Taggie with Susan Taney, 2004
Report from Taggie's Legal Guardian October 2008
Thank you for visiting Taggie’s website. I am Susan Taney, and since July 2003 I have been Tagtrug Mukpo's legal guardian. The late Viyadhara, Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche is Taggie’s father and has been my root guru since 1979. I feel a strong karmic connection to this young man who is the emanation of Surmang Tenga, Rinpoche. He recently has been requesting to be called Tenga Rinpoche by some of those working closely with him. Being part of his support team is not only a precious opportunity for practice but also a privilege.
I have been a practicing nurse for 35 years, 20 as a nurse practitioner. I have a primary care practice serving 1200 patients here in this part of Vermont as I live near Karme Choling as well. I also serve as the clinical coordinator for the University of Vermont Infectious Diseases Unit satellite clinic serving the HIV population here. As a health risk reduction educator and clinician, I work some of my time with the injection drug use population, both those still actively using and those in recovery. I also still do some Emergency Room work on occasion. Through my many medical connections, I have helped with some of the coordination of Taggie’s health care.
He has been stable on the medication that controls his severe seizure disorder, not having had a major seizure in a long time. He remains in good health, happy and relaxed most of the time. His physicians are impressed with his state of physical and mental health. He eats well with a diet that is suited more to his nutritional needs as an autistic - refined, processed foods minimized and more whole, organic foods served. He has very little stimulants to the adrenals including sugar.
Taggie has had numerous transitions in the almost eighteen years that he has lived in North Eastern Vermont near Karme Choling. He has benefited greatly from the many people who have provided direct care services, lived with him and donated financial support to sustain him and his slowly evolving care and educational plans.
One of the obstacles for Taggie in the past has been our wanting him to be "better." When this tendency has come up for me, I've looked deep inside to realize that for me it always smacks of wanting him to be something more for us, desiring him to realize his birthright as a tulku and get up and teach us as we think he should. And there's the rub. For that, in itself, IS his teaching: he will dispel all expectation. This is the karma of his life this time. We have a saying, every thing with Taggie moves at a glacial pace. But he makes progress, especially in the area of communication and sometimes surprises us with a leap!
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who help support Taggie, Tenga Rinpoche.