo, which I did with permission of the poll workers and Shelly.  I learned voters have a right to assistance when voting with several requirements in place, obviously to ensure no foul play or external influence is taking place in the process.  Many Campus members, such as Shelly, have severe extensor tone in their arms and hands, therefore, limiting their ability to press buttons, work with touch screens, or grasp levers.  Several of our residents exercised their right to vote that day which left me feeling simultaneously in awe and annoyed.  Despite living life amidst the greatest of physical challenges, these men and women took the time, the energy and the effort to have their voice heard through their vote, and to contribute to the future of our country.  My annoyance stems from the fact that many able-bodied individuals do not always care enough to make the effort, especially considering that only less than 12% of our state’s nearly three million voters came out for this May 2012 primary. And in Daviess County?  Only 7,989 voters out of 66,883 voted!  I know Roger, Shelly, Mary, Butch, Eric, Marilyn and Gary to name a few made their vote count!

Our Campus and its constituents tend to be “forgotten” by the general population, and worse, many seem surprised that they exercise their rights as U.S. Citizens.  When I shared with a few people the story of the Census Bureau conducting survey interviews, or that several voted in the Primary, most were surprised.  “Why not?” I said to one person, “They are U.S. Citizens.  Why wouldn’t they have the same rights as you and me?”  After all, they live in our community; and they have needs for healthcare, education, and other community services provided to people without cerebral palsy.  They also have sharp minds and strong opinions about who should run our county, state and federal governments!

Yes, WFC peeps most certainly count!

In the Next Blog Entry:  ". . . Joey continued his serenade, calling out Angie’s name similar to Romeo would call out Juliet’s, minus the romantic pining tone. . . . Angie was laughing while red with embarrassment at the attention . . . . "

We want to hear from you!  Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email!  Follow our blog!  Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors).  Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus.  Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

Got Voice?

Unique Bodies~Determined Souls will be reposting through October some of it's most popular blog chapters from the past year since its inception while on a hiatus. We will return with new blog chapters about the individuals we serve who are breaking free of limitations and their "disability" to express and live more fully in their "ability" within the community.

If you find these popular blog chapters touching and inspiring, please share with others who may enjoy knowing about Wendell Foster's Campus and the people we serve. And as always, thank you for reading!

Today’s blog chapter contains contributions from Karissa Riter, a speech therapist with Wendell Foster’s Campus’ outpatient facility for eleven years.

Imagine you cannot speak. You have no way to say what you need or want: a drink of water; food; that you hurt. You cannot verbally tell someone your name or ask anyone how he or she is doing. You must use another means of communication, perhaps gestures or sign language; or maybe it’s a language all your own, developed between you and your caretaker or family member over the years. You may even be able to write it down, but what if you have cerebral palsy? You may be unable to do so. Perhaps you use body language, such as gestures; but what if you can’t move any part of your body?

First, you’d have to gain someone’s attention; remember, you can’t speak and you have limited movement. You may be able to vocalize with a loud sound from the throat that may sound like a cry or yell which should gain a caregiver’s attention. Oh, and you communicate only through eye movement to answer “yes” or “no” questions; eyes/eyebrows looking up means “yes” and eyes/eyebrows looking down means “no.” The caregiver comes over, and so begins the twenty, thirty, fifty questions that become part of the guessing game to figuring out what you need or want. Do you want to talk about hygiene? “No.” Do you want to talk about activities? “No.”Do you want to talk about food and drink?” “Yes!” Progress! Well, yes and no, because now we start a new game of twenty plus questions as the caregiver goes through the list of food and drink items until s/he guesses the correct one to generate a “yes.”
 

Do you think that would be frustrating or aggravating? Would your patience be tried? For someone who doesn’t have a voice of his or her own, it would indeed. Meet Denise.

Denise arrived to Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC) in 2008 after living in Texas where she still has family. An Owensboro native, Denise returned home to be closer to her sister and nephews. She arrived to WFC lying in a wheelchair on her stomach; she literally faces the world head on every day! Denise’s only communication: eye gazes indicating “yes” and “no” responses. She’d never told her nephews or any of her family members that she loved them. Karissa Riter, her speech therapist, first met Denise through a video which was provided from Denise’s previous residential home in Texas. Karissa’s first concern anytime she meets a new patient is “how do they communicate?” Through this video, she learned about Denise’s eye gazes, but also that she had a communication book which required assistance from her communication partner. When all else failed, Denise would wear a head band with a laser pointer attached and point to the object which she trying to communicate in the book. Tiring. Frustrating. Time-consuming.

