The Class Reunion

Everyone becomes anxious about attending a high school reunion, but not Shelly. Graduation 1989 was the last time she saw her classmates. Thanks to Shelly’s active involvement in the Wendell Foster’s Campus No R Word campaign, Shelly got that chance.

“On our way to a school presentation, Shelly and I talked about her high school days, and she told me she had never attended a class reunion,” Carolyn Ferber, Community Education Coordinator, explains. When they figured out 2014 marked her 25^th reunion, Shelly decided she wanted to make sure she went this year. They called her alma mater, Hancock County High School, asking if they knew of any plans for a reunion. The school suggested they check the local paper. Shelly put her family on alert to watch for reunion notices.

A few weeks later, Carolyn received an email from Michelle Gregory, a teacher at North Hancock Elementary School in Hawesville, and participant in the No R Word program. Gregory also happened to be Shelly’s classmate. “We couldn’t believe it!  She asked me to pass along to Shelly info about their class reunion on May 24.” Shelly made arrangements with her staff for her to go.

“I had the best time!” Shelly shares. “I remembered faces, but not everyone’s names. Everyone came over to talk to me. Many had seen me in the newspaper or heard about my work with Wendell Foster.” Michelle agreed the reunion was good for Shelly, but thought it was even better for their classmates. “It was good for our classmates to see Shelly, because they saw her in a different light, as a real person. Any walls created in people’s mind about Shelly’s disability disappeared when she started cutting up with them, laughing, and sharing what all she’d been doing for twenty-five years.”

Reconnecting with high school friends was important to Shelly. “They were very accepting of me during high school. Some even helped me get to and from classes. Now we stay connected on Facebook. If it was not for my work with the No R Word campaign, I might not have had the opportunity to reconnect with my high school friends. Just another way Wendell Foster continues to open up a whole new world for me.”

Aligning Body & Spirit

Every Catholic remembers his or her First Communion, a rite of passage when at six- and seven-years old, you join your church community in becoming one with the body and blood of Christ. Nicholas needed help from his physical and speech therapists at Wendell Foster’s Campus to overcome two challenges for this life-changing spiritual event.

In physical therapy (PT), he and Miss Sue practiced the mechanics of receiving communion. They focused on his approach to the priest, the proper positioning of his hands to receive the “body of Christ,” in this case, pieces of torn paper, then his turn to receive the cup of wine. For two PT sessions, they focused on his body movement to ensure a smooth transition between these two simple tasks. One of his two challenges down.

Nicholas experiences extensor tone, a movement pattern causing his body to jerk backwards when anything approaches his face. He also has dysphagia that interferes with his ability to swallow easily food or water. Using practice communion wafers and grape juice in speech therapy, Nicholas actually rehearsed with Miss Michele receiving the bread and wine. His first goal: eat the communion wafer in thirty seconds or less so he could drink the wine. His second goal:  simply taste the holy wine to his lips, which is required for first communion, but optional after that. Drinking the wine was Nicholas’ biggest challenge for a few reasons. First, he has to keep his head from recoiling when taking the wine goblet to his mouth. Second, he must concentrate on closing his lips around the goblet rim so he can get the taste of the wine without spilling it. Finally, he had to overcome his distaste for the fermented grape juice!

With practice and support from both his therapists, his efforts paid off! Nicholas received his first communion at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on May 4^th without any problems. He and his family appreciate the time and effort that Sue and Michele took to help make this special day a success for Nicholas.

For the Love of Animals

“Did you know that cats have mini-spikes on their tongues? It helps with their grooming,” explains Jamie when asked what she has learned at Towne Square Animal Hospital. Jamie loves animals and is a “proud mama” of five cats. She did some volunteer work with a local animal shelter but things were not going well. Direct Support Professional, Kelsey Arnett, started researching other options that better supported Jamie’s passion. Thanks to Towne Square Animal Hospital, and veterinarian Dr. Damon Cecil, DVM, Jamie received the opportunity to hang out and watch what goes on behind the scenes of an animal hospital.

For six weeks, Jamie visited the animal hospital every Thursday for two hours. She loved every minute of it. “We watched a hip joint replacement on a dog, another one get spayed, even dental work on a cat.  Oh, and we played with the puppies, they are so cute!” Kelsey adds, “It is tight quarters in the work area, so we were like flies on a wall. All the staff and vet techs were wonderful, and willing to answer Jamie’s questions.”

