Grace Grantham’s Photography page

07/16/2024

Planning ahead. In Oct I’d like to do photos of Breast Cancer survivors or if you have Breast Cancer ,please PM me.

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07/12/2024

07/12/2024

07/10/2024

*** updated photos**

07/10/2024

Hi friends I’m doing some editing on this page . If you need photos done don’t forget me!

06/23/2024

Solstice

03/23/2024

Disabled children in the public school system

Hi, it’s nice to meet you im Grace.

So my son Oly is old he is 11 years old. He was diagnosed as autistic at the age of three. He is kind and loving and he loves learning, especially about ocean creatures, geography, the Amazon, any creature or ocean. He loves archaeology and anything that has to do with the earth. He has lots of great passions that have nothing to do with his

Let’s… see he was born in Montana and has been living on orcas Island since he was 2 1/2. It has had its ups and downs to say the least.

Grace:I’m assuming public school? I went to public school.

Yeah he started in the school system in preschool so he was essentially three years old when that relationship started and now he’s 11 so there have been some really great years and some really tough ones . obviously there’s some limited resources with the smaller island and the smaller school and you have to continuously weigh out the options and the benefits of living in a smaller community where you might have a few less resources, or a few less people with experience versus a larger city, where you have to worry more about his safety and not having the open communication with school staff like I have here. I talk with the school staff multiple times a day to help him through the day. I’m I am definitely part of the team.

Grace: Has he had a one on one aide?

Yeah he’s had a one on one aid since he started in the school. Those have been absolutely critical to getting him through the day in a successful way and so that’s part of why each year can vary so much too is because he will have a new aid that has never done it before and then that person might leave in a new one come in. So staff turnover is a huge impact on his ability to get through the day

Grace: Yeah yeah it would be very confusing.

He has a hard time with changes. One of his diagnoses is really high anxiety and so he needs that predictable schedule and predictable people where he feels safe and he knows what’s going to happen. He ultimately wants to be understood. You know he didn’t have verbal language until he was about six and still has challenges articulating and he uses a lot of echolalia so a lot of scripting is how he communicates

Grace: OK yeah yeah so what is echolalia?

Echolalia is using things that you have heard from somewhere else and then repeating those to communicate. So he might be watching a show and hear a character and he will be able to repeat that entire line that entire script. His memory is very very good so he’ll repeat long scripts and that’s actually how he learned language. It’s backwards from how a lot of of us learn language. We will learn letters then will learn the phonics or the sounds that go with it then. Then we will make words then make sentences. Oly is a gestalt processor so he does it backwards where he’ll learn the entire script and then he’ll break it down into words that have meaning, the letters that have sounds and then phonics is actually the last thing.

Grace: So does he have an IEP and are the preparing him in school for a new grade?

Yeah that’s a great question so he’s going into middle school which is a huge leap. It’s bringing me a lot of anxiety. It’s all different so we are starting that transition now because we need lots of time to prepare him for that move so

Grace :Did that involve introducing him to different teachers? How is the school district now?

It is a challenge right now with our school district as we have no special education teacher, or case manager, for the middle school. The job has been posted for a long time so we have a meeting coming that’s going to talk about his evaluation for the last three years and also getting him ready for middle school. There will be a lot of people there. The principles and teachers, the speech therapist, the occupational therapist and then the people who are filling those middle school positions now since they still don’t know who that’s going to be and what that’s going to look like next year.

Grace: SO0o you must have anxiety and a little anger ?

maybe yeah yeah I have all the emotions. I’m worried about it. I am stressed about it. I’m skeptical about it which I don’t want to be but this year has been a little bit harder so it’s making the idea of middle school harder and the space isn’t great for him. He’s in his own classroom most of the day because he has very high sensitivity to sound and honestly a lot of the general Ed classrooms aren’t set up for him, so what space is he gonna be in? There’s not a lot of room in the middle school and we don’t want him isolated. I never want him isolated. I want him to be around other peers as much as he can, but there’s so many different considerations, and the school is doing a good job approaching it, and we will have multiple conversations and some will be better than others.

That is why his learning is so important to me. I want him to be able to read, to understand money, and obtain critical life skills to have the best chance at living on his own. I do not know what that will look like yet. I do know more and more opportunities are opening up for people with his mix of disabilities. Hope can be scary to have sometimes, but I have hope. We will take it one step at a time. I have no idea how he will progress and how and I have to positive that he will have the best life he can and that is is capable of more than we know right now.

