Frankie's Family

Frankie’s Family

I have three sisters and a brother and my mother and father are still alive. My mother is 92 and my father 94.

   

·         My father has problems walking for any distance

·         My mother has Alzheimer’s

·         My sister Carol has a learning disability. She is 60 and cannot read, write or tell the time or use money

·         My brother John suffers from SAD ( Seasonal Affective Disorder)

·         My sister Rachel has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

·         My other sister Asperger's syndrome?

·         My children Jessye and Jordy are dyslexic but are both doing well a university because they had special needs education

·         My ex-husband suffered from severe depression

·         My niece and nephew have both been diagnosed with bi-polar disease

·         I have three friends with autistic children

·         I have a friend who has adopted a Down’s syndrome baby

How many people with disabilities do you know?

Really think about it. Some disabilities are not really known or talked about much in the UAE.

When I came to the UAE 15 years ago, my students told me that Emiratis never had depression but if they did would go to the Mutawa.  Now there is a counselor at ADMC. Why do people talk about diabetes but not about depression?

Things are changing in the UAE. Now there are more facilities for people with special needs and people’s attitudes are changing. More young people have a chance to meet their full potential

What is the most important thing for changing people’s attitudes?