Enrichment

      Brooke spent about 10 months doing all the paperwork and jumping through the hoops to get Eddy situated where he could enjoy a more fulfilling life.  We didn’t get involved until it was time to choose someone to be his advocate. We interviewed about six people. Brooke followed Eddy to his room to find out which one he wanted. Myself, I wanted the one that lives in Kaysville, in the ward we used to live in so we know many of the same people. She’s a nurse and her husband is a psychiatrist. We need both. Ed told Brooke he wanted Kayla. Kayla it became and she has been marvelous. We all love her. Then we had to interview people to come into the home, we had to visit places that Kayla found to see where he would go for day programs.
     The first day, Brooke and Elizabeth went with us. It was discouraging. We had spent all morning answering questions from the State guy and we were already tired.  (While the state guy was interviewing us, we kept talking about all Brent had done to help Ed while he was here. "Where is this Brent guy?" he wanted to know. "Let's get him out here.") Brooke sort of liked the one in Ogden and it was the best but we decided we hadn’t seen the right one yet. The next field trip we went to one in Layton that we loved because it was so close and then to PARC. Elizabeth chose this one because it was more professional and has both activities and work opportunities. We though maybe he could go to one 3 days and the other one 2 days. Brooke discouraged this because he has such a hard time adjusting. We finally all agreed that PARC would be the best fit for him. Currently it is being run by the Davis School District but that will change in July when it goes private. The government sets the guidelines and provides the funding but all the services are contracted out to private individuals and companies.  Eddy was approved for five days a week. We decided to start with two days to ease him into it.
     Since this is the field Amy got her Master’s Degree in, she has been extremely helpful and supportive all along, even posting about him on Facebook.
     Ed protested from the moment the decision was made even though we thought he helped make it.
     “I’m not going if it snows.”
     “I’m not leaving this neighborhood.”
     “Who will take care of the cats?”
     Brooke came over Sunday to help Dad give him a blessing. He was still insistent he wasn’t going no way no how. I couldn’t sleep all night worrying that we wouldn’t be able to get him to go. The van driver came right at 9:30. It was a cute girl, thank heavens.  Nevertheless, he was still adamant “I’m not leaving this neighborhood,” even as he climbed into the van in a blizzard. Monday November 25, 2019
      Elizabeth wrote: I’m so glad Ed enjoyed his first day!
     This morning Ed told his dad that he told the van driver: “Thank you for picking me up.” DeRay asked him what her name was. “She told you,” Ed reminded him. “I forgot,” Dad admitted. “You’ll find out next Monday,” Ed scolded, “now pay attention.”
     “I didn’t get to greet him at the door but he came in cussing that “They know I don’t like to be lonesome,” and “Now for the bad part” and “I hate it, hate it, hate it,” meaning coming home.
     To Brooke: After that we didn’t get much out of him. I asked him if he would be excited to go back next Monday and he informed me that he is not going back. He’s an enigma. I feel good about it.
     This morning, he chatted with me: “I love this house, Mom. And I also love PARC. It’s a long time until next Monday.” Nov. 26
      Today he came down the stairs chatting: “You know what I like about PARC, Mom?” “What?” “The restrooms and the good staff.”      
     This morning Eddy said, “I got something to look forward to on Sunday and Monday. Especially Monday.” (What? I never thought I’d see the day when anything trumped church.)
     “Know what I like about PARC, Mom? They go out into the community. Good thing I chose PARC, Mom.”
     “Good choice,” I added.
     “Really good choice,” he concluded.  November 29, 2019
     “I love PARC, Mom.”
     “Why do you love PARC?”
     “Because I chose it.”  (Maybe in his heart. Verbally he rejected it until he climbed into the van.)
     “Ed, now today I hope you will participate in the stretching exercises and follow the instructor,” I lecture.
     “She recognized me,” he said.
     Everybody recognizes Eddy. Every single place we visited while looking for a place, at least one person said “hello” to him, calling him by name.