European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 7, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse left with Charlotte Marzall works Matthew s legs in an exercise program called patterning. Mother holds Matthew s mask during lung exercise probably he could have made most of his gains Wilh vastly less stress. But there is no reason to doubt he has gained. And a Little extra beats a Tittle Roseanne and Jordan Are As familiar As anyone with tha controversy that has raged in medical journals or 30 years. When they speak of it in is Wilh More than a Trace of weariness. Patterning in l a Miracle says Roseanne it s just belter than anything else. For mall hew to learn lakes thousands of hours o repetitions there s no substitute Lor the hours and the Alle lion he s the argument that patterning robs brain injured kids of their childhoods makes her bristle. A kid like Matthew does t get much of a childhood anyway she says and i defy anyone to have had More movies More Chi cases. More Alten Ion than Matthew has by Tho Middle of a cold wednesday morning Roseanne Peckins is hard at work Jordan led hours ago Tor his Job. Monitoring the agencies Hal provide services Lor new York City s Aster children and families. Now Roseanne studies schedules that break each week into 42 squares one Lor every hour Matthew will work. Some of them Are already listed Wilh names of a photo Matthew hand walk under guidance of Hob Gartner. Volu Neefs ideas there should be iwo names per Square Bui this Wook eight squares Are Blank those being the hours Roseanne will work with Matthew on those rare weeks when every Square has born filled in. She still winds up working seven or eight hours herself Jordan does the shopping and laundry a it takes Over Matthew s program on saturdays. In Canne runs things on weekdays and does the Cocking and cleaning. Tuesday nights she goes out we Michael usually Lor pizza and a movie. And one a Gail a week each Parent iries to get out with a Friend. This is ust the Way it says Jordan a Small bul expansive Man Al 44 Wilh scrambled Gray a r and a Matching fringe of Beard. I Don l even think about what it would be like if it was t like when each Day is broken into one hour chunks Lime passes slowly. Still it startles Jordan to realize Hal in Apul Lua son will be 9. In some ways i stil think of him As a baby to says i Large that he s handicapped we ust do what we do. I wrestle with own and Hiss him and make 0kes with him and put him to Bod. I see kids who were born at the same hm1 As Matthew kids who i though would to his funds. And Trion i remember i be had my life bul Mal Hovi netting Gyp Ped when i cry i cry Lor him ". To Joannu too. Spends title Lime in inking ii tort a vial might have born Al 42, she a Rosling woman with intelligent Brown eyes and Silky Brown hair Tihoi s cropped Shor around her face but flows so air jul Down to Back in a Stylo Hal makes her look 10 years younger Roseanne recalls another Molher who lived in Liei building before see had Matthew who a j a Drain injured son she kept in the House. I used to i Ink How terrible she says one Day. Years later she was sitting in the Park discussing special education with of her mothers mall How Sal in his stroller beside Hor. One woman was talking Aboul wanting to Leach handicapped kids. Anole of said Youdon t want lode Hal. Those kids smell i said i Bathe my kid As you Bathe yours. He does not smell she said of maybe nol now Roseanne. Bul just Wail. When he gets older. Hell smell too. They All do i was terribly hurl t took Matthew Homo and said i m never going Back to he Park. I m never taking him anywhere again. Well just slay Home " then she remembered the woman upstairs and suddenly she understood. It s changed me she says finally there s a Teco of Joy thai s been Laken away. There s a sadness Hal never ends a sadness thai you can t gel Over Over " alter a Peanut butter and Honey Sandwich on wheat bread juice and handful of raisins Matthew s Roady to work again. His diet is devoid o sugar sail or additives that could aggravate Tho food allergies Hal Are common with some brain injuries. Roseanne gently brushes and losses his icel. While Matthew struggles unsuccessfully to break free now it s time to practice creeping. Vocabulary cards with pictures on one Sido and words on the other Are scattered on the floor. As mall hew creeps to each card his braces jingling a Volunteer picks ii up and reads it to him. The picture cards which helped Matthew Luarn to creep also helped Leach him to read i struck Roseanne As curious that once he d crept to one and Gollon hold of it he would stare at it indefinitely. She called Art Sander and he said he s Reading them i said. Don t be ridiculous to said nobody will look at nonsense Lor hours. He s Reading them. He has to be Fot the longest time says Roseanne i would t believe it. There Are dozens of cards broken Down into categories colors shapes animals. I d Pul a whole Bunch in front of him and i d say give me Tho one Hal says Basket and he d give me he one thai said Basket. Finally i had to believe it Matthew was Reading for several years Ever Sinco mall ice Learned id react the cards have been among the volunteers Mosi effective bribes. Another is the big gumby doll stumped in the Corner wearing a sign thai says please walk Lemo " there Are Days when Mattew does t feel like doing this it s the patterned s Job to try to make it Roseanne explains. You could t got me to walk. 3,000 times a Day up and Down the living room for no reason you d have to find a reason. It s the same with one of his newest treasures is his sled custom made by patterned Loren Sherman a stage set designer who spends much of his spare time making equipment Tor Matthew. Sherman is awaiting a pal enl on mall hew s special wheelchair with the chair Hal Lills off and its. Easily into seals at Heaters and restaurants he s also designing a typewriter Wilh big letters Hal Are easy to push. Ii will tit on the workable that attaches 10 Matthew s chair. An Ordinary keyboard will i on the Side for volunteers to use Roseanne is hoping it will enable Matthew to one Day carry on conventions typing lessons have already begun. The of Tow Day. Mall hew pointed loan Tihen an a and a a " he looked up expectantly. It look a minute Foi Roseanne to catch on. Raz Fla sin of course. Loren Sheiman says working with Mallow has taught him a Greal Deal about patience and acceptance it s like an exercise in dealing with Lite As it is besides which. I icel very Good when i m with him when i started 1 had some tears that to would be strange or Hinl i would Lind it disturbing to Sec turn but it was obvious Lomo immediately that there was a living person in Thoro. A person who understands Csc Ryling " 3fll7,1987 the stars and stripes Page 15
