Archive for November 2017
I’m Thankful For You: My Son’s Speech Therapist
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Samantha Fawns and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to honor and thank my son’s Speech Therapist, Mrs. Marti. We are who we are today, because of Mrs. Marti. My name is Sam and my first child, Carter Rue has autism. All I ever wanted to be was a mama. From the day he was born, I spent every minute with Carter. Playing with him, trying to read to him, trying to teach him words,…
Read MoreA Message to the Parent of a Newly Diagnosed Child
Your child has just been diagnosed with Autism. You heard about me from a friend of a friend. Or maybe you found me on Facebook. Or you emailed me at 1 AM as you were frantically googling autism in the middle of the night. You are so confused and scared. You feel like you’ve lost control of your life. I see you. I understand what you are feeling. I was you. I am you. You are going to look to me for hope. You are going to search through hundreds…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Daughter Selena
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Christina Abernethy and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to honor and thank Selena, my understanding, passionate and kind hearted daughter. There are many people that I could write about that help our sweet ‘Bubba’ but she’s the one who stands out the most! Selena is 15 years old and the best big sister to our twin boys Ethan and Braidan. They are six years old and in first grade. Ethan (nickname ‘Bubba’) is our…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Husband
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Jamie Happel and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to honor and thank my husband, Chris Happel. He is an absolutely amazing husband and father. Chris and I met last year at the hospital we both work at. He is an Emergency Physician and I am a Radiographer and Mammographer. Fast forward a year later and we are now a crazy, fun and loving blended family with six children. Our children are ages 20, 13,…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Amazing Daughter
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Jennifer Hood and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to honor and thank my 24-year-old daughter Keegan. Or as she is known in our home, Sissy. I’ve raised an amazing daughter and I want her to know how truly thankful and appreciative I am for her. A little bit about our family. My husband and I have five children total. His, mine, and ours! They range in age from 4 to 24. When my 4-year-old…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Mother-in-Law
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Cathy Fitzgerald and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) My name is Cathy Fitzgerald and I am the mammy to a beautiful, funny, cheeky little 4-year-old train obsessed boy named Caelan. Along with his daddy Ed, we all live in Boyle in County Roscommon in the Republic of Ireland. This November I want to honor and thank my Mother-in-Law Trish, the best Nana ever. Caelan was diagnosed with ASD on February 14 of this year…a valentines I will never forget.…
Read MoreAnd Just Like That, Hope Bubbles Up
There is a funny thing that happens when you have a child with autism. When I walked out of Cooper’s diagnosis appointment, I felt every single emotion possible. We waited for 7 months for that appointment. The day came. The appointment happened. We got the diagnosis. We left. I cried. Everything was immediately different yet exactly the same. I was not the same woman that I was just a few minutes prior. I was an autism parent. A special needs parent. I had a label. I was immediately different from…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Best Friend
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Gina Schaal and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to recognize and give a huge thank you to my best friend, Sanna Jensen. She is not only my friend but my son’s Personal Care Attendant (PCA) and lifesaver for our family! First, some background about my family. I live in Minnesota with my husband, Dan, my two sons, a cat and a dog! My oldest son, Carter is currently 13 and is nonverbal. As an…
Read MoreWhat Does Nonverbal Autism Really Look Like?
Before my son was diagnosed with autism at age three I had never heard the term, nonverbal autism. Not once. I had no idea that some children never learn to speak. Even to this day it still confuses me at times. My son is almost seven. He has no words. He is nonverbal. And I don’t know if he will ever learn to speak. I dread when people ask. I don’t know what to tell them. Throughout every step of the last four years all I have ever wanted is…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Daughter, An Advocate
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Amy Herbert and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I want to honor and thank my daughter Isabelle Rose Herbert: Our son Ben’s smallest (yet biggest) advocate. Our daughter Isabelle was our first born. She was speaking in full sentences by 18 months and was (and is) such a rule follower. Just as perfect as a baby and toddler could get! She is just an all around amazing, smart, kind, and compassionate human. There was a reason God…
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