swine flu

Just kidding, I'm not talking about swine flu. It is scary, though. You know what else is scary: People magazine managed to overlook me (again!) as one of the "100 most beautiful people." I don't know how or why this keeps happening?

Let's see...what else is new? Work has been good. My company has decided to pursue opening a new agency designed to serve persons suffering from developmental disabilities (i.e. autism, down's syndrome, etc.) I'm attending a 10-day training in May to become certified as a provider. My boss has tabbed me as the future director of the agency.

It's surprising how exhaustive the certification process is. It's much harder to provide DD services than mental health services- MUCH HARDER. It seems to me that the real difference lies in the nature of the illness and people's perceptions: everybody feels sorry for children and families affected by autism and other developmental problems. Everybody realizes that it's nobody's fault...heck, nobody even knows what causes autism! And it strikes everywhere- the wealthy, the affluent, the powerful- anyone could have a developmentally delayed child. Further, the DD impairments are often more obvious than mental health impairments.

But there's more to it. Under the surface, I fear, is the perception that mentally ill people are somehow "at fault." Mental health problems often aren't viewed a medical condition- they are viewed as behavioral problems or the result of bad choices. People feel like the mentally ill are less deserving of empathy. It's sad.

Sometimes everything seems sad. In two hours I'm meeting with a kid who I believe is being sexually abused. He's 8 years old. Recently he started wetting the bed again. He's been waking up and can't find his underwear. He stopped showering, and he's layering his clothing (probably defense mechanisms). My basic human response is to be repulsed by this grossening, smelly child. I have to fight that. If anyone on Earth is "broken," it is this boy. It's overwhelming how damaged this kid is. I cope with it by remembering: If I can just be love to this kid everything else is just details.

Swine flu, hmph.