For so long, having Michelle at home was enough. It would have been okay to say, "This is it." To be honest, I thought Michelle would always live with us.
Michelle Newland
Three days after my 19th birthday, I suffered a severe asthma attack and was rushed to hospital. I returned home for my 21st birthday.
Speaker 1
We has this big high, and then reality sets in. Michelle's dad and I both had to go back to work. Walking out of the house and closing the door behind me each morning, was frightening. I felt guilty. I was leaving Michelle to be looked after by workers she didn't know well. I felt sick in my stomach that I couldn't provide that full protection.
Speaker 1
After I retired, and was spending more time at home, I could see that Michelle was happy, but she had plateaued. I thought, "Is this going to be her life?" Living with us, her brain was telling her that she could depend on us. There was no room to soar. She needed a different environment. We knew we had better hurry up and put something into place, while we still had the energy and our health.
Speaker 1
We did all our homework. We looked at selling up, buying a place, and building a unit. But it was all really scary. How would we afford it? Then suddenly we thought, "What about the house next door?" It seemed totally far-fetched, but it would mean that Michelle could have her independence and we could stay in our own home.
Michelle Newland
It was up for rent, but it wasn't very nice. It had an awful smell. It was falling apart. There were smashed windows, cigarette butts everywhere, and outside it was like a jungle. I couldn't live there as it was. And renting, we weren't sure how long I could stay there.
Speaker 1
I had to be brave enough to ring and ask, would they consider selling? And then we got it. But now what? We had all these renovations to do, on top of a new mortgage. It was a long process from there.
Michelle Newland
We had lots of volunteers to help us.
Speaker 1
We were very nervous asking for help, but we discovered that people want to help, they just need to know how.
Speaker 1
My darling, we have lockup. How good is that?
Michelle Newland
Now I can shower myself, dress myself, make my own breakfasts, clean the house. With support, I run a playgroup once a month in my home. I'm living my dream of teaching. I speak to thousands of young people each year to share my message, to never give up hope.
Speaker 1
At the start of this journey, you're angry, you're grieving. It's awful and traumatic and you can't pretend it's not there. We do cry. We do grieve. But we also laugh and celebrate. We choose to focus on finding a new way of doing things.
Speaker 1
You've worked so hard. You've worked so hard. We're so proud of you.
Michelle Newland
Thanks.
Speaker 1
Michelle, dad and I would love to see you enjoy this house and become independent. And we would love to give you that space. Move away and give you that space that you need. And we would love to see you have a full and meaningful life, being happy and healthy and
Michelle Newland
That's beautiful, mum.
Speaker 1
Michelle, what's success for you? How would you see yourself in the future?
Michelle Newland
I'd love to be sleeping on my own, in my own home. I would love to do a lot of independent things. Keep it happy and healthy. I would love to be able to have friends over, and enjoy my life to the fullest.