Denise let Karissa know upon her arrival what she wanted: an easier way to communicate. Communication devices were available but to operate it, one uses a finger or knuckle to press a menu panel to select the topic or phrase desired to activate the device to “speak” the selection aloud. Because of the unique wheelchair design and Denise’s severely limited mobility, creativity was required so she could access a communication device that didn’t require touch to make it talk for her. A unique new device became available shortly after Denise’s arrival to WFC. This device contained a built-in camera that scans the user’s eyes which maneuvers a mouse on its screen. If there was a body part Denise could control and use the best, it was her eyes! Suddenly, her communication possibilities are limitless!

Denise took to her communication device like a duck to water! She tells anyone who’ll listen about her family and how she feels. Denise socializes to find out what you’ve been up to, how the weekend was, and even shares the latest Campus gossip. And the jokes! An outgoing and fun gal, Denise even expresses her wicked sense of humor through her device. She even volunteers reading to local elementary students, and now, says to her nephews “I love you.”

Denise’s personality shines brightly through her newfound “voice,”a beautiful spirit she shares freely with everyone she meets. Through my few observations, I enjoy the opportunity to meet and get to know her better.

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“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

Here Batter Batter!

Unique Bodies~Determined Souls will be reposting through October some of it's most popular blog chapters from the past year since its inception while on a hiatus. We will return with new blog chapters about the individuals we serve who are breaking free of limitations and their "disability" to express and live more fully in their "ability" within the community.

If you find these popular blog chapters touching and inspiring, please share with others who may enjoy knowing about Wendell Foster's Campus and the people we serve. And as always, thank you for reading!

“Play Ball!” Nick announced upon arrival to his physical therapy (PT) session at the Green Therapy Pavilion he’d signed up to play T-ball this summer and is ready to take the field! Previous PT sessions included teaching and even practicing T-ball skills.

Now, listen, I watched my nephews play T-ball. They approached the T-stand bat in hand to swing at the ball sitting on the tee. Chaos ensues as a dozen or more four to six-year-olds run around in utter confusion. Watching Nick practice with Sue, his physical therapist, made me realize there’s more to T-ball than what I just described if kiddos are coached well. More importantly in Nick’s case, he must understand how to handle himself physically in order to prepare for the physical demands of the sport.

Previously, Nick ran the bases in a haphazard direction within “our playing field.” After showing him once how to run the correct sequence of bases from first around to home plate, Nick had it down after a trial run. In today’s session, we work on new facets of the game. As Mimi comes up to bat, Sue shows Nicholas how to prepare as an outfielder for the batter’s hit: head up, keep eyes on the batter, and knees slightly bent to be on the ready to go after the ball. This effort facilitates the management of his balance challenges. For weeks, Sue has been working with Nicholas to squat v. sit on his knees during activities. I recently learned that only two years earlier, Nicholas couldn’t walk without holding someone’s hand! Today, he not only walks without assistance, he runs! Once again awe-struck, I’m convinced of the power of early therapeutic intervention. Nick manages his crouching position well as he defends his field position; although by the end of our “game,” Nick’s showing signs of tiring, and becomes a little less diligent about the mechanics. The practice helps him build his stamina and strength.

Another facet of play involves being a team player. I remember T-ball kids letting the ball go by them, getting the ball and hanging on to it, and/or throwing the ball in a direction that made no sense to the play in motion. Yes, they were four-, five- and six-year-olds, but I don’t sense Nick will be one of those kids. If anything, Nicholas will most likely be giving orders like a team manager about what to do! Sue teaches Nicholas to throw the ball to another team player who is closer to the base runner so that person can tag him out. Previously, our play involved Nick or any one of us chasing the base runner around the bases. This new technique builds Nick’s coordination and throwing precision. We practice team work. Mimi makes the hit and Nick throws the ball to Sue who attempts to tag Mimi out. We practice this play several times as each of us take our turn at bat.

