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| Jimmy and Dad at Minneapolis Institute of Arts with his painting Girl with Cork II |
Most people that know me
would say that I am a positive, cup half full kind of person. I usually feel that way. For reasons that I
don’t completely understand but have a hunch about, Jimmy’s birthday seems to
cause me sadness and regret. Jimmy will
be 21 years old on July 6th. I
had great difficulty on his 16th and 18th birthdays. The milestone birthday for most young adults
are filled with excitement about the future.
For me, I can’t let go of the losses…driver’s license, true
companionship, need for guardianship, voting, lack of independence, etc…
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| Man of the World by Jimmy Reagan Arcrylic on Canvas 2013 36"x48" Watch Jimmy create this painting on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zQgB5eG2Tc |
Jimmy has gained notoriety
for his art and is making his way as an artist.
His differences likely make his artwork unique. We are grateful that he has
this gift and that it is well appreciated by others. It is a marvelous outlet for him to express
himself when words are otherwise lost.
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| Head Hurts by Jimmy Reagan His Yoga teacher asked him to show her how his head felt when it hurts |
Wednesday morning, I had to
take Jimmy to the U of MN Autism Clinic for evaluation for the County. He has several pieces of his artwork hung in
the clinic. I hadn’t seen them in a long
time. Two are images that he created for
his yoga teacher…..show us head hurts and stomach hurts. The images make his point as it has been a
particularly tough year with regard to his health. I am baffled by how it is that he is allergic
to food….but, he is. He will be scoped again this month to see the progress of
the last six months of medical treatment.
We are sure that there is some improvement but not as much as we would
like. I hope and pray that medicine will
discover better treatment options Jimmy.
It is heartbreaking to see him sit on the couch in tears crying in pain
that we can’t fully comprehend or understand. His doctors are trying to
understand his symptom and treat creatively….we are so far from the years ago
when I sat in the doctors offices trying to convince doctors that there was
something wrong as they dismissed his symptoms and my concerns. Now, his condition is very interesting. I hope and pray for solutions for Jimmy that
will positively impact him and other families.
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| Stomach Hurts by JImmy Reagan |
Jimmy doesn’t receive any
benefits from the County, State or Federal government….he never has. Yet, the County/government agencies still
make him/us/me go through the assessment process again and again. We have almost no contact with the County…I
was told his case manager has 160 clients. His diagnosis hasn’t changed since he was 2 ½
years old. We have to make changes in
how benefits and services work for those with autism. People with autism don’t often fit into service categories the
right way because their skill sets are so variant. The process is so demeaning for him and for
us. I am told how handicapped he is and how “challenging” my life and the
life of my family is. Followed by he doesn't qualify for services. How is that possible? It makes me sad
that I couldn’t change this experience for him and us. But, it is what it is
and we work hard to make the best of it for him and us.
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| Untitled lost image by JImmy Reagan from 2009 |
I lighten my thoughts when I
look at his artwork and the bright happy colors he chooses. I tell myself that
they are a glimpse into his world that chooses happiness. I visualize his joy
when he shows his art and I see the gratifying smile on his face. His
artwork has grown so much since he began in 2009. So, he is growing as a human being…isn’t that
we all want to do in our life and careers?
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| "Selfie" by Jimmy Reagan Acrylic on Canvas 2014 16"x20" |
So, I will say we are blessed and see our challenges as a means to make change for Jimmy and others. It’s a pathway to learn from the human experience and try to make changes that matter to us and others.
I lighten my emotional low on
these milestone birthdays when I think of the joy Jimmy brings to other people
and the hope that his art offers others as well as I remind myself that he has
a purpose in life and that is really important.
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| Jimmy at the Good Purpose Gally in Lee, MA with his paintings Goodbye Ron", "Girl with Leaves", Jim" and "Elizabeth". Jimmy has a solo show at Good Purpose November through January of 2014/15 www.goodpurpose.org |
He absolutely does have a purpose in life that is very important, Peggy. Jimmy is telling the world that he is not invisible - that he is very much here and it is WE who to need to become more aware of his gifts and his purpose in this world. We thank the good Lord he is able to communicate through his art - and hopefully for a long, long time - at which time he may reveal another gift! He has found a way to break through some barriers that were once there. And hopefully, little by little, we will gain more understanding of how Jimmy sees the world that will help us break through some barriers of our own. Thank you for sharing Jimmy's world with us through his eyes. You are an incredible mom - and Director! Thank goodness God chose you to be Jimmy's mother! Happy 21st Birthday to Jimmy!
ReplyDeleteThanks Terri! I hope that he has broken a few barriers....many more to come. I DO hope that he continues to create art for many years to come!
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