Grace: Yes, when I was a kid the doctor's told my parents to put me in an institution. My life looks nothing like they told my parents it would or anticipated for me.

That is so horrible. At initial diagnosis time, parents are made to feel the worst doom and gloom about their child's future. Like all hope is lost and the only goal is to get them therapies as fast as you can. It need a lot of improvement and is detrimental for the kids or the parents. I read a history book about the treatment of autistic people and for a long time they were put in institutions and that was the only option. It was not until the late 70s and early 80th that this changed. So much more awareness and education is needed out there. We are really just beginning.

03/15/2024

Brita

Grace-Hi Brita ! how are you?
Brita-I’m good !
Grace-what disability do you have?
Brita-I have dyspraxia so a lot of people think when I talk about it I’m in dyslexia because that’s what they’ve heard of many people having heard of dyslexia. (https://www.dyspraxia.ie/Adults-with-Dyspraxia-DCD)

Grace- Do you want to explain what Dyspraxia is ?

Brita- Yes, something you get when you’re born or yeah it is. that’s like me. Yeah, yeah were held back in school or well. I was in Special Education.

you have trouble with Motor skills and like they delayed so I was delayed in everything like from writing and by to tie my shoes when I was like a kid -almost everything I do. I like being independent and when I want to be around people like just hang out with my mom and friends and then when I want to be alone, I just can’t go back home.

Grace-you live in Seattle didn’t you?

Brita-Yeah I did live in . I grew up in Bellevue so I’ve spent most of my time in both of Seattle and Bellevue. yeah and I really like growing up in both places. It was nice having all my family together and now now that we were the only family I have appear as my mom.

Grace- Your mom is great

Brita-yeah she is.
Grace- Do you have a lot of friends here in Seattle.
I have no friends and like Seattle and Bellevue area because the people that I went to college why
Grace- Why don’t you tell me about college?

Brita- I was in the Bellevue College there was a North campus it was called the venture program for people with disabilities and that’s where I met all my friends cause it was like we could all relate to each other from all having some sort of disability so that’s what’s really cool yeah you said it’s called the venture program yeah and then later the OLS-(Skills for Work. Skills for Life.
Occupational & Life Skills Bellevue College (OLSBC) is an associate degree program for students with learning disabilities.
In our uniquely supportive skills-based program, students apply academic knowledge through community activities, service learning and social experiences. Students identify a career pathway, gain marketable, workplace-ready competencies, develop better interpersonal skills and complete an internship in alignment with their career goals.)

Brita-for some it was called OLS because that was the kind of degree you got.

Grace-you got a degree!!

Brita- at first it took a while to be outside and for you to have a degree but then, but then you know when the announced that you could have a degree from the program it was a big deal a big deal.

Grace-I think that’s so great

Brita yeah,

Grace-so you work now right?

Brita-Yeah

Grace- where are you working at?

Brita-the children’s house.

Grace- What are you do there?

Brita-I basically work two hours a day except for Friday cause they are not as busy on Fridays and then what I do is I’m there to basically give other teacher breaks and lunches and to Just be another person and another adult in the room. I mainly look at Toddlers and then the preschoolers , sometimes like I still hold like the little ones when they cry or something so that just touches my heart.

Grace- that’s good that you have a job.

Grace- Are you dating?

Brita- no, I’m not dating I just you know in the past actually pending like to the same person and then I’m like you know I’m I’m just I mean I feel like I’m just like, I’m done with dating but you know .Who knows that special someone might still come into my life. It’s been because the people that I’ve tried to date but the people there was so many people down on the mainland, but then they said they complain how they don’t want long distance, relationship, and the people here I like the guy are like you know they all think of me as a friend you you know so it’s been hard be more than a friend.

Grace- Talk to them about that I guess that’s OK.
Grace -Do you have any questions for me? Let’s see well what do you know?

Brita- I know you lived here for a while but brought you to the island in the first place?
‘
Grace- my mom was living here and I was living in Seattle

Brita-like it similar to mine, kind of

Grace-Seattle got a little too expensive for me. So I at the time I moved here I could afford to live on Orcas. I actually I live two doors down at the end of this road and then I moved up to this place.

Brita- when you moved to this place?

Grace-I think it’s been 14 years (all together)

Brita- Yeah you’ve been in here a long time.
Brita- Can we talk about what pets I have I used to have I don’t know if you remember Rocky?