More importantly, Jamie learned that there is more to pet ownership than petting and loving on dogs and cats. “She better understands the responsibility of being a pet owner, what is required to take care of them. Jamie took the information she learned and is applying it at home with her own cats.” In mid-August, Jamie will spend time at Towne Square Pet Resort where she will learn about grooming, and help staff care for its boarding clients. Jamie, and Wendell Foster’s Campus and its Michele P program, are grateful to Dr. Cecil for giving her the chance to learn more about what a vet does. “He’s the nicest vet I’ve ever met.”

Gary and the Citizens Police Academy

It is no secret that Gary is an avid law enforcement supporter.  Gary’s favorite shows include CHiPs and The Andy Griffith Show.  When asked last fall if he wanted to join the Owensboro Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy, no one was surprised when Gary excitedly said yes! This twelve-week program educates citizens about the many responsibilities of the police department. Along with thirty-nine other community members, Gary learned about the Traffic Unit, the Emergency Response Team, Dispatch, Narcotics Unit, and Hazardous Devices Unit.  Always seated in the front row, Gary listened intently to the officers’ stories of their police experiences. 

Gary graduated from the Academy on November 7, and immediately joined its Alumni Association, a volunteer group that encourages continuing citizen support of the officers’ work within the community. He attends their monthly meetings, and helps with various fundraising events, such as grilling burgers in front of Wal-Mart. Gary even participated in the Run from the Cops 5K race this spring.

Part of the Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) included a police ride-a-long with Officer Michael Hathaway.  It was a slow night, and evidently, there were too many law-abiding citizens, because no one was breaking the speed limit or running stoplights!  As cars drove by, Gary kept asking, “What about that one?”  They finally spotted a woman who had expired tags and make the stop.  Gary was thrilled.

As a CPA alumnus, Gary continues doing ride-a-longs with Officer Hathaway every few months.  Wendell Foster’s staff member Steven Carraway joined Gary on a ride one night.  "Officer Hathaway knows what Gary enjoys most - traffic stops. They park and watch for drivers who are not wearing their seat belts or have expired tags.  According to Carraway, "In two hours, we made five traffic stops for minor violations. Gary felt he'd done his duty that evening."

More importantly, Gary feels he is an active member of his community.  "While walking in the Color Blast 5K run in March, several police officers staffing road blocks recognized Gary and called out to say hello to him." Carraway added, "All the cops know Gary, and he loves that they recognize him when he's out and about in Owensboro."

Wendell Foster’s Campus knows supporting the men in blue is important to Gary.  According to Officer Hathaway, “Gary’s level of enthusiasm for what we do for our community is outstanding.  It’s refreshing to see his eagerness to do his part to help and support us in doing our jobs.”  Supporting Gary’s enthusiasm for what OPD does for our community is what we do at Wendell Foster’s Campus.

We are so Happy!

We at Wendell Foster’s Campus happily return with

an updated version of

Unique Bodies~Determined Souls!

Thank you for your loyal readership of our blog during 2012-2013.  We appreciate your continued support as we move our blog in a new and exciting direction!

Our blog travels down a new path of heartwarming experiences where empowering and inspiring meet! We invite you to join us as we celebrate the amazing people we serve and their success stories!  At Wendell Foster’s Campus, we define success on an individualized basis, when a person with developmental disabilities feels empowered and achieves a personal goal. Together, we work with our Campus individuals in our Centre Pointe cottages and Supports for Community Living homes, our Kelly Autism Program clients, our Therapy Pavilion outpatients, and our Michele P. clients to achieve what is important to them so they may lead fulfilling lives. Long gone is an outdated community belief that those with developmental disabilities cannot do anything! Bryant, Jamie, Shelly, Amy, Nicholas, and their Campus peers are actively involved in the fabric of everyday life.  Not only are they benefitting, they are positively making a difference and contributing to the quality of life in Owensboro.

Please join us for this new journey!  Invite others to join us by sharing their stories on Facebook, Twitter, or via email.  Help us celebrate successful individuals who are overcoming incredible odds to live their lives to the fullest!

To kick this new journey off, please enjoy this video montage created by our Physical Therapy Department. We at Wendell Foster's Campus love our work, the people we serve, and their success!

 What we do makes us happy, and the people we serve are happy!!!

 

The Big Move

One hurdle after another, he overcame.  Through every hoop, he jumped.  Through the grief of mom’s unexpected death, he moved.  Joey plowed ahead, keeping his eye on the target:  independent living in a Supports for Community Living (SCL) house on Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC). Every delay moving forward Joey addressed and conquered.  Joey persevered through it all, and the day he waited and worked for finally arrived.  His dream finally came true! Joey’s Independence Day happened on May 14, 2012!

