Quote:
Originally Posted by Taf
Father's love too...
My wife and I are parents to handicapped twins.
I have been on constant medication against panic attacks for years.
My wife is medicated for depression and has suffered serious heart problems they say are due to the constant stress.
Respite is not available here, so we just have to plod on day after day after day, often fighting beaurocracy in many forms that the state demands. Also fighting an education system that pretends to care but doesn't deliver at all.
Our only ally is their Paeds Consulant who has steered us towards medical and psychaitric help for the twins. Until budget constraints limit help once again.
Carers are people too.
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Quite Taf
I was just thinking on my way back home earlier that the title of the programme once again 'overlooks' the role that many men play in bringing up handicapped children and the additional burden they face, especially when it comes to the care of older children. The reason for my reflection was that I'd just bumped into a father from our youngest's special school. His youngest is now 12, severely mentally disabled, autistic and doubly incontinent. His wife left them all many years ago and since that time this guy's been doing the caring all on his own. As I know from my own personal experience, he's not only had to battle the system like any other parent in his position, he's also had to endure the sort of institutionalised doubt and suspicion that pervades many aspects of the child welfare and health services, for no other reason that he's a father.
Having seen the programme last night and knowing what I do about the awful burden faced by so many parents of disabled children - many far worse afflicted than our youngest - I have every sympathy for your situation. I don't know if you've seen it yet but I imagine that, for you both, the programme will ring very true.
Let's all hope that a root and branches review of this aspect of government policy is undertaken sooner rather than later.