|
|
Post by Jackie on Jun 19, 2004 8:45:36 GMT -5
June 19, 2004
This is an update on Emily and her current job and living arrangements in the Houston area.
I got a nice email from Norine saying that Emily is making progress with her job of cleaning their house. She has said a few of the job duties need to be clairified and explained to Emily better which she is going to do. She complimented her on several of her tasks and said Emily is keeping notes now apparently on her reviews with Norine.
I had a very nice and very long chat with Emily herself last night. She was in a great mood and quite talkative. She said that they had gone to the Cancer center that Norines husband works in as a physician and is going to be doing volunteer work there one afternoon a week. I asked her what that was and she said “answering the phone and doing some work in the ‘back’ “ She said she would be “trained”. She was also excited because apparently they are hosting soon a large Baptismal party reception at their house and Emily will be paid to help with it. She also experessed her NEED (LOL) for a tv, digital camera, and computer. I have asked Norine whether we should help her out or whether part of the plan is to let her use her earnings to purchase these.
Emily is very happy with all of this…she doesn’t seem at all homesick…in fact has settled in there quite nicely. I am coming to terms with the separation but looking so foreward to the short visit she will make in a few weeks. It is plain to me that she is using much more of her own initiative in living her life and dealing with personal details than she did under my guidance…LOL. I will keep you all posted
Jackie Mom to Emily 24
|
|
|
|
Post by nikky on Jun 19, 2004 9:50:03 GMT -5
wow! way to go emily! i love hearing stories about her, it makes me feel good! lol! that's so cool. she NEEDS a computer, that's funny. i'd be lost without mine. hehehehe! i hope she's able to get one soon. it's essential, lol!  |
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Jun 20, 2004 0:10:50 GMT -5
WTG Emily.  You guys should be very proud.  I have 2 older boys who have moved away to college and I found it hard to let them go,  how are you doing Jackie? |
|
|
|
Post by Jackie on Jun 20, 2004 8:32:02 GMT -5
I am doing very well....remember this is not the first time Emily has been gone for a long period of time....first she went off to ENMU Roswell...for two years....and then has spent whole summers with her sisters......she is the youngest of my four....and none of them live in town.....waaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaa.
The hardest part of all this is realizing she is being treated as a non disabled adult and her "employer" is only communicating with me thru Emily herself ....as it should be. If Emily did NOT have DS and got herself a job in another city .....say as a family's nanny.....and moved in with them....that family would not communicate with ME most likely. A couple of times I have found myself resenting this...LOL...but then have to remember....isnt this what I was aiming for with her all along......duh............LOL.
Jackie
|
|
|
|
Post by christie on Jun 20, 2004 20:53:55 GMT -5
JACKIE, I am sooo happy to hear EMILY is loving her new job and living arrangements ;D ;D That must be such comforting (sp) news for you.
Now I know you weren't asking for anyone's opinion here BUT I will give you mind anyway  LOLOL With all due respect, I say help Emily get the TV and puter. I mean she is working for this woman so in reality this woman is just her boss right?? Now we would never ask any of our other children's bosses if we can help our children out getting them things they want or need
Hope you don't mind my thoughts on this but thats one thing bout the puter if you do, just DELETE
CC
|
|
|
|
Post by Jackie on Jun 21, 2004 8:02:04 GMT -5
You are sooooo right about that......I will let THEM work this out....I promise you all I AM sitting on my hands...not emailing Norine.....its all sooooo hard but I am trying to JUST communicate with Emily. You see Miss Em by now has enough money to buy the tv herself. I would gladly buy it for her...but at the git go Norine suggested that working towards a new tv would be a goal for Emily....and yes the coumputer would be another matter...I hate to see her invest heavily in one until we have some reassurance that this job will continue past summer....it would be a mess transporting it from Houston to Amarillo...thats almost 1000 miles....
Jackie
|
|
|
|
Post by jeannette on Jun 21, 2004 9:44:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by momofrussell on Jun 21, 2004 11:07:08 GMT -5
WOW Jackie, that is AWESOME for Emily!!!! Gosh, she has blossomed into a fine young INDEPENDANT woman!!! I am so proud of her! And you and Ed have done a fine job with your children!!! I tip my hat!
Now, can Regan move in with you? LOL I think I am going to screw it all up for her LOL.
p.s. I have always loved reading about Emily!!! Thanks again for sharing!!
