Mieke

Being one of Richard's sisters in law, I have been involved in Dejana's life from the start. I have played with her once a week for almost 5 years. We started with the Son Rise programma and sometimes I was just babysitting for Branka and Richard. In the beginning I just acted like any aunt and mother would do. When I look back there were some really special moments. Once I went with her to the playground en we sat together on the swing, I believed and trusted that she would like it. Dejana was a little affraid but when I comforted her and told that she should hold on tight everything was ok. Later on as I gained more insight into her limitations this limited me somewhat. When we tried again I said to her that I believed she could do it. I was confident she perfecttly understood, most of the times she did not disappoint me. We played hide and seek in the playing room with photocards and objects that I showed her she performed very well. I was confident she understood many things, a recurring dream I have is that Dejana one day will talk. Every time I am on holliday I dream having long conversations with Dejana, she even recites poems!! Unfortunately these are still just dreams although we cummunicate very well nowadays.

Dejana is just a very special and sweet girls she knows to connect with each and every one of us in her special way. We have a very special bond and although I stopped sometimes for a while that did not change our relation. Once when we met again after I stopped for some months Dajana reached her arms out to me (what was very special to me) and bit me in the neck, painfull yes, but I was very proud she could express herself. Below you find part of a diary we kept for a while: "Monday 24th July 2000" Deja was very happy she challenged me to play games, to run, to throw the ball together, it did not matter what as long as we have fun and laugh together. I roared like a lion, she liked it so much I roared over and over again. She also wanted to roar I could se her mouth trying only the sound did not appear. With the photocards I was very successfull last week, I picked out four of them and placed them on various spots in the playing room, when I asked Dejana to find the one I mentioned she did! I brought with me a big white pair of glasses just like the one on the photocard. She was looking very well at the glasses, only I was not allowed to put the glasses on her nose. The bubble bath for her feet was also successfull again, she kept still and enjoyed. She now is able to hang upside down in the air in front of the mirror she laughs. Uptill now she was very affraid to do this. I put her on the small toilet for a while no reaction but she sits very quitely. Untill next week. Two weeks later the glasses where allowed to be put on her nose....

Badhoevedorp, september 2004