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ETB 37 – In this episode I talk with Fredia Bassham, grandmother of Heather Jo, age 26.  Freida and her husband Joe have been caring for their granddaughter who has cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder and is non-verbal, for 22 years.

Heather Jo recently won Texas Miss Amazing, the Miss Division.  The Texas Miss Amazing pageant celebrates the abilities of girls and women across TEXAS with disabilities.  providing opportunities for them  to build self-esteem.  The Miss Amazing pageant creators believe options to girls with disabilities should reflect their boundless potential.  At the end of July, Heather Jo  will be going to Nationals.

Freida shares an option  for finding special needs caregivers some may not have considered.  The Nextdoor app has been a successful avenue for locating ideal candidates to step in and provide quality care.   Not only was Freida able to find a great caregiver who lives just one street over, but she also was able to help a neighbor find care for her son who has autism.

Miss Amazing
https://missamazing.org/

Nextdoor
https://nextdoor.com/

Connect with Sandy
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 25:  In this episode I talk with Teresa Trent,  author of  3 different mystery series, whose 29 year old son Andrew has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and Autism.   He’s  also non verbal, has a seizure disorder and from that he’s developed a need for a  Peg tube.   Andrew is a sweetheart, greatly loved and never in a bad mood.

It’s no mystery that accepting your child’s diagnosis can be challenging.  When Andrew was born, it was very difficult for Teresa.  She had a hard time accepting it and did not have the best reaction.  It took her about 2 years to just truly accept it and be at peace with it. Though she loved her precious baby all the way through, something  just didn’t click for her initially.

If that rings true in your case, Teresa encourages you to reset your mind and focus on going day to day, milestone to milestone, living in the present and just enjoying your child.

Teresa started writing at age 49.  She believes you are never too old or too young to begin writing.  Her Pecan Bayou series includes a character with Down syndrome named Danny.

You can find Teresa’s website and all her books at the links below.

Connect with Teresa Trent
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/teresatrentmysterywriter
Twitter:   https://twitter.com/ttrent_cozymys
Blog:   https://teresatrent.blog/     (Books to the Ceiling)
Website:   http://teresatrent.com
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5219581.Teresa_Trent
Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/teresatrent_cozymys/
Bookbub:      https://www.bookbub.com/profile/teresa-trent
Teresa’s Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/Teresa-Trent/e/B005O7FIE2/

Connect with Sandy
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/