What to Expect When the Unexpected Happens

The wishes, hopes, and dreams of expectant parents are many. 

Their baby having a lifelong disability usually is not one of them. 

When that happens, it can be devastating for families. 

The staff and volunteers at the  Center for Family Involvement have family members with a disability. Some of us have disabilities. That lived experience makes a huge difference when providing emotional and informational support to people with disabilities and their families. We understand how complicated the mix of grief, joy, disappointment, and gratitude can be.

So does Heather Trammell. She's the Director of Family Support at the Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia. She took on that role after her first child was born with Down syndrome more than 20 years ago. 

She helps parents through the wide range of emotions that flood them after they learn of their child's diagnosis. Heather also sees time and time again, families coming out of the dense fog of grief bursting with pride and happiness. 

In this two-part interview, Heather shares how her job has evolved with the rapidly changing media landscape and talks about how toxic the high-functioning/low-functioning mindset can be. 

 

The Odyssey: Parenting. Caregiving. Disability. 

The Center for Family Involvement at VCU School of Education's Partnership for People with Disabilities provides informational and emotional support to people with disabilities and their families. All of our services are free. We just want to help. We know how hard this can be because we're in it with you. 

 

TRANSCRIPT:

01:00:07:18 - 01:00:36:07

Erin Croyle

Welcome to The Odyssey. Parenting, Caregiving, Disability. I'm Erin Croyle the creator and host.  The Odyssey podcast explores the turn our lives take when a loved one has a disability. I was lucky enough to head down this less traveled road when my first child was born with Down's Syndrome in 2010. Now I work for the Center for Family Involvement at VCU's Partnership for People with Disabilities.

 

01:00:36:09 - 01:00:59:17

Erin Croyle

This podcast explores the triumphs and hardships we face. We celebrate the joys that the odyssey of parenting, caregiving and disability bring. But we tackle the tough stuff, too, which is why I've invited Heather Trammell to join us. Heather knows hard. She too has a child with Down's syndrome. And how the medical team broke the news to her is both shocking and heartbreaking.

 

01:00:59:19 - 01:01:26:21

Erin Croyle

After the dust settled, Heather became the director of Family Support at the Down's Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia. She's one of the first people that parents talk to after they learned their child has Down syndrome. She sees firsthand how drastically different families handle diagnoses. She also witnesses countless transformations from scared, sad and confused to happy, fulfilled and proud.

 

01:01:26:23 - 01:01:47:15

Erin Croyle

Heather's love for her work is palpable. She's the first one to tell you that she's a sucker for a changed life. Heather, I want to jump right in and have you tell us a bit about yourself. But I like to do this a little bit differently because I think a lot of us are one person before children and then another after.

 

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