Posts by Kimberly Mcisaac
Advocating for Vulnerable Voices
When you don’t have a child with a disability, you don’t think too much about it. Until your life is touched by it, you think about it differently; it’s personal. Of course, everyone knows there are individuals with disabilities, but it’s not directly affecting your life. There is not much you can do anyway. That is where you are wrong. We need to stand and advocate for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable. We have come a long way in the way we treat and think about those with disabilities.…
Read MoreJust a Girl: My Daughter’s Journey with Autism
What I want the world to know about my daughter My daughter is autistic, nonverbal, and has apraxia. She has debilitating anxiety. She has a monkey on her back, and it’s called autism. It confines her ability to enjoy and experience life. It has robbed her of so many things—relationships, children, and a career, to name a few. This isn’t the case for all autistic people, as it affects everyone differently, with varying degrees. My daughter has struggled immensely throughout her life. Her differences are at times invisible and other…
Read MoreChanging the View of Autism
My daughter, Alyssa has autism. She has severe non verbal autism. This means her autism comes with all the bells and whistles. She has severe anxiety, apraxia, limited diet, OCD like behaviors, weak receptive language, difficulty communicating, regulating emotions, and a hard time deviating from her routine or what is expected. She is autistic. It is not who she is. It is not all she is. It is however a part of her. A huge part. It is like the colors of the rainbow, it encompasses her. It is everywhere…
Read MoreStrength in Adversity: Navigating Autism as a Mother of Four
As a mom of four, one with autism, life has many challenges. Balancing a child with special needs along with three other children can be difficult. Growing up in a busy household filled with love and laughter, but with the unpredictable chaos that autism can bring in an instant, was not easy. It was ever-changing, and they were constantly going through the ups and downs that this life can bring. I know that living this life beside their sister made them stronger and more empathetic people. There was lots of…
Read MoreDear Mama: A Journey of Love and Growth
Dear Mama, I know you’re scared. I was too. I know this is not what you imagined for your baby. It is okay to be sad and to grieve for the loss of the life you imagined. Let the tears fall, do not try to stop them. You need to feel the loss, the heartbreak, the pain. I know you want to know why. Why is this happening to your beautiful child, your family? This will haunt you in the beginning. Please try not to compare your child to other…
Read MoreDisability Advocacy: Embracing Inclusion
When you don’t have a child with a disability you don’t think too much about it. Until your life is touched by it, then you think about it differently. It’s personal. Of course, everyone knows there are individuals with disabilities, but it’s not directly affecting your life. You may think there is not much you can do anyway. That is where you are wrong. We need to stand and advocate for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable. We have come a long way in the way we treat and think…
Read MoreThey Said Never, but I Always Believed in You
To my beautiful daughter, I sit here and watch you try to answer questions. I can see how hard you are trying. It makes my heart ache seeing how hard it is for you. A task that should take such minimal effort. At the same time, to hear you answer with such pride and confidence when you are understood and correct, fills my heart up, and I can’t help but smile. I am filling out a questionnaire, an endless one, it seems, all about what you can and can’t do.…
Read MoreTo the Woman Who Loved My Daughter Like Her Own
Today is 20 years since you have passed, and the void is forever there. The love you stamped our hearts with is carried with us every day. You are forever missed. A that tribute doesn’t even come close to explaining how amazing and how loved you are. More than a grandmother. Watching my daughter sit on your lap as you sit at the table seems like the most natural thing in the world. Except sometimes it’s not. A nana sitting with her grand baby is something you can take for…
Read MoreThe True Meaning of Christmas
My Husband. I love him with all my heart. Every fiber of my being. I have loved Him since I was 16 years old. I don’t really know anything else. And to be honest, sometimes I don’t even like him. We don’t see eye to eye on many things. We fight a lot. He doesn’t think the things I think are important matter. At all. And frankly, it irritates me that he can’t pretend to go along. He will humor me, but still, not happily. This was going to be…
Read MoreTrick or Treating – Age is Just a Number
With Halloween coming up there has been a lot of debate about trick or treating. I have seen a lot of really positive posts making people aware of all different styles of communication and different expectations for trick or treaters. There have also been a lot of negative posts regarding age. I just want to point out how difficult these special occasions are for children with special needs and their parents. It doesn’t matter where you fall on the spectrum or whether there are other types of special needs. There…
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