Letter to the Tribune writers - There IS hope!

[Guest guest]

I should have also posted this email I'd sent to the two fine young

writers for the Trib who collaborated on this story. I share Marie

and 's sentiments that this WAS a very sad story; but there's

more, so much more, to be said and done. Instead of feeling

defeated, sad or hopeless, let's get MAD! Let's say 'we're mad

as hell and we're not gonna take this anymore'! I say use this, and

the article that's supposed to be coming out later in October about

adults with autism in Illinois, let's use these articles as rallying

cries with our communities and with our legislators! Copy the

article, and take or send it, along with your OWN personal story, to

your legislator.

Or write a letter to the editor at the Trib.

Like I said in my email, there are lots of us trying to use our

energies to find SOLUTIONS. We're not crying (yet) over our

inevitable fates. Let's see what we can do. Are you with me?

Here's what I sent off earlier today to the Trib writers -- it may

not win any Pulitzer prizes, but it's straight from the heart.

" Hi ladies,

I'm the 49-year old mom of , a young woman who has severe

autism, and I just finished reading your article about the stress

experienced by family caregivers who struggle to keep their adult

children safe and living in their family homes and communities.

Overall, I give you high marks for your portrayal of the sad

realities many in Illinois face today -- particularly your shining a

light on the waiting list for services. That we as a state can live

with the fact that 300 families with caregivers over the age of

EIGHTY is ok is beyond shameful!!

My only wish was that you'd truly had the time and space to devote

to possible solutions -- especially after the smaller headline 'Hope

for Caregivers' -- it appeared that the best to hope for was death

or a hospitalization so the mom could get some rest. There is much

to be done, certainly, but publicizing the efforts of some of our

legislators, providers and community advocates might go a long way

toward helping these families, as well as families like mine, who

are growing older but also are working hard now, while we still have

the energy, to make positive changes in Illinois.

If you ever have an opportunity to shine some light on communities

or people who are trying to make a positive difference, I'd

encourage you to do so. True, it's a bleak picture...but not an

impossible one.

Thanks for your efforts!

Laurie Jerue

Founder, Autism Community Connection and

Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities

(Both of these are , together we total over 800 members

in Illinois).