The diagnosis was autism. Seated around the dark oak table are Kathy and Lorraine Mack and Ann Donoghue Dillon '75, '98G, an autism specialist from UNH's Institute on Disability . Grandfather John Mack hovers nearby. With the addition of various professionals in the field of disabilities, it could be a scene from any one of countless meetings held at the Macks' comfortable Exeter, N.H., home in the two years since Rosie's diagnosis. Down to earth in the best New England tradition, the Macks are not above laughing at themselves, and Kathy points out how examples of Rosie's artwork have covered all the walls in the room and are now edging their way up the stairs.
Normal parents reserve it for the fridge.
Asked how Rosie's condition has affected the family, they talk about an emotional roller coaster ride and dreams postponed, altered or derailed. Eyes fill with unshed tears when the conversation turns to how overwhelming even the most simple things seem at times. The Macks are not alone when it comes to families struggling to raise a child with a disability, and after talking a little to some of these families, one begins to get the sense that for them the anxieties of parenthood are multiplied many times over. And it seems that in these situations, an institute or a person who can open doors to new possibilities becomes not just a helping hand, but a godsend.