Choosing Happiness — Janet Favorite

Janet Favorite is a longtime resident of St. Paul, Minnesota. Her memoir, “Raising Robert,” was written as a guide for new parents of children with special needs, and it includes the story of her son’s experience with mental illness. Janet swims often and boasts of having gone swimming in two Great Lakes, three oceans, three seas, and several cold Minnesota lakes. She feels her outdoor adventures replenish her spiritual energy, enabling her to cope with life’s challenges. You can find her at Janet-Favorite.com.

Advocating for your child with Prader-Willi syndrome is a lifelong endeavor

When our son, Robert, was born in 1989, we never dreamed we would still be advocating for him at age 37. I was sure I could fix whatever problems he had. I thought he would eventually have a normal life. Low muscle tone was a problem from the start. At…

Finding friends is challenging for those with Prader-Willi syndrome

Growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota, I was encircled by families with many children. We had action-packed fun and played games during summer vacation and after school. Our children, however, grew up differently. Early on, their neighborhood had no children, just older adults. Fortunately, my sister’s family moved next to…

A look back at the everyday miracles of our journey

The spiritual study program “A Course in Miracles” has interested me for years. Among other things, it encourages people to recognize the miracles in everyday situations. I’ve had some experience with such miracles. Thanks to new genetic testing methods, Prader-Willi syndrome can now be diagnosed right…

My son’s experience with scoliosis and Prader-Willi syndrome

Scoliosis is common among people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). I am active in the PWS community and have seen multiple people with the syndrome whose bodies were severely compromised by scoliosis, or an abnormal curvature of the spine. In my experience, older people with PWS and scoliosis often…

How our son’s Prader-Willi meltdowns affected family life

While I was shopping with my grandson, he spotted a ball in the next aisle. Since we’d experienced incidents of balls thrown at other shoppers, I didn’t want a repeat. “No ball!” I said. That provoked a tantrum. Throwing himself on the floor, my grandson began to scream and cry.

Why I made myself a priority, despite my son’s PWS

I’m a woman of a certain age, and self-care was never mentioned in my younger years. Today, thankfully, there’s considerably more information about this important concept, and we women should take note. After all, we typically have two jobs: working outside the home and handling the bulk of a home’s…

Choosing happiness in life with Prader-Willi syndrome

We all have struggles in our lives, some more than others. As an older mother, wife, and grandma (known as “G-Honey”), I can’t believe the beautiful life I’ve been given. My younger years were filled with chaos. Both of my parents were alcoholics and many surrounding relatives used one substance…