Joey’s new address was the SCL house fondly known as “The Bachelor’s Pad” where his new housemates, Brandon and Roger, welcomed him.  Joey was so stoked he could hardly contain himself.  I go over to “The Pad” where Joey and his boxes of personal belongings had arrived.  The Direct Support Professionals (DSP) change shifts at 3 p.m. so Misty comes in to report for duty.  Joey greets her with his flirtatious coolness, “Hey girl, how ya doing, whassup!” Everyone laughs and Joey eats it up.  I ask how he is feeling about his big move, and Joey bursts in response, “Awesome!  I’ve waited for this for a long time. I’m super pumped up and excited. Me and Brandon are gonna be looking at all the girls!”  Brandon, who’s with us in the kitchen, chokes up laughing.

Joey, the girl-chasing twenty-something-year-old charmer and flirt that he is, practices his “pickup magic” on his DSP. “Misty, I love you with all my heart!”  Misty laughs as she goes about her business of the shift-change paperwork.  Joey, a rabid Adam Sandler fan, says, “I couldn’t be more happier than I am right now” and breaks out into singing Sandler’s “The Hanukah Song.”  Misty joins in with him and the two of them sing their hearts out as Brandon smiles in amusement.  Once the musical number is over, Joey tells me he had a lot of fear about not getting into SCL. He wanted it so bad and he did not want to mess it up.  We take a few photos of Joey in his new place, then with his new housemates on the front porch.  I leave him with Brandon to do whatever young twenty-something-year-old men do in bachelor pads. 

Fast forward to May 2013.  It has been over a year since Joey’s mom died, and he tells me, “I still miss her.”  He tried working but decided he did not like the job.  He made a few “horror” videos with the help of WFC’s Western Kentucky Assistive Technology Center staff, and has even done a little dating.  Joey enjoys more freedom to make his own choices, such as staying up late at night to watch movies or to participate in scheduled activities or not.  He still gets up early in the morning because other SCL residents get up and go to work, or to a day program, to volunteer, to run house errands, and/or ro social activities.  Joey doesn't like that he cannot stay at the house by himself all day when everyone else was gone, primarily because of safety and personal care concerns.  Efforts were made to give Joey this opportunity but with a DSP present, leaving this twenty-one-year-old feeling like he was “babysat.”  Despite these disappointments, Joey enjoys his freedom to roam the Campus visiting former Cottage C peeps and administrative staff.  He likes hanging out with his SCL friends, going out to eat, and shopping at Wal-Mart where, he adds with a twinkle in his eye, he likes to flirt with the girls.  Oh, he does get to sleep late on the weekends.

At a recent annual plan of care meeting this past June, Joey reiterated his desire to be more independent, wanting to stay home by himself whenever he wanted without DSP supervision. Recognizing how important it is to Joey to live life like that of other young men his age, SCL staff worked out a plan that provides him the opportunity to stay home whenever he wants.  To ensure he gets his personal needs met and for his safety, Joey agrees to check in with another on–site SCL DSP every thirty minutes, to let him or her know he is okay and/or if he needs anything. At this writing, Joey has never been happier since arriving to WFC.  He enjoys hanging out at the Bachelor’s Pad watching his movies, playing on the computer, and comes and goes whenever he pleases.  Joey never gave up on what he wanted, and accomplished his goal of feeling truly independent, on his own!

Many thanks to everyone at Wendell Foster’s Campus, and especially to Joey, for helping us share this inspirational story of perseverance.

In the Next Blog Entry: TBA

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“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.

A Voice of Choice!

Joey was on a mission for greater independence.  Fully aware of the state’s bureaucratic hoops, he was willing to jump through them with support from Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC) staff.  One major and unexpected hurdle took everyone by surprise.  This hurdle threatened another thing that was important to Joey:  having the case manager of his choice.

You know how it is when you want something, yet things keep getting in the way of your getting it.  Joey really wanted this move into a Supports for Community Living (SCL) house.  So much that he could taste it.  Everyone on Campus knew what Joey was doing and how badly he wanted it.  Joey talked about it all the time, sharing whatever latest news he had, and his excitement.  Everything was going along nicely until the state agency, Money Follows the Person (MFP), threw a wrench into the process.