Grace- I remember

Brita- yeah we had to put him down because he was just too sick and I only think about all that wrong with them but every time he ate couldn’t keep any food down, so yeah yeah,

Grace- Do you want to go to the shelter and get the dog ?

Brita-well I actually have a new dog I don’t you probably have met him he’s because I’ve had him for a while he’ll be three July 1. He is a standard poodle so he’s a big boy you have another bed and he such a cuddle cuddle with and snuggle with, yeah like I don’t like the poodle like traditional haircut, so I always let them hair grow out and then they move. Like cuddly and fun to hug again they make me happy when I snuggle them. Yeah that’s nice to snuggle with the dog.

Grace-You have a sister correct?

Brita-Yeah my sister right yeah I have your sister.

Grace-I think I’ve met her once

Brita-Do you get to see her? Talk to see while I now she’s living with people in Seattle so I get to see you When I’m down there but when I visit then she’ll be moving away in Vancouver Washington so I won’t get to see her as much which I’m sad about but I’m happy for them because it will be as special living great but living situation because they’ll have to so yeah consider themselves you know it’s a long story so OK if you wanna see Marie it’s like a feeling inside not so much but a piece of paper.

Grace-Do you and your mom spend a lot of time together?

Brita-I do she helps me with a lot. She knows

Grace-she’s a good person.

Brita Yeah she is.

Grace- Are you guys gonna do anything fun for summer?

Brita that’s my dad who lives in Wisconsin is gonna come up May so it will probably be summer but I’m looking forward to that cause I haven’t seen him for a while.

Grace -Yeah I don’t think I ever my dad.
Brita- you have to sometimes yeah well he’ll be here. He lives in Madison

Grace- do you know I love Maddison!!, Jims oldest son lives there.
Brita-Yeah I like I like Maddison.
Grace- that’s gonna be good to see your dad.
Brita-Yeah I’m looking forward to that. Yeah well that might be the end.

03/13/2024

**** Re edited***
Grace-Good morning!
Jai-good morning Grace how are you?
Grace- I’m doing good today!
Jai-good I am so honored that you asked me to do your story.
Grace- aww thank you!
Jai-You should’ve seen my expression when I open the message. Thank you so much for allowing me to do this so we can all get to know Grace. Thank you!

Jai- So, the beginning tell me your birth birth ?
Grace- I should’ve been a C section the birth doctor never showed up I was deprived oxygen because I was in the birth canal I had the umbilical cord wrapped around me s o I couldn’t breath when I was born. When I did come out I had Grandmal Seizures right away and you know we’re talking about 1975 where they didn’t really give you the best outlook on your child’s life and they told my parents to put me in institution and forget about me. Thankfully I have two parents who kinda just said “you know we’re gonna make sure she learns and does whatever she can do” They didn’t listen to the doctors.
Jai-Yeah you’re well loved tears to my eyes. I love that.
Grace- Yeah they actually and then they had to kicked my dad out of the birth so they could do everything to get me breathing .
Grace -I learn how to walk

Jai-how old are you when you learned how to walk ?

Grace - In 1978 I had a walker at about 3 yrs old. then things keep on improving after that. Ever since I have been cruising ever since. I really truly believe it has to do with the family! What if your family isn’t going to let people treat you like nothing you know tell them what you can do.I was raised that you were allowed to learn to do whatever you wanted to d. Yeah I was not sheltered.I was cheerleader

Jai-I was just gonna ask you tell me about your school experience with all of this and how that? well, I had some special education. I went to school with everybody else and I wanted to cheerleader
Jai-You were a cheerleader?
Grace-My dad said it was the best story and it was great integrated me into this because the ADA at this time was just a brand new Law.

Grace- Yes,I got to be a cheerleader.

Jai -What grade were you cheerleading? I was cheerleading at ninth grade. Jai-Cheerleader junior high times what was I listening to of course leaving my head right now I was on the block the other day I feel cheerleader and what else did you have any experiences in school?

Grace- I got made fun of from my peers and that was hard. I didn’t think of differently because I thought like everybody then I would look behind me and I would see boys typically making fun of me.

Jai-Oh my gosh

Grace-The girls had their way of making fun of me which was leaving me out of party’s and gathering’s something like going to the mall and hanging out with your friends. I had good friends but it was a lot and then at one point my school that I went to in Key Largo, Florida, they weren’t teaching me at my IQ Level so I I went to get tested and at the age of 17 I had IQ of a 21 year old and the look on their faces !!
when they like they had they had to buy me a computer they had to do all these things so I could independently do my do My schoolwork primarily..I shouldn’t have classes with children that were autistic.

