I am writing not as a parent, but as someone who shares a special bond with a very special child. I first met Bethany two years ago when I
spontaneously responded to an ad to work with a child who has special needs. Little did I realize how that decision would affect my life. I thought to myself, " This child cannot talk, see, or walk." It was overwhelming. You see, Bethany has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, secondary to hydrocephalus,
as well as epilepsy, cortical vision impairment, physical impairment, speech impairment and she is developmentally delayed.
    Not one to give up without trying, I jumped in and began a relationship that changed my life. When I first began working with Bethany, I heard all kinds of comments, some supportive and some not. The ones that bothered me the most were "You have to work with that child", "You know she will never be able to do the things normal kids can." I am extremely proud to announce to the  world that,  YES, SHE CAN DO THE THINGS THAT OTHER KIDS CAN DO.
    This is a child whose  prognosis was "vegetable". Due to the combined efforts of all of us in her life, she has made so much progress that it amazes the specialists. Today, her vocabulary tops 100 words and grows daily. She can now walk with the aid of canes and we are beginning to wean her off of them. She can count to ten and counts just about anything she sees. And yes, she can see.  Yes, she laughs and plays and smiles, and does all those things other children do (such as emptying the kitchen cupboards, tormenting the dog and stealing her sister's things.)
    Our greatest achievement came last Tuesday. Because of her disabilities, she has poor social skills. She will not respond to people she doesn't  know. One of our goals was to teach her appropriate responses when people talk to
 her, without prompting. Finally, one day, when it felt like I was beating my head against a wall, a lady stopped to ask Bethany how she was.  Without hesitating, Bethany looked up at the lady and said "good".  I was so excited. I was yelling, "Bethany that was wonderful, I am so proud of you!".  Knowing she had just accomplished something  important, she laughed and giggled. We had everyone in the school office out in the hallway to see what the commotion was all about.  Today Bethany is five and attends kindergarten. I am her aide both in the school and in the home. When people ask me how I can work with a  child like that, I simply tell them, "How could I not?"  I won't lie and say there haven't been times when I have wanted to quit. But those times are shadows in my memories to all the wonderful times; like when she took her steps and the first time she called me by my name.
    Bethany has taught me so much more than I could ever teach her. She taught me what it was like to be courageous and brave. Every day of her life is an uphill struggle and she succeeds with dignity and laughter. She taught me the real meaning of personal satisfaction. When I look at her progress and her potential, I can't help but feel proud of the role I have taken in her life. She taught me about unconditional love. No matter how frustrated and angry we got at each other, she always had a hug and a kiss to give me. She taught me no matter what happens today, tomorrow is a new day to start over fresh and it is best to greet each day with laughter.
    As I am looking into the future of my life, I see we are at a cross road.
Bethany has matured into a beautiful five year old who is able to deal with the changes in her life. She has even come to the point where I no longer need to be a main focus in her life. As long as her workers care for her, she will care for them and accept them. I am also looking for a new direction. I would like to take what she has taught me and use it to help other children with special needs.  But no matter what happens, I will always be there to play a role in her life; maybe not always as her worker, but always as her friend. So I am often asked "Is it worth it?" My answer to everyone it "Yes. It is worth every second of every minute of every day."

Written by Jackie Coleman,
Wainwright Alberta Canada