Guest Post
My Awareness Moment
Today was one of the rare occasions that I got to bring my grandson Noah to therapy. Sara is always the one to do it. I usually stay at home with him unless we go to the grocery store or run some other little errand. He will sit in a basket and look at all the lights and colors just like all little kids his age. He loves the grocery store and Lowes. He really likes Lowes. I don’t know why that’s his favorite but he loves it. Maybe it’s…
Read MoreReminding Myself to Breathe
It’s been so long since I have expressed my deepest feelings on paper. Maybe it is the hectic environment in which I live, maybe it’s the denial that splashes my mind every morning, or the guilt that is seeded deep within me. Uncertainty is my demon that gnaws away at my confidence to parent the way I need to. It is difficult to grasp the concept of my everyday jealousy of ‘normal parents with normal children.’ Our life is anything but. Some days my life consists of washing smeared feces…
Read MoreWhat if it was Me?
For me, my darkest secret is that I feel, and sometimes it feels like I know, that I caused my son’s autism. And his struggles. It breaks my heart. And the guilt chases me day and night. It all started when I read an article about how trauma as a child could cause autism. The mothers were described as ‘refrigerator mums’ and if I’m honest that was me. My eldest two children were, and are neurotypical, thriving, chatty, oh, so chatty girls. My son is nonverbal, epileptic, low functioning autistic…
Read MoreSiblings, But Really Two Only Children
I’m an only child. It’s a state of life that I know well, but have always wanted a sibling. Don’t get me wrong, there are many, many benefits of being an only child. And when speaking to those that aren’t, they’ll often “wish” they were one or talk about how frustrating their siblings are. The benefits are the obvious ones: you get all of the focus of your parents, you often get more material things, you don’t have to share, there is very little fighting as there’s no one to…
Read MoreA Letter to “Those Special Education Parents”
Dear “Those Special Education Parents”, You may know who you are and you may not. You’re the parents that previous teachers warn the following teacher about before transition IEP meetings or in emails about an upcoming move to a different school. Administrators are aware of you too and they attend meetings that you’ll be at, even if their attendance is not required. And why have you received the label of “those Special Education Parents?” Because you advocate for the services your child deserves. Earlier this year, I had an IEP…
Read MoreThe Issues that Divide Us
I have 2 teenage girl with autism. My oldest Claudia has very limited language and severe behaviors. She requires assistance with most everything. My youngest Keira is verbal and has social and behavior issues. Our life is not easy. Lately our family spends a lot of time divided. Claudia has a lot of verbal stims (saying same word repeatedly) and some of these can trigger a meltdown in Keira. When this happens (usually with little warning) my husband takes Claudia for a ride or to go swing. I generally spend…
Read MoreMy Son was Born with Autism and it’s Genetic.
When I was eight months old, I had open heart surgery to repair my pulmonary valve that was only 2mm wide open. As a result, sometimes I have shortness of breath. I could possibly have another surgery in the future to replace the valve. Other than that I have no other medical conditions. Thirty years later my son Nicholas was diagnosed with autism and a rare genetic mutation within a week of each other just after he turned 3 years old. This is something he inherited from me, which also…
Read MoreA Harsh Reality
That moment when you realize your child’s diagnosis is far worse than you originally thought. It was almost as if I couldn’t catch my breath. Like someone was choking me. I cried as if someone had died. It sounds harsh, but trust me when I say that’s how it felt. I always knew my son Isaiah was special. From the moment he was born, I knew my boy was going to be somewhat different and not live a completely “normal” life. That was my Mom gut instinct. He was born…
Read MoreIt’s More than Awareness
When I reflect about this month; April – Autism Awareness Month, what is it that I want most? I want ACCEPTANCE, ADVOCACY and ACTION! I want others to not just be aware of autism but to actually accept, make a difference, and make an impact in a life of some living with autism. When we talk about awareness, its a good start but it’s not something we should be satisfied with. It’s not until people understand, accept, and take action that we should say that progress has been made. So,…
Read MoreMy Journey To Acceptance After Diagnosis
The walk to the car with my husband after Liam’s autism diagnosis was filled with words we both finally spoke. “At least now we know.” and “We will get him the best services possible”. The car ride conversation was about how the label doesn’t change him. He is still our same little boy. When we pulled in the driveway I started to feel a knot in my stomach. I opened my front door to walk into my home and I just stood in the kitchen. I turned to my husband…
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