Episode 123: A Slow Exhale: Finding Purpose Through Special Needs Parenting

Guest: Valerie Rodriguez, Special Needs Mom

Valerie Rodriguez wasn’t planning on a lot of things: another pregnancy, multiples, a NICU stay or even having to say goodbye to one of her boys. In this episode she shares how she found her new normal, navigating grief, special needs and her evolving role as a mom and wife.

About the guest

Valerie Rodriguez, Hand to Hold NICU Babies Parent Support podcast, special needs parenting Valerie Rodriguez is a dedicated mom, a beloved friend, and takes pride in her career as a high school special education teacher. After becoming a mom to her two oldest children, a third surprise pregnancy ultimately resulted in Valerie giving birth to twin boys via an emergency Cesarean section at only 23-weeks gestation. It was a heartbreaking goodbye to her son, Cristiano, just 22 minutes after his birth, and her other son, Cruz, spent 296 days in the NICU before being released with full-time 24 hour in-home medical care facing special needs challenges beyond the NICU. From facing the unknowns of a high-risk pregnancy to walking through the unique challenges of having a special needs child, Valerie longs to encourage and equip others to find joy, no matter what circumstances they may be up against today. Valerie, her husband Robert, and her 3 children, live in Prosper, Texas.