More significantly, Nicholas catches the ball. An earlier PT session involved bouncing a larger ball to Nick for him to catch. Cerebral palsy (CP) sometimes causes a movement pattern called extensor tone, causing the individual to respond in a reflexive stiffening reaction to touch. In Nick’s case, he jerkily recoils whenever anything comes towards his face or body. Nick struggles to catch the large ball the first few times, rearing his head and sometimes, his whole body backward in this extensor tone response. Sue directs him to keep his head down and eyes on the ball as he catches it. Mimi and I chuckle as Nick intently follows Sue’s instructions by lowering his head down, eyes to the floor as he waits to catch the ball rather than upon catching it. Eventually, Nicholas masters the move, and with time, that CP reaction will work itself out to become more manageable. It takes baby steps and I have no doubt Nick will get there.

Back to the game at hand: The T-ball comes to me, and I pass it off to Nicholas so he may tag Sue for the out since he’s closer to her. Viola! Nicholas catches the small ball easily and makes the out!! In another play, he gets the ball and passes it off to Mimi who makes the out. All three of us cheer, remarking how well he did at passing and catching the ball - very focused and controlled to its intended recipient. And his catches were without a mitt! Adding the mitt to this process will be another next step in Nick’s readiness for T-ball.

Miss Sue and I can’t wait to watch him play T-ball this summer on the field! We may witness chaos of which Nicholas may contribute, but we’ll be proud to witness his T-ball goal manifest.

We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

Chucky Cheese or BUST!

Unique Bodies~Determined Souls will be reposting through October some of it's most popular blog chapters from the past year since its inception while on a hiatus. We will return with new blog chapters about the individuals we serve who are breaking free of limitations and their "disability" to express and live more fully in their "ability" within the community.

If you find these popular blog chapters touching and inspiring, please share with others who may enjoy knowing about Wendell Foster's Campus and the people we serve. And as always, thank you for reading!

When I first meet Nicholas, he’s helping Sue Carder, a physical therapist with Wendell Foster’s Campus’ (WFC) outpatient rehab facility (CORF), make copies by pushing the “copy” button on the machine. Sue introduces me to Nicholas, telling him that I will be observing him
in his physical therapy (PT) sessions. Upon introduction, I offer my hand to Nick, which he takes and asks if my name is Carolyn, as if he’s logging the information in a databank. In this first exchange I notice Nick’s speech impairment. His grandmother Mimi stands close by and “translates” his slurred pronunciation to be sure I understood what he asked. Sometimes you can make out what he’s saying, other times not so much. I learn Nick also takes speech therapy which follows his PT appointment, and thus, I am invited to observe both therapy sessions for a few weeks.
Sue has worked as a physical therapist for thirty-two years, fourteen of those with CORF. Before clients start therapy, evaluations are conducted to assess their abilities and challenges, to discuss client and/or family goals they seek to achieve through therapy, and then to develop a plan. Nicholas began physical therapy at CORF three years ago. At this time, he wore braces on his legs that helped support him in standing. He couldn’t walk without them or without holding on to someone’s hand or something. Today, Nicholas wears no braces (removed in 2011) and walks, even runs without any assistance!

Nicholas is an amazing little boy with a charming personality. Despite all odds, he has overcome a great deal to be the active little boy with determined goals to play T-ball in the spring and eating a meal at Chucky Cheese one day. Nicholas’ curiosity easily distracts him during his physical therapy sessions. Active and ready to go, he’s eager to learn, to do, and to be. A country boy that likes to keep up with his big brother Jake, Nicholas abounds with energy, never one for sitting still. He believes he can do anything despite his physiological challenges, and doesn’t shy from trying. Nick is sociable and confident enough to do anything, including selling candy bars to women who are on Weight Watchers! Nicholas seems to want to take on the world.

Some of Nick’s physical challenges include balance and coordination, especially when it comes to climbing stairs and playground ladders. Nicholas exudes greater confidence in his ability to do so than we adults watching him as he tackles Sensory Park’s Jungle Gym. His PT goals include: keeping his ankles limber as he grows; further strengthening his leg muscles; greater endurance in running, and; coordination and control in throwing and hitting a T-ball. All the goals are in effort to physically integrate these typical childhood movements in facilitation towards their being effortless and automatic. Because of his physical challenges, the process of early intervention in therapy is like “rewiring” or reconnecting the brain’s communication of what Nicholas wants his body to do with the part of his body with which he wants to do it. With consistent practice, focus, and repetition, Nicholas incorporates into his physical presentation some movements that are closer to what’s natural to children his own age without developmental issues. He will always be physically challenged, but PT’s ultimate goal is that he functions with little impairment to the best of his physiological ability.

