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Piper's Safe Place

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Hi. If you know Piper, you know she is wild, free and strong. She loves animals and can't wait to be a vet tech. She is a phenomenal friend and advocate and a doting sister. She has spent her whole life accommodating her brother's special needs without a complaint.
Lately, a dark force has come into our lives. Lying dormant inside of her for so long it has finally reared its ugly head and taken the free-spirited sunshine from us. We should have seen it coming with her family history but this blindsided us so early in her life and so abruptly and brutally. Our sweet brave girl is battling Generalized Anxiety Disorder. She has been consumed by worry, manifesting in horrible stomach pains and headaches. She is overcome by panic attacks of sobbing fear. Unable to move and join her friends at school, she is frozen in fear and in heartbreaking confusion of "mama I'm so scared but I don't know why.''
She has a mother well versed in sensory defense and behavior modification. She has a supportive dad taking her to therapy and the doctors and she has an amazing teacher getting the ball rolling on her 504 and modifying the classroom and schedule to help Piper. She also has the most understanding and empathetic brother in her corner
Speaking of corners- this is where you come in. I've already ordered a weighted vest and some calming tools but what Piper really needs is a small, safe sensory corner. Dark but lit with soothing lights. A weighted blanket to provide proproiceptive input and help her feel secure. White noise to help keep her thoughts her own. Mood regulation tools to help her self-calm. Soft soothing textures to provide warmth and soft input. Chew toys to satisfy her primal fight or flight oral response. Cool and calming colors and lights. Weighted and compressing clothes and bedding.
We have gutted her closet in preparation but doing this on my own with her brother as helper is overwhelming. I would pay my last dollar to make her feel safe and happy again. I would work my last hours to build her an escape from her fear. But I cannot control the timing of this new dropkick to our lives, and am struggling to balance sensory needs and Christmas needs for both children.
The goal of $500 would help me hang soothing ocean printed curtains in her closet, build a hanging swing for her to climb into and be squeezed and safe, paint the walls to be soothing and comforting, a weighted blanket to provide the pathways from her joints to her brain to tell her she is protected and safe, a light projector instead of UV lights in her special place, books especially written to help children process and discuss these scary and vast feelings, textured and lovable hideaways to squirrel under and tell her worry monsters what she's feeling, worry fidgets and input tools, white noise to soothe and focus her and tools and resources to remind her that her family and friends are here and we validate this terrifying disorder that has consumed her tiny little body. $5 could pay for a printable calm-down book and for it to be laminated. $10 could be a gel timer or calm down bottle. $50 would cover the white noise machine. Anything would help me offset the cost of her blanket and ball chair. (So she can have fun Christmas toys too this year)
I will post updates and before and after photos of her safe space and all donators will get a thank you card from Piper. She loves to send mail and this would help her focus. Anything would be appreciated and I truly mean it that if you cannot donate monetarily I will love getting any moral support as I tear down her closet and rebuild such an important place for her on my own. If you have fabric or curtain rods or anything you think you could donate that would help we would be so grateful.
Thank you for even giving me your time.


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Donations 

  • Suzanne Wagner
    • $25 
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer

Jaci Selby
Organizer
Santa Clara, CA

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