How Rose Got Strong

Rose got strong by falling down
and getting back up by herself.

I have said it is her SUPERPOWER

Rose got very sick several times at college
She walked to the infirmary by herself.
She got medications and went home to rest and recover by herself.

Rose had a seizure at work, gashed her head open, got staples at the ER, missed a week of work and went back to work by herself.

Rose ran over a boulder in the dark on a mountain road and drove home by herself.
Rose’s car was totaled. She had it towed away and got a replacement rental car.

Rose got help when she needed help. No one was hovering in the wings waiting to rush out and save her. We were three hours away.

Rose took care of herself by herself. She had to. She needed to be stronger than the strongest healthy woman.

Rose had a stroke in her dormroom and crawled across the floor and beat on the bathroom door with her unparalyzed arm until her suitemate heard her and called an ambulance.

She did homework and emailed her professors from ICU. She went back to school a week later. Weak but determined to graduate on time.

Rose had heart surgery right after graduation to close the hole in her heart. She watched on a screen as the surgeon closed the hole. That is who she is!

THEN SHE CAME BACK HOME TO LIVE WITH HER  PARENTS.

She has spent TWO YEARS transitioning onto a new medication combination that failed and then back to the old medication combination that worked better, but not completely.

Now we are waiting until she can drive in April. Then what? She still has epilepsy.

IS SHE STILL STRONG? MAYBE.

We do not know for sure because she doesn’t have to be. Enabling is involved. Slackness is tolerated. There are no consequences. We are here to do for her what she does not do for herself.

SHE NEEDS TO BE BY HERSELF TO BE STRONG.

DO NOT ROB YOUR SPECIAL CHILD OF THEIR SUPERPOWER!

S T O P       N O W

Right now!

Mama