The "Working With Really Special Kids", edition.

iPad shuffled to Peabo Bryson, "I'm So Into You".  I watched a Restautant Impossible episode that involved an update to a camp for special needs and terminally ill children.  It brought back memories of when I worked with special needs children. It started when I was at the University of Michigan. I took a psych class that had us volunteering at several agencies in the Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti area.  I was delighted when I saw one of the opportunities was to assist with teaching swimming at the Washtenaw County Intermedate School District. I didn't know what an intermediate school district was. I found out when I arrived. The name of the school was Highpoint. The students ranged in ages from preschool to 21 for job training. The disabilities spanned the spectrum. Up until that fall day, I'd never really been around any type of disabilities. On that day I got a whole new experience. I spent a semester teaching students of all ages to swim. The difference here was the student teacher ratio was 1:1.  I spent the semester in the water with my student.  Oh yeah. One Saturday Dad picked me up at the school. The kids were playing soccer. Dad was just amazed at kids playing soccer, running around in braces, on crutches, maneuvering wheelchairs and just basically being kids.  To the kids, there was no handicap. :-D

Stevie Wonder, "Black Man". Not too long after the class finished I got a job with the Ann Arbor Special  Recreation Department.  I taught swimming on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings and assisted with special events. The disabilities ranged from autism, sight impaired, hearing impaired, Downs Symdrome, paraplegics, a range of physical disabilities, mental disabilities, emotional disabilities and any combination of disabilities and others I'm sure I've forgotten.  At one point during the summer I taught adaptive swimming in Ann Arbor then drove to my job as a lifeguard in Detroit. I had 45 minutes to get from Ann Arbor to detroit. It was actually fairly easy. The school in Ann Arbor and the pool in Detroit were both right off the freeway!!  

A few years later I was recreation director at an Easter Seals day camp and eventually I was director of my own camp. :-)  Heh. I forgot it's Sunday. Early morning TV shows are ....scarce.  The first camp was in a recreation center on the east side of detroit on the river. Best location ever. Had to pass the Hare Kishna mansion to get there and there was an abandoned boat house nearby. I think it had been part of the Dodge mansion. The boat house was easily 5 stories. No, the kids were never allowed even in that area, but we adults explored it!  It's gone now, but even abandoned, it sure was impressive. 

Prince, "D.M.S.R."  After that first year, Easter Seals decided to have 2 camps. An east side camp and a west side camp. I was asked to be director of the west side camp. The camp would be at the Johnson recreation center. The same center wher I had my first lifeguard job!  It's had been rebuilt.  I agreed.  My kids ran the gamut of disabilities. Closed head injuries, diabetes mellitus, amputees, severe emotional injuries, autism and of course others I don't remember. I do remember my kid with sickle cell always found where the broken glass was to play around. :-/  My diabetes mellitus kid would steal lunches. My closed injury kid, in a motorized wheelchair, would attempt to run away at least once a week. We'd let her get so far. When we caught she'd laugh with delight!  The amputee would steal items and hide them in his prosthetic. Never a dull moment. :-)  Sadly one day when we met the bus we were informed that on of our younger campers had choked to death. On a piece of bread. That really me. My staff and I attended the funeral. 

Kool and the Gang, "Open Sesame (Pt. 2). My staff consisted of 2 college students. A nursing student and an education major student. I had 4 high school volunteers. Only the paid staff could pass out meds and we had a locked cabinet full!  And a bunch of whatever our sickle cell kid needed after he played in glass. The best part?  We went to an overnight camp for a week! In Brighton !!  Wheelchairs, prosthetics and all!!  My high schoolers were absolutely fabulous. A good time was had by all. And yes, my closed head injury sweetie made a run for it at camp also. I was also pleased that the parents trusted us with their precious children. And there were some very concerned parents. A few showed up at the camp. Lol. Everyone participated in the camp activities. Everything was adaptive. 

Ramsay Lewis and Earth Wind and Fire, "Sun Goddess".  Finally, you knew I was a certified Red Cross Lifeguard, but did you know I was a certified Red Cross instructor in Adaptive Aquatics?  Was. Not anymore. But I was trained to teach swimming to people with disabilities. Part of the training included simulating disabilities. Like having a 2 by 4 strapped on your limbs to simulate paralysis. My favorite (not) simulation was having to climb to the 5 meter platform and jump....all while blindfolded. Yikes!!!  So yeah. These memories bubbled up while watching the tv show. Good times.  :-)

Signing off with Vanessa Williams, "Dreamin'". Yelling lady is back and is strong. lol. I worried about her, but not glad to hear the yelling. :-/  Shawn came in last night!!!! Yay!!!! :-D. Nothing special on the dialysis front other day day 4 of the 5 days out of 9 day marathon. Some regulars are gone.  For Christmas I guess. And there are a few visitors. Been there done that.  Finished most of the grocery shopping. The cooking starts soon!!!!  Have a great day. I'll be back on Tuesday.