A Portrait of Vj’s Insight: Vj Antonevitch’s Journal

By Patricia Ruth Connor Antonevitch

My book is written by my mother, who communicated with me successfully in ways not even we understood. Since I was nonverbal and had other developmental disabilities from birth, I could never express my thoughts or wishes in words. My mother worked a job and cared for me by herself since my father was killed when I was a baby. After my father’s death, we moved to Chapel Hill-Carrboro, NC where excellent social services, medical services, psychological services, and educational services are available. Through the school system and other agencies there, I was involved in many programs and services. We were blessed to have caring people and services available to make our life together possible in a home setting where we had friends and family nearby. She cared for me at home until I was an adult, and then I lived in a group home and later a facility where she visited me regularly. My mother is also limited in some abilities, but never let that hinder her persistent pursuit of best care and experiences available to help me become the best VJ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728332208

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 Patricia Ruth Connor Antonevitch. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse    10/22/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-3221-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-3220-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019916666

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

SECTION I    EMOTIONS

SECTION II    FAMILY BACKGROUND

SECTION III    EXAMINATION AND EVALUATION

SECTION IV    HOSPITAL AND DOCTOR

SECTION V    MY EDUCATIONAL CAREER

SECTION VI    HOME EXPERIENCE

SECTION VII    EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

SECTION VIII    STRUCTURED PROGRAMS

SECTION IX    PARENT GROUPS

SECTION X    RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AND MURDOCH CENTER

SECTION XI    GOOD PROFESSIONALS VS POOR PROFESSIONALS

SECTION XII    SUMMATION

INTRODUCTION

THE NAME OF MY JOURNAL is A Portrait of VJ’s Insight. The author is my mother, Patricia Ruth Connor Antonevitch, who I called ‘Mama’. I am Vincent Jonathan Antonevitch, otherwise known as VJ, one of my nicknames that my Grandmama gave me. A Portrait of VJ’s Insight is about me despite the fact that I cannot write and am nonverbal, but I can use some body and sign language such as facial expressions, smiling, pointing with a finger, making sounds such as ‘Mama’ for mother, ‘Grandmama’ for grandmother, ‘ah’, ‘oh’ and ‘ha’. It does not matter if one is verbal or nonverbal, disabled or ‘normal’ There are several ways to communicate other than speech, body and sign language, such as writing (note, letter, report), Braille (used by the blind). Also there are computers and communication boards.

During my life, the professionals were not able to test my mental capabilities due to the fact that I am nonverbal and cognitively able otherwise. Despite all my problems, I have developed several skills.

SECTION I

EMOTIONS

Emotion, Emotions, More Emotions

EMOTIONS CAN CAUSE A NATURAL high or natural low or depression. Drugs can induce a clinical and physical high, low and depression. These drugs are alcohol, prescription and non-prescription drugs. Some life situations that can cause a natural high, low or depression are illness, divorce, separation. Some of the emotions listed below are depression, delight, withdrawal, grief, heartbreak, anger, compassion, supportive.

Depression

Depression is when one’s emotions are at an all-time low. A major historical example is the Great Depression 1929-1939. There was a nationwide all time natural low called depression. The symptoms were unemployment, lack of money, lack of food, lack of sleep or oversleep or death. Alcoholism or use of prescription and nonprescription drugs can also cause depression. As one can see financial, emotional and drug problems along with alcoholism can cause serious depression.

One may need medical and/or mental help. One’s family doctor should be aware of what drugs one is using. Questions to ask are why, when, how, how often? What effect does the medication have on all other medications?

Delight

Delight is a natural high called gratification, enjoyment, happy feelings, love, compassion, excitement. Most people could probably experience it in various life situations such as marriage, birth, birthday, adoption, graduation.

Withdrawal, Grief and Heartbreak

Withdrawal, grief and heartbreak are all mild to serious forms of depression. It can lead to alcoholism, which is drinking too much alcohol, causing clinical and physical high and low. This can later cause an all time crash, reaching a major low or deep depression. Alcoholism can cause major physical health problems such as liver and kidney problems. These above physical health problems can be the cause of death. Sometimes these health problems can happen because one does not care about oneself, or others or surroundings. Other times it just happens. Being uninvolved or avoiding the wrong groups or being involved in community activity may make a difference. One could avoid hospitalization and also probably get the help for depression when needed.

Grief and Heartbreak

Grief and heartbreak are interchangeable terms. They can cause hurtfulness, sorrow, distress, depression, which are a great big deal. These hurtful problems are bad marriage, birth problems, health problems, divorce, death, separation, illness.

Anger, Guilt and Blame

Anger and blame are interchangeable. Anger and blame are when a person shows a very strong bitter explosive outburst called accusation or scolding. Blaming can be an accusative method of finding fault with a person. Also it can be a form of criticizing. There are other forms of blaming called self-blaming, self-abuse, belittling oneself or putting oneself down, also, finding fault with oneself.

Second, is blaming others, finding fault with others. Some people like playing the blame game instead of working out or solving one’s problems. They generate guilty feelings by either blaming themselves or blaming others. Guilty feelings are painful, believing one is wrong no matter what or generating guilty feelings in others. In both cases it does not matter who generates guilt. It is painful and can cause serious problems.

Compassion

Compassion is an emotion showing understanding, unconditional, tender loving care, like the country song When a man loves a woman. Two adults fall in love both emotionally and sexually. They are ready for commitment and establishing a family through conceiving or adopting a child, causing people’s lives to become interwoven in love. Another form of love is when one is committed to the community, country or world called compassion or patriotism.

Supportive

All emotions whether positive or negative, being supportive is important. No matter how encouraging or discouraging, for family, friends or community - bottom line, everyone must work together on their relationships. If all parties cannot adjust or reconcile their life situations, they may need to separate, divorce or make other living conditions.

Dealing with Emotions

Some people can adjust to a life situation, while other people cannot deal with their life situations. It’s a struggle. When two or more people come together to work out their differences it is called adjustment or reconciliation.

SECTION II

FAMILY BACKGROUND

MY GRANDMAMA GAVE BIRTH TO eight children in the first twenty years of her married life. Glassboro, NJ was the home of