Yesterday, during my afternoon meltdown, I watched Jewel - a made-for-television movie
based on Oprah's Book Club selection by Brett Lott. Farah Fawcett plays a
Mississippi woman Jewell who gives birth to her fifth child Brenda Kay as the
Second World War.
When Brenda Kay doesn't show normal progress, the local doctor labels her a "mongolian
idiot" (how that term makes me cringe) and advises that she be
institutionalized (that sounds familiar!). Jewel adamantly dismisses the
doctor's poor advice, saying that if the family loves Brenda Kay enough, then
she will become healthy.
Then Jewel does what I have seen so many mothers of special
needs children do: spend every waking moment consumed with the well-being of
Brenda Kay, pushing aside and away all of the others around her. Her other four
children lost their mother; her husband lost his wife. Exhausted and
bedraggled, she lost herself.
She didn't trust anyone else to care for her baby like she could. She did everything for Brenda Kay, except teach
her how to try on her own and set Brenda-appropriate
rules for behaviour.
Her only one guilty pleasure is reading People's Digest, in which she discovers a school for children like
Brenda Kay in California. Upon receiving a letter from the school, Jewel begins
secretly selling family treasures to pay for a trip to California.
After some heated discussions with Jewel, her husband agrees
to sell the house he built and to move the family with the children who are still
living at home out to California.
Upon acceptance into the special school, I thought Brenda
Kay would finally have time away from her mother and finally have the
opportunity to grow her wings and to develop some independence. But, no, the
principal hires Jewel as a teaching assistant. Mother and daughter remain
attached at the hip.
Attending school lasts until Brenda Kay begins holding hands
with classmate Dennis. Gadzooks! We can't have that! Brenda Kay suddenly
becomes too old for school.
After the family has enough of not having their mother
available, they question Jewel what will become of Brenda Kay when she is no
longer around - an issue many parents refuse to face until it's too late. With
some Hollywood style heart-wrenching, Jewel decides on a residential care home
for girls like Brenda Kay.
With what seems likes no preparation, no teaching of life
skills, no cutting of the apron strings (from both ends), her parents take
Brenda Kay to meet the couple who runs the home and then leave her.
Brenda Kay is carefree and, perhaps, relieved as her parents
drive away and turns back to playing games with her new-found friend, no doubt
thinking, "Free at last!"
