The Vocational Patch: It is now probably six weeks or so since the vocational life skills staff member abruptly left her post, leaving our daughter with only one volunteer job at The Complete Cat Clinic, a placement I had found for her two years ago. The other possibilities, ROAR, the animal shelter, and the senior residence Ridgefield Crossings, require an Ability Beyond Disability staff member to be part of the training, and in the case of the senior residence, also to have a security check. The ABD vocational director has been in search of a replacement and as of late last week informed me that she might have someone on the horizon. However, that missing piece has slowed the process of volunteer work for our daughter and left that third of the adult independent living piece with an incomplete.

Two Thirds Is Just Not Good Enough: The residential and social pieces of the new life are in place, and a resounding success. But alas, for the perfect whole, I guess we will have to wait a bit longer. To fill the time, our daughter ends up visiting malls, taking walks, working out on the treadmill at the Park and Recreation center, and probably spending too much time on Facebook. Fortunately the potential replacement is already an employee of ABD so does not have the required two weeks training of new employees. That’s good.

Impatient? No, I don’t feel impatient. Not really, or I should say, not yet. Why be ungrateful and greedy. So much has been smooth that a hiccup here and there is forgivable and expected. However, by this time next month, post-Halloween and pre-Thanksgiving, I expect that other third of the patchwork quilt of our daughter’s adult life to be in place. Fingers crossed that both new job settings work out for her and for them (the dogs, the cats and the seniors whom she meets and greets). After all, it is important to please the consumer as well.

©Jill Edelman, M.S.W., L.S.C.W. 2011