Lori has a full house living with her son, twin daughters, mom, and husband, who has been working from home. Her 17-year-old son, Jacob, attends the HMS School Children with Cerebral Palsy in Philadelphia.
“I do wonder what the after effects may be.”
Lori: I do wonder what the after effects may be for years, you know, the mental effects, the emotional effects, the developmental effects. But also, I don’t know how Jacob processes situations because he’s nonverbal, I don’t know what he understands, I don’t know how he feels about why did I only look at you? Is he sad to be leaving the house and going back? Was he thrilled? Was he bored? Was he upset? Was he confused? Is he depressed? About being home? But not not understanding? Why aren’t we leaving the house? Why aren’t we going to a restaurant? Why aren’t I seeing anyone except you five people for 13 months? Why have I not seen another, you know, person in the house? Why isn’t anybody else helping me? Why do you seem so tired? Why, you know, all of that, you know, I miss? Why am I only seeing, you know, my teacher on the screen? Did I do something wrong? Why aren’t I allowed to be there? You know, so, the mental and emotional part for all of us and the long term effects on how that will be for everybody. And then Jacob specifically, what does he understand or not understand? And how did it affect him? You know, as well as all the developmental. What did you lose? You know, academically or, or with skill development?