Family life is a real balancing act. Throw in a family member with a medical condition and it starts to get whacky - throw in another and you start to wonder how to keep it all together. Add a dog and I sometimes wonder who is in charge! There are moments when chaos rules. I have a multipy-handicapped daughter and it has become more and more of a challenge to meet her needs and mine at the same time. She is very active and has an attention span of about four minutes. Whatever I'm doing she wants a piece of the action - except when I need to rest. (That's boring). Oh boy, what to do and how to do it???
She lives in a small group home about ninety minutes away and I do see her regularly. It has gotten more difficult for me to do the drive myself so I am limited to visits when someone can come with me. Bringing her home is really rough because she demands so much of my attention, I don't get a chance to catch my breath and I can just feel the energy draining from my body. I love her to pieces and I feel strongly that She feels a part of family life. She is a young adult and has her own set of needs and wants and I, as her mom, and advocate, need to make sure she has those needs and wants met. The trick is to balance them with my own.
My commitment to wellness and balance in my life isn't just about me - it's also about the people in my life that I love and cherish; like my daughter. She has her special needs and I have mine. It's about having the energy to be with my daughter in ways that work for both of us. I am so thankful for my hubby who steps up and helps with making our visits the best they can be. Our family is like a team and each of us takes our turn leading, as well as following. As long as we can be sensitive to each of our needs, our family will thrive and be a source of strength. Every one of us has special needs, mine and my daughter's happen to be medical. Those needs can't overshadow the needs of other family members. Each of us can contribute, in our own way to the happiness and well-being of each family member and celebrate our uniqueness as well as our togetherness.
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