Jai- What gives you motivation where do you find your spark because you’re always a positive light that I see you. It takes a lot to get that spark (LOL)Specially in the winter to deal with depression in the winter with a lot of depression used to be much worse than it is now, but yeah, I have depression and I can even get in summertime. You feel OK who has depression, but I’ve come along way .

Jai-
So,what’s helped you helped you the most get through any depressive period .

Grace- I have a great family. I have a really support very fortunate I know I am because I talk to other people and, I hear the opposite. I’m very lucky that I have a aunt that I talk to everyday. Most of my family lives in Colorado (my aunt)she’s really like a mom to me.

Jai-Oh I love that !

Grace—yeah her son was born two month before me, so we really grew up together. Are you close with your cousin very close he walked down the aisle when I got married!

Jai-There’s a very close really good support.

Grace-Yeah I do I do

Jai-when did you meet Jim? When did you meet your husband?

Grace -I have known Jim since 1997 and we were good friends . We were. Disability Rights activists.Jim has a son with a disability we were part of a group called ADAPT.

Jai-I have not heard of this. There are different chapters all over the country?

Grace-At that time we went to the Washington D.C a lot,Atlanta, memphis and on. We were trying to get representatives to pass bills and do what we needed to have equal lives. Healthcare for all,buses with lifts. we’d rather not have anybody in the nursing home who is physically disabled so that was a lot of work we did that is very important work that is very important work. My dad said he just said that laughed. He’s like oh my gosh you know to watch your daughter do this yeah he loves him but I don’t want to jail didn’t want you to get arrested for your activism.

Grace-in a way with me doing this with other people talking about other people lives other people Hidden disabilities. Tell me about yourself let me get to know you but I’m finally getting some other inquiry .

Jai-which is great and what made you decide to start the series of education?

Grace- A lot of I don’t know what to say to me. what I knew what I did or just talking to me. So,I had a few people in my mind already when I started .you I love that and I’m working on trying to find more people do more interviews. Get the information out there so people know it’s OK to ask questions cause I think some people are afraid that we can’t ask questions and it’s quite the opposite.

Jai-sometimes they might be nervous and might come out the wrong way, but if they don’t ask, you never gonna know what something is very true

Grace_ I’d rather somebody asked me then just They know what’s going on

Jai-very true and you were a reason why we have the sidewalks. Also, you are a huge part or you are part of that.

Grace-Thank you. I worked very hard with Rick and the county. I’ll go back impossible so they worked with me and stuff and then, you know my mind show me design and everything but one thing and it’s kind of my fault. I forgot to mention that if you drive to the grocery store on the left-hand side, there’s a sidewalk and so you can’t cross the street-but for the most part you know they did a great job. I wish they did the bird chirping for people who are blind but I didn’t push OK because I wanted to use if I could get this done then what else what else? Lol. Yeah so they did just finish Lavender Hallow’s path and I did speak to Cindy Wolf about this. Yesterday they were doing it and I was very impressed with how fast they did that.

Jai- They have a definite Voice in the community. that’s very impressive. Very impressive. so,it didn’t seem like it but I am a very shy person OK I’m gonna do this I’m gonna, if I know somebody really well.

Grace-I’m not nervous what they’re gonna say sure but you know when you’re dealing with the county , I have to keep on top of them also yeah I would’ve never guessed that you’re shy. 00h when I was in school I would do bright red if you’ve caught me.

Jai-OK got it.

Grace-That was a tough time because that was you know they can get away with being a bully and now wouldn’t happen these days not often it. people see me in town it is where they see me go on one of the roads of here on lovers lane,on this road Ive make some really close calls.

Jai-I wondered about that cause I walk here and so when I walked here does she get on the road because this is I know how scary it is for me and I’m just walking, but a lot of times people don’t see me I have had Van with the trailer speeding in my my motor is big and I slid down and it flipped over.

Jai-Do you think they’ll put a sidewalk there?

Grace-Lovers lane with the property’s I don’t see it happening.

Jai-Do you ever have you mentioned that?
Grace-I have talked to Cindy and I known Cindy for a long time in fact, she won’t mind if I say this-we we’re Delicates’ I was a Bernie delicate

Jai-oh my God I love that so much

Grace- she was for Clinton.I really have respect for her and I love that she has always been the same with Rick. Rick isstill always there you know when I needed to talk about something his wife is wonderful, you’ve got good people on your side.