MFP offers financial support to people with disabilities who are shifting from living in a medical facility to independent housing.  Joey needed this financial support to purchase accommodation equipment for his new home.  This unexpected hurdle occurred thanks to a recently proposed, not yet approved regulation proposal by the state SCL program preventing caseworkers employed with a service organization from managing cases of clients receiving services from the same organization.  While the intention is to eliminate conflicts of interest, this proposal did not consider Joey’s personal choice of Lindsey, a case manager with SCL.  Worse, this proposal did not give Joey a voice in deciding who he has looking out for his best interest.

Since his arrival to WFC, Joey developed an instant friendship with Lindsey.  When Joey decided to make the move into SCL, he knew he wanted Lindsey to be his case manager for a number of reasons.  Aside from feeling comfortable with her, their personalities matched, which is an important facet of our person-centered organizational culture.  Second, Lindsey was accessible to Joey for whatever he needed leading up to and after his move into SCL.  Since her office was on Campus, Joey could see her whenever he needed.   Regardless of these reasons, MFP took issue with Joey’s selection of Lindsey, given the proposed regulation.  If Joey wanted financial support from the state’s agency to get the equipment he needed to make this transition into SCL, he would need to find another off-campus case manager. 

Joey and staff got busy resolving the issue.  Wes, Centre Pointe Cottage C program director, called several agencies in the Owensboro community to schedule case manager interviews for Joey.  Out of all the calls, only one person responded to Joey’s request for interviews.  Joey met the case manager and discussed many things, including her accessibility and availability to meet with him.  He learned that at best be she would able to meet with him once a month given her client workload.  Furthermore, if Joey wanted to see her more than once a month, each visit would require permission from her employer, which was not a guarantee!  This news did not set well with him.

Joey wrote a letter to MFP expressing his concerns about his case manager situation.  He outlined his efforts to find a new case manager, and the outcome of the one interview that responded to his request.  He explained her lack of availability was not acceptable to him, and re-expressed his choice that Lindsey be his case manager.  Signed, sealed, and delivered, the state agency backed off the demand for a non-WFC case manager, and approved Joey’s request! 

The news brought Joey great relief.  He felt a sense of control over his destiny, and ultimately, his own choices.  Regulations are a part of our world; and sometimes we have to work with them to work around them.  Joey jumped through the state’s hoops, made his case to them, and won.  With this roadblock removed, Joey had access to the funds he needed to support his move into the SCL house!  Once again, it was full-speed ahead towards his “Independence Day.”

In the Next Blog Entry: The Big Move!

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’m Gonna Take That Mountain

Reba McIntyre sings a song called “I’m Gonna Take that Mountain” about overcoming challenges in life, and the power of perseverance.  Joey faced a mountain.  Filled with excitement about his goal of living in a Supports for Community Living (SCL) house becoming a reality, Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC) staff and Joey met on the morning of February 8, 2012 to discuss making it happen.  The best day of Joey’s life suddenly turned into the saddest day when he received news his mom unexpectedly passed away at home.

Joey and his mom (pictured, left) experienced some rough patches over the last two of years but they talked regularly, even two days before she died.  Joey shares, “She was supportive and excited about my move into SCL.”  Joey was understandably upset about his mom, and needed time to deal with the loss.  What was an exciting time in Joey’s life suddenly became overwhelming. Joey needed more support than ever to get through life’s latest hurdle before him.  WFC staff asked Joey, what do you want to do, how do you want to proceed?  Despite the staggering setback, Joey wanted to move forward with his move into SCL.  Both Joey and WFC staff carried on, making the best of a difficult situation.

Distractions can often provide temporary relief from grief.  One WFC staff member took Joey, ever the entertainer who enjoys being the center of attention, to a McDonald’s drive-thru window.  There, Joey sang his food order with The McRap song, a hip-hop YouTube song that was all the rage.  The unsuspecting McDonald’s clerk did not get the joke, expressed confusion, thus prompting Joey to repeat the entire McRap order again!  The prank offered bright spot of laughter in the midst of Joey’s grief.

When people are down, God has a way of lifting you up.  One day, the pastor, a deacon, and another church member from the church Joey’s mom attended came by the Campus to see Joey.  They were concerned about him, asking if he had any unmet needs now that his mother was gone.  Over the next several months, they would visit Joey often, checking on him and reassuring WFC staff that whatever he needed, they would see to it financially and otherwise.  Joey eventually returned to the church he and mother attended, for support and in memory of his mom.

Meanwhile, Joey’s efforts towards SCL independence experienced unexpected hiccups, which made an already difficult situation even tougher for Joey.  These glitches frustrated WFC staff.  Says one staff member, “giving Joey any more bad news broke their heart,” leaving them feeling as if they were kicking a man already down. 

Whenever we go after what we want, challenges pop up and they did in Joey’s quest for independent living.  Frustration happens.  The key is to plow through the challenges with perseverance and patience.  WFC staff knew this goal was important to Joey and they did everything possible to empower him as he moved through the jungle of bureaucracy to reach his goal.

In the Next Blog Entry: My Voice Speaks my Choice! - "You know how it is when you want something, yet things keep getting in teh way of your getting. . . Everything was going along nicely until the state agency . . .  threw a wrench into the process."

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’m Moving on Up!

When you are eighteen, and the legal age of adulthood, the last thing you want to do is hang out with little kids.  Joey wanted nothing more than to be an independent adult since graduating from high school and moving onto Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC). When Joey moved to WFC, the only room available on Campus was in Cottage D.  Centre Pointe’s Cottage D serves primarily our younger population.   Upon Joey’s arrival, the youngest resident was eight years, and most of those living in Cottage D were not as verbal or interactive as Joey.   This sociable fun-loving young man was not getting his social needs met the same way he did with his high school friends.  Joey did not mind his Cottage mates; he just did not relate to them, being the oldest kid on the block.  Staff recognized that a strong social network was important to Joey, himself a social butterfly.  So when an opening became available in Cottage C less than a year after his arrival, staff and Joey worked together to make the transfer.

Excited about the move, Joey recognized the opportunity to hang out with other grown-ups closer to his age; but Joey admitted he was nervous about the move.  Again, another adjustment took place as he developed new friendships, and worked with new staff that had to orient themselves to Joey’s personality, his care plans and needs.  His homesickness eased as he settled in at Cottage C.  Joey did not like having a roommate, which prevented him from staying up all night and watching movies.  Joey still did not like the daily structure that comes with living in a healthcare facility, but dealt with it.  He kept busy with recreational activities and his therapies.  This transition was less stressful, and while Joey was grateful for the move, his free spirit was still unhappy.  Joey did not have the independence he imagined he would have after leaving home.
This nineteen-year-old bright young man was aware of another WFC program called the Supports for Community Living (SCL).  This program has eight houses that offers 24-hour staff access.  They focus on promoting the independence and maximum potential of each individual, which appealed to Joey.  He saw SCL as an opportunity to get the independent life he wanted.  Living in an SCL house would be like how friends his age lived:  with roommates verses a “healthcare” setting with fifteen other people.  The idea appealed to Joey, and he envisioned this program offering him the kind of independence he found elusive at WFC.  Joey relentlessly pursued his new goal with fervor and passion.

Joey spoke to SCL’s “powers-that-be” about moving into one of the program’s eight houses.  At the time, no openings were available, nor would there be unless WFC built a new SCL house, or unfortunately, someone passed away.   Joey made his interest well known with the SCL staff that he wanted to fill the next available opening.  He continued to inquire about it, reminding SCL staff of his interest.  Sadly, an opening became available a year and a half later when one of our long time SCL individuals unexpectedly passed away.  The Campus and SCL took the news hard, but the loss created an opening for Joey to transfer into the program.  His journey of moving into a house of three, to greater independence he began. 

Mind you, there are oodles of state regulations to meet, and hoops to jump through when moving into a SCL house.  The process is nothing like moving into an apartment.  Many, many team meetings would take place with WFC staff, Joey, and a state representative from the Money Follows the Person, a state transitional agency that supports individuals with disabilities in independent living.  These meetings discuss the process, the plan of action, and progress in working with the state agency to clear any hurdles to facilitate Joey’s move into a SCL home  Stoked, Joey was willing to do whatever it took to make his dream of living in a real “grown-up” house happen.  The first meeting was set for the morning of February 8, 2012. 

Unfortunately, what was an exciting day became dark and gloomy as Joey got bad news later in the afternoon.  Little did anyone know how windy the road would be for Joey as he began his quest for his independent living. 

In the Next Blog Entry: I'm Gonna Move that Mountain - "Joey sang his food order with the McRap song. . . The unsuspecting McDonald's clerk did not get the joke."

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.

Reality Sucks

Joey was excited about his move to Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC).  Graduating from high school in six months, this transition offered Joey an opportunity to leave the nest and stretch his wings in the sweetness of independence.  Independence to Joey meant staying in bed all day, getting up whenever he wanted to, doing whatever he wanted to, going wherever he wanted to go.  Joey’s ideal day was watching movies, playing video games, and simply hanging out.  After moving into WFC’s Centre Pointe Cottage in November 2009, Joey’s idea of independence – carefree, “have fun and goof off” all the time – experienced a head-on collision with WFC’s idea of independence.  Within the first few weeks, Joey wants to go home. 

Everyone experiences an adjustment upon settling into life at WFC, a new environment, new routines, and a new way of living.  Many individuals coming from homes where a parent or a family member has been their primary caretaker tend to experience the greatest adjustment.   The most common reason: caretakers in their genuine interest to provide the best care possible sometimes enable their loved ones by doing everything for them.  Sometimes, it is out of unnecessary guilt, or because it is easier when juggling other responsibilities in their life.  Well-meaning, genuinely caring, but not always empowering.  Joey’s mom took great care of him, giving him whatever he wanted.  She was overwhelmed with juggling a new marriage, a new baby, and a growing teenaged son with cerebral palsy.

We all are responsible for our lives, and as adults, we have daily tasks we need to do, such as getting up for the day, making our bed, getting dressed, personal hygiene activities, meals, etc.  Wendell Foster’s Campus teaches and empowers the people we serve, to be actively involved, responsible and participating in life as much as one can despite cerebral palsy.   Our staff creates care plans that support this mission, the individual’s quality of life, pursuit of interests, and engagement within our Owensboro community.  Everyone actively participates as much as possible in his or her personal care, cottage and room chores, and recreational activities.  We provide support of physical, speech, and everyday living skills through therapies and assistive technology.  When staff placed these expectations on Joey, a struggle for independence ensued.

Joey’s idea of independence didn’t include getting up every morning, helping make his bed, or picking up his room, and being involved in recreational activities.  Joey’s idea of independence conflicted with that of WFC’s, and he did not like not getting his own way.  Just as any normal teenager would, Joey made his feelings known with both the staff and his mom.  You and I grumbled when our parents asked us to clean our room.  I once threatened to run away from home at such injustice! Joey wanted to run away from WFC and go home to his mom.

Unfortunately, going home was no longer an option for Joey.  His family had already moved on with their life.  All the equipment they used for Joey’s at-home care had been removed.  Mom was still chasing after a toddler who occupied a great deal of her time.  Finally, mom knew that WFC was the best place for Joey. In time, Joey adjusted to Campus life, though not always happy with it.  He still yearned to be a “grown up,” but being the oldest living in a cottage that serves a younger population did not help.  Both Joey and WFC staff recognized it, and worked together to figure out another living situation for Joey so he could be living with adults. 

In the Next Blog Entry:  I'm Moving on Up! - "Stoked, Joey was willing to do whatever it took to make his dream of living in a real 'grown-up' house happen."

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.

18 Going on 40

Do you remember when you were eighteen, nineteen or twenty? The ideal of becoming an adult and the freedom that accompanies it gives youth a false sense of reality about what independence means. This idealism motivates you, leading you to believe you can take on the world! That the world offers more of what you have known as a “teenager” living at home – no responsibilities, no chores. Freedom! For Joey, this exciting time was no different than it was for any of us his age living without cerebral palsy.

A smart, twenty-two-year-old, Joey is a creative young man who loves to be the center of attention, entertaining anyone who will listen. The first time we meet, Joey breaks into song, The McRap song, a popular YouTube video that raps a McDonald’s order in the drive-thru. Everyone in the room is cracking up, which encourages Joey to break rap it again. Joey loves Adam Sandler and can recite one of his comedy bits. This lady’s man also fashions himself to be a Romeo, flirting with every pretty girl he sees. Fashion is important to Joey, so he wears the best name brands available to young adults. A huge movie buff, Joey has seen hundreds of films. The scarier and the gorier they are, the better. His favorite flick is Nightmare on Elm Street. Joey is a “Movie Quote Master” with an uncanny skill of quoting lines from any movie title you give him. He wows staff members and volunteers with this amazing ability. Joey’s sense of humor has seen him through tough times in his young life. In addition to his cerebral palsy, he has experienced more “adult-life” than most young men his age should. After his parents’ divorce, Joey and his older brother lived with mom. Joey’s dad died in 2008. His mom remarried and started a new family, giving Joey a younger half-brother.

Taking care of a child with special needs is a full-time task, one many parents take on out of love and commitment. Over time, the task becomes overwhelming for a variety of reasons. As parents get older, and/or their children grow up, the physical demands of moving their child to and from wheelchair to bed, bathtub, etc. becomes difficult. Sometimes, the medical care becomes difficult to manage, or beyond their ability to administer. The home environment may interfere with the care of and safety to a child with developmental disabilities.

