Clary Diary

San Pedro Central School Special Education Department has come up with its first Run for a Cause Event entitled “Takbo Para Sa May Kapansanan 2015” for the benefit of the SpEd Children of San Pedro Central School. I have a child with special needs. Joaqui was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay Syndrome. A disability that shows delay in intellectual, fine-motor skills, gross-motor skills, socialization and communication. He was one of the SpEd students at San Pedro Central School for 3 years. Every single day of those 3 years has become memorable to me. The differently abled children have opened my eyes to humility, compassion, kindness, perseverance, unconditional love and simple joys. My son Joaqui (center) with his SpEd teacher Sir Marlon SpEd Students of San Pedro Central School

I think this is what they call "Birthday Blues." A feeling when you think that you will always be stuck in the same place and that your story has no change at all. As I was cleaning the house the morning of August 2, Sunday, over the music of MYMP (Juris' version of Superman), which I think is really meant for me, because many people see me as Darna (the wonderwoman of the Philippines), I felt a bit emotional, okay, I admit, too emotional thinking about my existence as a wife, mom, daughter, sister and a friend to my loved ones. People think that what I do is spectacular and extraordinary just because I have a child with special needs. Somehow, it is true because having a special child means greater responsibility which takes extra effort that would challenge your physical, mental and spiritual ability. But for me, what I do is plainly being a "mom" to all my kids. I am just like any other mom who would turn the world upside down for the sake of her c...

It took us a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the changes and the major adjustments that we might undergo when my child's Developmental Pediatrician advised us to transfer my child with special needs from Special Education to Mainstream School.  My son was diagnosed with GDD (Global Developmental Delay) as early as 1 year old. We underwent Occupational and Speech Therapy sessions since he was only 18 months. At four years old, I started sending him to SpEd (Special Education) and have his regular assessment with his DevPed (Developmental Pediatrician) every six months while still attending his Occupational and Speech Therapy.

Dear Daddy, You took us by surprise. I don't even remember that you love surprises. You left us too soon. Too soon that we didn't get a chance to patch things up. Of course we're okay. There is no perfect family, no perfect parent, no perfect child. Those little arguments have been normal to us since you took  that "left turn." Since you've been gone, I'm beginning to figure out what you really feel. Why you chose to stay even if you're being pushed away. Because you chose us. Until the very end, you never left us. You're absence has left a soft mark in our hearts, in our conscience. It has been a vivid realization of how important you are to us. How generous you were as the head of the family and most importantly, you never stopped caring for your children and grandchildren. 

I am the child that looks healthy and fine. I was born with ten fingers and toes. But something is different, somewhere in my mind. And what it is, nobody knows. I am the child that struggles in school. Though they say that I'm perfectly smart. They tell me I'm lazy, can learn if I try. But I don't seem to know where to start.

VeinViewer is a vein finder that uses infrared light to look under the skin and projects an HD image of the veins onto the surface of the skin. There won't be any miss when the doctors and nurses poke you with a needle next time. (Christie Medical Holdings, a Memphis based company, US). I have a son who has a difficult-to-locate veins who suffered from acquired sepsis in the hospital when he was born. Pre-term and only weighs 1.8kl. He was so small and thin, with visible rib bones, pale skin and can barely breathe. He was supported by various medical equipments and stayed in NICU for a month then in ICU for 2 months.

I have a child with special needs. He was born premature, an eight-month medically fragile baby and was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay Syndrome. Yes we did everything. From early diagnosis, early interventions like Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy. Whatever you might think of to tell me what to do, I've done it.  When you have a child with special needs, you'll get to meet a lot of medical specialists. From General Pediatrician to Developmental Pediatrician, Opthalmologist, Ortolaryngologist to different Therapists. Who wouldn't want answers and solutions to their child issues, right? It is hard, and it hurts.