Jai- Do you understand I have times I don’t feel like I have it but I do have a community even when you don’t know when you not sure that you’re feeling it they’re definitely there have that with myself too like this is a magical place so -Yeah when telling me how many hours.

Jai- what are some of your passions ?

Grace-photography

Jai - that’s right

Grace- I really wanna photograph you a photo shoot let’s do a photo shoot!!

Jai- I don’t take myself seriously and I can have fun and I think that -that’s where I connect with you also was like I don’t take myself so I am I am a klutz. I am messy I am forgetful I’m all of these things and I think what and what I see with you what you put on your page is authentic and that’s what I strive for is, this is authentic.
This is how you show up authentically very proud of you some stuff I thought excellent because I haven’t seen and I thought people really appreciate that and so I looked up cerebral palsy and was going down last night and so it’s helpful when you put something up there that people can click on and find links and read themselves because sometimes I can’t articulate it but I’ll find that picture that says it all or has all the captions.

Grace-I’m looking for to describe that so many different types of palsy where some people can’t talk you know there’s some people that better than me and you what do you mean you have?

Grace-when I was 25 everything kind of went downhill well before that I was a Runner and oh my gosh and I miss running so much !!

Jai-I bet you do.

Grace- Yeah, I had operation on my right leg in when you are a kid and someone says book to fixture you know you think all the people and you think that you’re gonna be like them opposite and I kind of really changed my it was too hard to walk by myself, so I had to get a walker and then I had to get a scooter and now I’m in a wheelchair because it is easier.

Jai-Yeah OK that makes sense.

Grace-Yeah but I do it Whenever I can because I need to do that body movement so that happened I am 47 now so it’s been a long time and I was a very skinny girl 25 and I was like yeah

Jai_ You reconnected with Jim years later years later

Grace- that’s been about 13 years ago! Jim found me on Facebook. I did everything not to get too close because I didn’t want my heart broke. I didn’t want to care about somebody and then my options are not as easy as women and men are in the world.

Jai-How was it moving to live New York my school in Florida?

Grace - I finish high school in New York because I I said you know if they don’t fix it so I quit school my mom said, you’re not quitting school,so I went to up stateNew York and finish 11th and 12th grade .

Jaidid you like New York upstate? You like the city you are OK like the excitement

Grace- I do love it in the city

Jai- OK and your visual person with your photography so sensory of being able to see everything is inspiring. Like having a camera so much for me oh I love that I love your your photography is beautiful I like to see what you capture.

Jai-what do you find is your best qualities about yourself? what are your strengths that really pi**ed people off ?

Grace- that I can remember too much,LOL

Jai-
That’s a good strength to have the memory I have things I have to work on, what you want to know about what’s one thing that you would want to know about you that’s important to you.

Grace-If you wanna know something ask me I have no problem explaining but I don’t like when people already think they haven’t figured it out and I’m just like in shock, I’m sure you asked me if you were gonna hear me that can’t you can’t get that brace do you mind if I hand that to you thank you for doing that forme.

Jai- OK yeah yeah it is that important you’re so easy to talk to what else do we need to cover? What else would you like to add to your story that people need to hear? What do you think what you want Covered your birth story and how you were affected by that what do you feel? Do you feel things changing as you age?

Grace- I am more problems than I did when I was a kid 20s and I if I don’t walk like around the house or with people in Wheelchair too much

Jai-OK

Grace-swollen my leg the ability to use my walker when I can and it’s not just me I think they go to physical Therapy you gotta get the not just for your physical well-being but also for your mental well-being

Jai- yeah yeah definitely that’s a good point.

Grace-so I get really frustrated that I can’t just get up and pour something or make a bagel just something that people take for granted that we have the ability to do these things were they are a lot more challenging for you yeah so when I I’ll be in my room and he’ll be in and I’ll go.

JaiYeah it’s OK.

Grace-People are welcome to write me and now that I’ve said all this that’s even good even if there’s any questions.

Jai- Yeah ask the question.

Grace-you know I’m really known for telling people ask people if they need help don’t assume that they need help that’s it that’s really helpful because don’t want to take away somebody’s independence but is very simple and I help you with that simple very harmless. May help you with that?

Jai-
yes tell me about the tea that you were starting to do?