A.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jenifer on Jun 21, 2004 18:09:19 GMT -5
Jackie, you should pat yourself on the back. You may not see it because you're right in the middle of it, but Emily has the ability to "live her life and deal with personal details" so successfully because you taught her how to do it. You gave her guidance when she was home, and now she's using the skills you taught her. Letting go is hard, but isn't it awesome to see her so happy and functional? When I think about Joy's future, I look at how great you guys are doing and I have hope. Jenifer |
|
|
|
Post by christie on Jun 21, 2004 19:30:41 GMT -5
JACKIE, sounds like Emily is doing just GREAT and my bet is this will turn out to be more then a summer position ;D
Hope you don't mind a ?, actually I have tons, LOL but I will start with one Being there is no job coach involved, do you find that harder or easier?? I know job coaches aren't always the best but do you think haveing a so called middle man involved is a good thing or not? Two of my pals here both their sons 22 now are working and have job coaches and one is working out great and the other Hmmmm undecided yet. But what does seem to help them, least they tell me, is when and if a confict or problem arrises the job coach has helped. Just wondering whats you take on this...
CC
|
|
|
|
Post by shellk on Jun 21, 2004 19:31:29 GMT -5
:)Jackie,
That is wonderful to hear about Emily..Glad to hear that she is doing good and loving her job and new homefront..I would be the proudest mom in the world..Thanks for the upsate on how she is and how she is liking things..Can't believe she is also wanting to volunteer..That is GREAT...Way to GO Emily.!!!!!!!
It has always been inspiring to me to read about Emily and the things that she does..I have been coming here longer than I have been posting or responding..I have been reading about everyone for about 3 years at least..
Michele
|
|
|
|
Post by Jackie on Jun 22, 2004 8:21:22 GMT -5
CC...actually there IS a job coach. This is a very unusual situation as I have said before. Norine is both the employer and job coach in this situation. She sent us in her original proposal a break down of duties in her home....the rooms ...what needed to be done in each....and how many times a week and month the jobs were to be done. Beyond this I am not sure how she is training Em...but I do know she has daily lists which Norine has indicated she really doesn need at this point...and has suggested I ask Emily to send me some of her old ones to know what all she is doing. (Notice...Norine herself is not sending these..but asking me to ask Em to send them). There is also a weekly "review" which Emily says requires HER taking notes. So in the classic sense Norine is a job coach doing her job as we wish most job coaches did. I guess. Norine has often told me that it is always best if the employer can provide the training to the worker with a disability just as he/she would to a non disabled employee. I think too often employers look at their employees with disabilitites with that ....."we" and "them" attitude leaving it all to a job coach from some agency....never giving much input until the person with the disability screws up. This might be a good time to relook at Norines site...remember this is her profession. Thanks for all the questions...we have such a long way to go with employment and independent living....and LOL...I thought education was a toughie....... Jackie www.imagineenterprises.com/ |
|
|
|
Post by Debi on Jun 22, 2004 9:32:54 GMT -5
Oh I quite agree Jackie when you say you thought education was a toughie!! Nothing compared to what it takes to try and get a half way decent voc placement but Norine (and Emily!!) are truly blazing a great example. I am glad you are posting this as it unfolds.
I am in awe of Norine's website. Would it be possible for you to share a bit how she came to put this together ?? I don't think we have anything comparable here.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jackie on Jun 22, 2004 18:03:20 GMT -5
I will have to ask Norine the history of this project. I met Norine when she worked for ARC of Texas many years ago. I think she started this originally with a grant from the Developmental Disabilities Council in our State.
Jackie
|
|
|
|
Post by christie on Jun 22, 2004 18:28:18 GMT -5
Oooops Jackie, Sorry I must have missed that you said before that Norine was both empoyer and job coach. K, that leads me to another ?, sorry I always have tons of ?'s, just ask Debi. Right Debi?? LOLOL
Hmmmm now just wondering, if Em has a problem with her employer, aka Norine and might need someone to talk things thru with, that might normally be the job coach. Hmmm but in this case that is Norine too, Hmmm Now I know that looks a little silly in print, but really, just wondering how that might work??
THANKS for sharing all this, I have lots of time before Chris will be off on this journey, but its never to early to think about how it all works
THANKS too for the website, I will go have a peek
CC
|
|
]
You guys should be very proud. 
how are you doing Jackie?
LOLOL With all due respect, I say help Emily get the TV and puter. I mean she is working for this woman so in reality this woman is just her boss right?? Now we would never ask any of our other children's bosses if we can help our children out getting them things they want or need 
