What I wish to share is of a personal nature close to my heart. I am the mother of a 5-year-old autistic son. Our Michael and his special need is our family's focus and lead issue most important to us.
I have spent the last few years looking for any type of services that would help our Michael attain his potential. Unfortunately after all of my research I found myself right back where I began, at a dead end. There are services out there; tapping indto them is most often impossible.
I contacted my senator, Dean Johnson, with questions of services for autistic and special needs children in the state of Minnesota on May 11.
I received a swift response and was contacted by Jennifer McNertney, leadership assistant to Dean Johnson, on May 12.
She jumped on board and began her search of help. I was sent updates of areas she had researched. What I discovered was this effort. In the end she came to the same conclusions that I had. She went to all the areas I had, so I know she took her time. I believe she did her very best to try to assist our Michael.
ADVERTISEMENT
Even though our end result was the same, there just was not anything available in the grand state of Minnesota that we could tap into. I was moved at the effort and her equal frustration for our Michael and sadness that his potential was being overlooked by current government policies.
I am not endorsing Dean Johnson, more so the fact that I believe that voters need to search and decide what issues are most important to them and realize that we can't have it all, not in life nor in politics. Find the issues that are most important to you and go from there. Vote for the issues that are most important to you.
Thank you, Dean Johnson and Jennifer McNertney, for your effort and future help that may be provided to our special needs/autistic children by your future work.
Julie Jurgens-Shimek
New London
