People ask me how Mario likes living in his own apartment. Mario is not thrilled about it and it has been an adjustment. When I asked Mario the same question he wrote, “I needed the movement Mom.” That is so true. If you get stuck in the same routine your brain can get lazy. Besides when Mario is at home I am a bit of a “ hover mother.” Sometimes staying in the same comfortable life style is not in your best interest. A little challenge now and then builds character if not brain cells.
Every day is an adventure with Mario. He has spent four weeks in his new apartment already. It is amazing how this all works out. Every day a different caregiver comes in at 9:00 a.m. to help get Mario ready for his day. Some days his goes swimming at the Y.M.C.A. On other days he goes to Dr. appointments, walking, shopping or out to lunch.
Most of the time it takes him until 1:00 p.m. to get ready to leave the house. Mario moves slowly and what takes me five minutes to do will be an hour for Mario, like eating for instance. He prays over the food for as long as it takes for me to eat it, but maybe those prayers are a part of the reason he continues to improve.
He usually returns to the house at 5:00 p.m. because each caregiver works an eight hour shift. So what do we do for the night? Every night I go over and prepare dinner for Mario. Mario takes a nap and my husband Mark comes over around 7:00 p.m. We all have dinner together until one of four friends comes over to spend the night with Mario.
We asked for help and we got it. How loving these friends are to help us out. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have been able to move Mario. He is not ready to spend the night alone yet and my husband and I do not want to sleep in a one bedroom apartment every night with Mario!
We are looking for someone to share the apartment with Mario in exchange for caring for him at night. They cannot have any furniture and are not only limited on space, but freedom. A roommate cannot have friends over and must be drug and alcohol free. Mario lives in HUD housing so you cannot have a criminal record to live there either.
I have no doubt that the perfect roommate for Mario will appear. Just like all the other miracles in our lives. It is the how and when that are yet to be determined. It is kind of fun waiting to see what the universe will provide next.
BE Love,
Christine
