Re: New to list - Debi

[Guest guest]

I think in some ways public schools are so much better off, the main

reason being because of inclusive programming. When I was a kid (born

in '71) we had the county school for the " retards " as we called them.

I use that word not to offend anyone, but to show my gross ignorance.

It was in the late '80s that the kids were suddenly put in classes

with us. I never had any of " those " kids with me, but I remember a

girl with cerebral palsy being at our graduation and everyone stood &

clapped as she went across the line with her walker. Today it's very

different and kids are much more accepting and loving because they are

exposed from day 1 of school.

Nowadays I'm sure teasing and making fun of still happens, but it's

MUCH less when the child has an identified disability and the parents

are open and willing to communicate with the school and other

students. I have 3 girls, 8,6, and 3. My 8 yr old happens to have a

child with autism in her class and the way the class has surrounded

him with acceptance and protection has been so very sweet. He's a

chronic cussser, says bad words when he gets stressed. WHen I

explained to her classmates that to him it's like for us when we hear

a song in the morning and it gets stuck in our heads and we catch

ourselves humming and singing all day. Now they feel the need to hide

his language, before they were telling on him. We see Allie's

classmates out in public and they're always, " LOOK! There's Allie! Hi,

Allie! " It's so comforting.

I have somewhat of a disfunctional relationship with my mother and I

always worry about the mother-daughter relationship but try to work

hard on what I can do to make our relationships strong. It's funny how

individual each of my girls is and how desperately I love each of

them. I know it's said parents have favorites, but I honestly couldn't

be crazier about one any more than the other. I talk about Allie a lot

because the autism experience has been so meaningful to me, but my

and Dinah Grace are just as important and special to me.

I have found with this diabetes thing that not only does it make me

face health issues, but it makes me face many things about myself. I

used food to deal with a violent home and various abuses I endured

from different people. I cannot deal with controlling diabetes without

having to face these issues and many others that I use food to

replace. I saw a Discovery Health program that talks about obese

people as using food the same way alcoholics do. Showed people eating

their favorite foods while getting MRIs. Said that obese people seem

to have fewer dopamine receptors as alcoholics do, that overeating

stimulates the dopamine, but over time the over-stimulation causes the

receptors to lessen. The only thing they have found so far is

exercise, because they've found exercise actually increases dopamine

receptors.

I've heard Oprah say, " It's not about the food. " I really agree, the

more I work at healing myself the more I realize food is only the

symptom for many of us. I know there are also many slender diabetics

and those who are not compulsive overeaters, but for those of us who

are, we have real spiritual issues at work. What I'm finding is that

as I address these issues and put them to rest, my

body/weight/diabetes improves. I have outward symptoms of internal

issues. Lol, why couldn't it be something I could hide from everyone?

You are also welcome to email me anytime.

Debi