In my first observation, Sue begins by stretching Nicholas’feet and ankles to ensure limberness as they continue to grow. It also provides a good warm up for his physical activities. Knowing Nicholas wants to play T-ball this spring, Sue purchased a T-ball stand, bat and a ball for the young budding baseball player of tomorrow. The Green Therapy Pavilion has a large open space in the center of the building that connects all the therapy areas: speech, occupational, hydro- and physical therapy. Also in this area is a basketball goal. Yeah, it’s that big!

Sue tells Nicholas she has a surprise, and pulls out the T-ball equipment. He becomes very excited as the prospect of playing T-ball becomes more real to him. We move to the large open space to set up the equipment to continue the therapy session.

And it’s here we will “Play Ball!” Yes, even me, ever the “observer.”

We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.

Against All Odds

Unique Bodies~Determined Souls will be reposting through October some of it's most popular blog chapters from the past year since its inception while on a hiatus. We will return with new blog chapters about the individuals we serve who are breaking free of limitations and their "disability" to express and live more fully in their "ability" within the community.

If you find these popular blog chapters touching and inspiring, please share with others who may enjoy knowing about Wendell Foster's Campus and the people we serve. And as always, thank you for reading!

Meet Nicholas. Hewas born under the worst possible circumstances. All ultrasounds were normal, including the one they did the day of his premature birth. Seven months into her pregnancy, Nicholas’s mom suddenly experienced a uterine rupture, a life threatening event for baby and mom. Fortunately, both survived but Nicholas went without oxygen for approximately two minutes during the emergency delivery, an oxygen deficit causing brain damage, and ultimately, cerebral palsy.

The severity of Nicholas’ oxygen deficit became quickly evident. Doctors immediately performed a tracheotomy to assist with his breathing. When he wasn’t swallowing, a belly feeding tube was inserted so he could be fed. Nicholas was taken to an Evansville hospital’s neo-natal care unit for more intensive care for his medical needs. He wasn’t expected to survive.

Once he proved doctors wrong, Nicholas wasn't expected to function like a normal little boy. He moved his arms and legs very little. Even upon initial assessment by his medical team, they felt all physical abilities would be severely limited and he’d be dependent on others for the rest of his life. Nicholas would remain in the hospital for seven weeks. Mom and Dad were the only ones allowed to visit and hold him. Nick’s older brother had to wait almost two months before meeting his little brother up close and personal.

Fortunately, early intervention with physical therapy began before Nicholas even left the Evansville hospital as nurses gently moved and worked his motionless arms and legs. After coming home, therapy continued through First Steps, a Kentucky Early Intervention Services program offered through Green River District Health Department. This program provides services to children, birth to 3 years old with developmental delays or established risk diagnosis and who are in need of intervention. Intervention services offered for children include evaluations and assessments and physical, speech and occupational therapies as well as developmental intervention therapy.

When he was almost one year old, Nicholas began speech therapy through the First Steps Program with a Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC) therapist specializing in eating and swallowing challenges. When “Miss Michelle” met Nicholas, he still had his tracheal tube in, and as others did before her, she thought he’d live with severe physical limitations. Nick could not hold his own head up for long, and he couldn’t sit up or maintain balance without help. He continued to have physical and speech therapies at home until he turned three, at which time he started coming to WFC’s Green Therapy Pavilion for therapy.

Three years later, I am graced with the blessing to meet this little boy and his family during my therapy observations. And upon meeting Nicholas, and hearing his story, I’m left scratching my head and questioning: Could they possibly be talking about the same little boy?

In observing Nick’s physical and speech therapies, I come to better understand the power of early therapeutic intervention in helping children diagnosed with developmental issues overcome severe limitations.We want to hear from you! Please share your responses and comments by clicking below on “Comment” – you may post them anonymously or using your gmail.com profile name.

“The educated do not share a common body of information, but a common state of mind.” ~Mason Cooley
Please share our blog with others via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Follow our blog! Click on “Join our Site” below.
 

Blog content is copyrighted property of Wendell Foster’s Campus for Development Disabilities and Carolyn Smith Ferber and/or other blog authors). Content may be used, duplicated or reprinted only with the expressed authorization of the Wendell Foster’s Campus. Permission for use, duplication or reprints may be made to wfcampus.org@gmail.com.