“For the first time in a long time, I’m finally moving forward.”
Before participating in the CLIMB Wyoming program, Dee’s life was overwhelming and frustrating: the low-paying job she had couldn’t pay the bills, and the job itself was a difficult environment to face day-in and day-out. Even though she spent months trying to get better employment, it was to no avail. Dee found herself extremely stressed and depressed, with the feeling that her life would go nowhere.
At home, Dee is the proud mom to two amazing children. In addition to a caring, dog-loving, mechanically-minded son, she has a wonderful daughter, an extremely happy and strong “girly” girl. Her daughter, however, has hydrocephalus, which involves epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and mild mental retardation. For the last 18 years, Dee has worked tirelessly as a medical advocate for all of her daughter’s care including more than 40 surgeries. The role taught her to ask the tough questions and to learn as much as she could about the situation so that she could be the most educated, involved parent through these difficult times.
With the parenting class you provided, Dee learned that taking care of herself actually helps her be a better mom. Before CLIMB, every day took a huge toll on her physically and emotionally; leaving her feeling exhausted and hopeless. Dee admitted that she didn’t have very much patience with her kids sometimes. “I was so concerned about everyone else’s needs that I didn’t take time to examine my own problems and they always seemed to grow into something much larger than they needed to be. Everything felt so overwhelming because I didn’t have the energy to think clearly and do the right things, Dee said. Through CLIMB’s parenting classes, Dee was able to learn an incredibly valuable lesson: that she needs to take care of herself in order to be a strong parent.
As for the future, Dee has a great job is excited to know have the opportunity to move into her own place, own a vehicle that runs well, and continue being an amazing mom to her two wonderful teenagers. “Right now, I know that I’m moving forward – and that’s a great place to go,” she said. “