The Adapted Life
Welcome to The Adapted Life Podcast, a dedicated space for those who have faced profound challenges, particularly those who have navigated the journey of having a child born with severe disabilities. This podcast serves as a sanctuary for connection, offering support and strategies for building resilience when life unfolds differently than we envisioned.
In this series, I share my personal journey with my disabled son, detailing the ups and downs we experienced together. Our story is one of love, hardship, and ultimately, adaptation. But now, my focus has shifted to the complex and often lonely path of adapting to life after the loss of my son.
Grief is a powerful, consuming force that changes everything. It can feel isolating and overwhelming, reshaping how we perceive the world around us. Through this podcast, I hope to explore what it means to grieve, to honor the memory of my son, and to find ways to move forward while carrying his spirit with me.
We'll discuss practical approaches to adapting to loss, including how to find joy in small moments, the importance of community support, and strategies for navigating everyday life when the ground beneath you has shifted. This journey is deeply personal, yet universal in its themes of love, loss, and resilience.
Join me as we create a conversation around grief and adaptation, turning our experiences into pathways for healing and connection. Every story shared strengthens our community and reminds us that while loss is an inevitable part of life, we have the capacity to adapt and find new meanings, even amidst heartache.
The Adapted Life
Stories of kindness that have stayed with my heart
The Adapted Life Podcast
Season 1
Episode 7
I did some reflection in this episode, of 4 stories over 24 years, where the kindness and generosity of others, helped us with our needs for our disabled son.
I would like to share some memories with you all, because as you can imagine, after 24 years of being Daniel’s Mom, I have an incredible library in my brain of the best and worst, experiences.
As I have been learning so much in my meditation practice about abundance and the law of attraction, I realize how vital it has been for me to hang onto my positive and open attitude. Gratitude has always been a priority for me. I do not feel guilty about gifts that come from the goodness of others, because I am grateful, and joyful.
Today is December 3, 2021. Daniel is downstairs with his nurse, my husband is working from home, I am sitting here in my home office created by me, out of a vision of me podcasting, about adapted life. And I am literally stepping into what I manifested.
Daniel still has major medical issues that I am managing. We are still juggling financially. Our needs for our son, are even greater than when he was a child, the lack of freedom and being 100% on call and a caregiver for my son can feel very heavy, but my mindset is shifting.
When I look back, over the last 24 years, I see a bumpy twisty turning road of hardship, fear, pain, sadness, lack, depression, exhaustion, isolation, confusion, inconsistency… which also was laden with laughter, kindness, appreciation, amazement, love, hugs, patience, and generosity. How does someone survive such a turbulent world of uncertainty? Somehow, I am here to tell you, that you can. It is possible. I am figuring it out. I am trying to share my research, so to speak, because in the vast imperfection of my life as a special needs Mom, I have found the light that I need to adapt and change course when I need to.
That is how I found myself on YouTube. That is how I discovered that I wanted a podcast about how “effing” hard it is for all of you special needs parents out there. I get it. I am it. I changed the diapers of 24 year old this morning and checked his vital signs before taking a sip of coffee. I sleep with my ring camera alerts on full volume. Just in case. And I have found myself discovering that through all of these years, I am yet to fully discover my true purpose. I think I am very close. And it feels amazing.
I want to connect with you. I want you to know, that you are not alone. All of you Moms, and Dads and caregivers, feeling like you are stuck in your house, not knowing how the heck you are going to get all the things done for your loved one, not sleeping, having medical issues yourself because of depression and anxiety, and the really hard mental acceptance that your in this for the long haul. I am here too. We are adapting together.
my YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg
Daniel's Special Art Shop
https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/DanielsSpecialArt/tools/listings
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg
