Willie understands everything.
Willie is a 26 year old adult with a Disability.
Willie's has rights.
Willie has Brain Damage.
Willie's Executive Functioning mechanisms are impaired.
Willie chooses to lay in bed on his iPad when he has nothing else to do.
If you asked Willie if he wants more in his life, he would say no.
Yet he often says "my life has no meaning."
Or "you have no idea how lonely I am."
To get Willie to agree to go to the Night To Shine Prom next week is like pulling teeth. Yet he is clearly lonely. Executive functioning error. His words do not match what he really wants. Fear is the driver. He needs an interpreter. That is me.
Willie has an amazing team working to make his life more meaningful. One of his behavioral consultants has even created a paid job opportunity for him if he will just take it. But if we ask him if he wants the job, he refuses. It is scary. It is hard. Willie's brain says lets just stay in bed. That job opportunity is way too out of my comfort zone. Because we all understand and really "see" Willie, we make up his mind for him. We give him tons of advance warning before the actual job interview. We do a drive by so he can lay his eyes on the site. We give him processing time to think about his choices. We plan to support him at the interview. We will help him to see that it really is a good idea to take the job, to give his life more purpose. We can't really take his words at face value. Executive Functioning lapse. We choose to read between the lines of his feelings, words, and deficits, to create a life for him.
I am Willie's voice even though he can talk.
I am his Executive Functioning assistant.
I am Willie's advocate.
I have the responsibility of fighting for what I think he needs.
What is in Willie's best interest.
What a slippery slope this is.
But I know it is the right thing to do, at least for now.
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