In Joey’s case, this small frail boy grew into a tall and lanky teenager, making it physically difficult for his petite mother to transfer him from wheelchair to bed. Joey points out, “she couldn’t hardly lift me.” Joey’s mom was also raising a toddler that demanded a great deal of attention and care. It all became too much and something had to give. Joey would soon graduate from high school, which for him meant moving into the next rite of passage: being an adult on his own. He and his mom began conversations about the possibility of his move to the Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC). Joey became excited about the idea. He would be on his own, out from under his mother’s wing

I do not know about you, but as an eighteen-year-old going off to college to live on my own, to do whatever I wanted, the rubber of reality hit the road for me; and it was not what I expected. I thought life was a huge party with no responsibilities, no curfew, and no expectations from anyone. I, and many fellow freshmen, quickly learned we were wrong. We had to do our own laundry, see to our own meals, get ourselves up and dressed to make classes on time. We actually had to participate in our lives! Take responsibility for ourselves! We realized how much we took mom for granted when living at home. Joey living “on his own” at WFC would not be what he expected either. He most likely expected it would be similar to going away to college where you “party all the time,” and life is carefree and “fun.” No different from what you and I expected when we went away to college. For Joey, reality quickly set in, and within two months of his arrival, he wanted to go back home.

There was only one problem: going back home was not an option

In the Next Blog Entry: Reality Sucks - "Joey's idea of independence  . . . conflicted wtih that of WFC's, and he did not like not getting his own way."
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Fist-Bumps, Hugs, and Tears

With our first “test” presentation out of the way, Shelly was beaming with greater confidence than she’d shown thus far in this new adventure as a volunteer Campus Advocate.  Prior to the test-run of our No R Word presentation, local Evansville Channel WFIE 14News came to the school to interview Shelly about her mission to spread the word, which later aired on the evening news. Additionally, the Messenger-Inquirer came out to Wendell Foster’s Campus (WFC) the next day to take a photo of Shelly for an article they were doing on the No R Word campaign.  We also did a video promo with Shelly promoting the presentation, and emailed it to all elementary schools in six counties. We even arranged for her storybook reading and our No R Word presentation to be video-recorded, as well as a one-on-one interview with Owensboro Career & Technical College – TV, which later aired on its television cable channel!

All of this hit at once, and Shelly was instantly a superstar!  And Shelly loved it all!  The staff teased her not to forget us little people, which just got her giggling that infectious laugh she has.  Shelly had fun with it, and teasing us.  One morning after three presentations in a row at one school, she announced with a mischievous grin to everyone within earshot that she was going home to “rest her voice.”  The room broke into laughter, as did Shelly.

Our presentation schedule for elementary schools was booming – which culminated into fourteen school appearances in a five-week period! Shelly even accompanied me on a few of the Power Point presentations for the older kids.  I would speak for forty-five minutes, Shelly for five, and after we were done, you would have thought I’d never been in the room!  The kids LOVED Shelly, and Shelly loved the kids.  The younger students asked the funniest questions, such as "Do dogs get cerebral palsy?" and "How fast will your wheelchair go?"; all of which Shelly graciously responded to with pleasure and compassion.

And there were fist-bumps and hugs all around!!  After our presentation, students would leave, passing by Shelly with a “thank you,” “hello,” and fist bumps.  Some children showed their appreciation more deeply with hugs that made Shelly beam in gratitude.  Says Shelly:  “I really enjoyed it, the kids’ curiosity; their facial expressions as they looked at me, and their questions.  I realized I was empowering them to feel comfortable in asking questions about my disability, in talking to someone with a disability, and to feel comfortable approaching and interacting with someone like me.”

At one school, a little girl asked Shelly if anyone had called her the R word.  When Shelly answered, “yes,” the little girl’s empathy overwhelmed as she responded through welling tears that she didn’t understand why people would be so mean to do that, and that people shouldn’t do that.  This young student’s compassion brought tears to my own eyes, and Shelly herself felt emotional.  “I realized then that I was getting my point across because if someone gets that emotional when I’m talking to them, then the point I’m getting across is hitting home, reaching their heart.”

Watching the apprehensive looks of uncertainty as Shelly entered the classroom before our presentation morph into the warm embrace and acceptance afterwards was heartwarming to experience as I witnessed this woman demystify disabilities for the children.  The show of love and acceptance for Shelly and her efforts was visible after each presentation from the students themselves to the dozens of thank you notes, letters, hand-drawn pictures and cards that were sent to us (mostly for her) afterwards.  I found it touching to see Shelly grow into this new community role, and to witness the her confidence boost as she came to realize she truly does have a significant contribution to make as a voice for those with disabilities.