Grace- once a week and the fun house on Tuesdays at 1 o’clock and the more people making it come they have disability hidden disabilities or something I’m welcome to come. I met a lady yesterday and she knew about this what I’m doing so she gave me her card

Jai-so I thought wow already, so that’s a good thing to do next week. Yeah yes yeah I think that’s good for the community to have that talk what I’m doing but to check in with people also yeah you know yeah see each other you know in person because through the camera we don’t always know but if I see you in person, I get a better connection and gauge for how how are you really doing, you know really so you’re starting things in the community yeah it’s from here too. Thank you proud of you thank you.

03/05/2024

Kalie on her son Josiah.

Grace: Kalie I’ve known you for a long time thank you for doing this.

Kalie: Thank you so much for thinking to include Josiah in your project! You’ve been such an inspiration to me, especially as I’m learning more about how to be an advocate for him.

Grace: When you had Josiah,what changes did you go through, and this whole world of cerebral palsy.

Kalie: Having a preemie has been a big learning experience, but being a “medical mom” probably changed me the most. I’m grateful for the patience Benjamin has, and the love him and Josiah share, our family, our community, his therapists and care team, those who have embraced Josiah so much, and offered encouragement and support, otherwise it can feel isolating, or like no one could possibly understand what this journey has been like. I will say there have been a lot of positives though, and a lot of mindset shifts that have created space for so much happiness and peace. The world of cerebral palsy is huge! I’ve learned more in the last year than I ever could have imagined. I know there would be a lot of cover, but I wish disability education was taught as a general class in school. It would be a great service to humanity. I think you and I both could probably talk a lot about it to anyone who wants to know. Especially about all the misconceptions that can come with being part of the cerebral palsy world.

Grace: Josiah is pretty cute,I know he uses a walķer,how is he doing?
He has speech Ot, PT?

Kalie: Aww thank you!! He’s a little wild man! Haha He is doing good!
We still have to worry about germs, and allergens to a pretty intense degree but not nearly as much as when he was first born so it feels like all good things. I started taking him to a toddler music class and he loves it! He loves other kids so it’s fun to be able to safely have him around other kids now.
Josiah uses a walker to get around unless we assist him with walking. He also just got fitted for his first wheelchair! I’m so excited about him getting it, and being able to experience the world with even more independence. There is quite a long way to go in terms of accessibility everywhere but he’s ready to take it on!
The therapies are incredible! It’s a lot, but I let him lead the way, when it’s too much he tells me, but otherwise I will always try to help him get the therapy he needs to stay safe, comfortable and happy in his body. We’ve had a lot of help accessing the therapy, as well as it taking a lot of research and time but all of it has been so worth it even though it’s been hard at times to manage or humbling.
Josiah is in OT, and a speech program at Children’s to help with AAC. He has strong receptive communication skills but is mostly non speaking or if he does speak the motor coordination he has in his mouth makes it very hard to understand his words unless you really know him. However, I’ve learned a lot of people view this as “non verbal” which I actually get pretty annoyed about. He is SO verbal and has lots to say and big feelings just like someone with clear words does, so we’ve been trying to advocate for people to learn how to listen differently just as much as we try to help him learn more words. He can say “I love you” though which is probably my favorite! 🙂 We offer him choices a lot, so he can touch which thing he needs and it makes it really easy to communicate with him even if he doesn’t use clear words. We’re working on sign language as well.
This has been such a big learning experience for me but it’s been really amazing to see all the beautiful ways he communicates, and others who are non speaking as well. Voices come in many different forms.

Grace: What advice would you tell people who may have any disabled child?

Kalie: Oh gosh! I’m not so sure I’m good at giving advice, especially because everyone is going to experience life with a disabled child differently. Even with CP there will be similarities but no two stories will be the same. I do think though always, always advocate, and ask all the questions! Remember the doctors work for you, and your child, so if they make you feel bad about asking they aren’t the right one. If it doesn’t make sense speak up for sure. Also…. and this is a sensitive one and specifically speaking about my experiences, but often people will impose their own thoughts and views on Josiah and his quality of life. Like it’s sad, or that he doesn’t lead an incredibly happy life… this is absolutely not the case whatsoever! He’s so happy, and motor skills aside he is such a typical toddler doing all the things a toddler would do even if it looks different or he needs assistance. I would say to any parent who experiences that same thing or if it resonates with them, do not be afraid to make a point to speak back about their child actually having a great quality of life! Sometimes people truly don’t understand, and it can be a beautiful teaching moment. Other times ableism is not a fun thing to confront, and I think that is where I get the most sad, but there is absolutely nothing sad about Josiah! 🥰