The SpecialMoms Parenting Magazine 4th Issue | Page 8

Susa Susan shares: I married and had three sons, Marco, Graham and Christian. Christian was born with an unnamed genetic syndrome which made him live with floppy muscles, inability to chew foods, a compromised immune system and he couldn’t walk, talk or hear well. I divorced my husband in 2000 and worked, got my Master’s Degree and then remarried my soul mate in 2010. Susan Rosano Thinking about your journey raising a child with special needs, can you elaborate on this comment: “I wished I knew then, what I know now!”? The Parent’s Notebook Susan E. Rosano, MA, is a Mosaic and Mural Artist with a Masters Degree from Wesleyan University. For the past ten years she has worked as a Master Teaching Artist on the juried rosters of the Vermont Arts Council, Arts for Learning Connecticut and Life Time Arts in New York City. Murals that Susan has created or facilitated with communities grace the walls at schools, hospitals, libraries, museums and other public spaces around New England. It is a huge learning process when you parent a child with special needs. I wish I knew how to handle the emotional aspect of it all when my son was born. This is why I wrote my book “The Parent’s Notebook.” Handling the emotional aspect is a huge learning curve and I did not understand what was going on for me. I was depressed, angry and felt isolated. Those things could have been avoided if I understood myself and my situation better. Susan is also a recently published author of “The Parent’s Notebook, A Support Guide for Parents of Children with Special Needs.” She is a credentialed Creative Arts Therapist, Reiki Master, Nationally Certified Hypnotist and Pastoral Counselor working out of an office in downtown Brattleboro. facebook What was your son’s diagnosis? 8 Christian was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Eating Disorder, Compromised Immune System, Developmental Disability and an unnamed genetic syndrome. twitter