If non-profit programs had agents such as Jerry Maguire involved in these sorts of activities, Shelly would have him negotiating a life-long contract to do the No R Word presentations for the duration of our Spread the Word program!  She’s already informed me she plans on doing it again next year, and there’s no reason for her not to do so, especially since we’ve already received requests from schools to come back and visit.  Through this program, she discovered more fully her own voice, and that she wants to volunteer with children, having already inquired with one local school about the possibility.

I couldn’t be more proud of Shelly who not only took a risk to step out of her comfort zone to make a difference, but who developed as a person in going after what was important to her:  to be of service and make a difference in our community.

In the Next Blog Entry: To Be Announced

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Show Time!

“I didn’t think I could do the presentation, and now I realize I can do most anything I want to.” 

Shelly admitted after the campaign was over that while she wanted to participate, she wasn’t so sure of her ability to do it.  During the course of our working on our presentation, Shelly often would criticize herself when she flubbed up, and later she confided that she was hard on herself because in life, others had been hard on her, and she felt like she needed to prove something.  I coached her to be okay with making mistakes, to be okay if she reworded a presentation line differently than what was on paper.  I also reassured her that if she jumped ahead in our presentation that I had her back and would get us back on track.  With this encouragement, Shelly relaxed more, but continued studying her presentation part until she had it cold.  The once self-critical Shelly began patting herself more on the back as she recognized progress in her knowing her part of the presentation.  And when I screwed up, that made her feel even better!

Together, Shelly and I decided she’d read a book about a little girl with Down syndrome which would help students understand an intellectual disability (which we briefly discuss in the presentation) while nicely complimenting the very issues of fear and uncertainty we address in our talk to the children.  It also highlighted the importance of focusing on what we have in common rather than focusing on differences, a subject important to Shelly to be addressed in the presentation.  Once done with the book, Shelly would then share her story, and immediately engage the children in asking who liked things she liked, such as hanging out with their friends, and macaroni and cheese, and how they have these things in common.  Then, she asked the students how they are different from her, receiving expected answers, such as she’s in a wheelchair, and they are not, she’s older and they are younger, etc.  Shelly would then tell them there are other differences, asking the kids who could brush their teeth, dress and feed themselves, to all of which the students would raise their hands.  At this point, Shelly would inform them that she cannot do those things and why, thus introducing the subject of cerebral palsy.

From here, together, we continue the conversation to explain what cerebral palsy (CP) is, how people get it, and how it affects the body.  Shelly demonstrated her limitations, while explaining how others with CP have different limitations than her.  She then explained that while she may look different, she is unique, just like they are unique and how despite differences between each other (i.e. better at sports than at drawing), we are all unique, yet have things in common.  We also help students understand it’s okay to be curious, and that it's okay, not rude, to ask people with disabilities questions.  We also briefly explain the difference between intellectual and physical disabilities; and, how to approach individuals with disabilities.  Finally, Shelly shared that people aren’t always nice to her, discussing the R word and how it’s used to be mean, and even jokingly to mean that someone is “stupid.”  Shelly gets "real" about her feelings with the children, helping them understand that it hurts when she’s called the R Word, and how she feels about people who use it, pointing out that people who call her that don’t think she can do anything when she can, and that they are not nice people.  She then helps the children understand how to treat people with disabilities:  be nice; be respectful, and don’t be afraid to ask questions, because she’d rather people take the time to get to know her than misjudge her because of her cerebral palsy.

Our first “test” presentation took place in February at Burns Elementary School before a group of older elementary students, 4^th & 5^th graders (right).  Shelly admitted to being nervous because she was unsure about the school environment, how the kids would take to her, and how they’d respond to her message.  Well, let me say that nervous or not, Shelly hit the presentation out of the ballpark!

How do I know?  During the Q&A portion of the presentation, one little girl raised her hand to ask the question, “Shelly, will you be my friend?”

Uh, Kleenex please!  Shelly said she felt an emotional feeling of happiness deep inside because “I touched them deeper than I realized I could touch them, and that gave me chills.”

A Superstar is born!

In the Next Blog Entry:  Fist Bumps, Hugs & Tears - "At one school, a little girl asked Shelly if anyone had called her the R word.  When Shelly answered, 'yes,' the little girl’s empathy overwhelmed as she responded through welling tears . . . ."

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.