Posts Tagged ‘autism blog’
Medical Cannabis Update-Week One
I promised I would give a weekly update on our journey with medical cannabis for our severely autistic son. We are 9 days in! In Minnesota, medical cannabis was legalized for autism in July 2019. The program is regulated by the state of Minnesota. You can read more HERE about how we got started. After getting a prescription from his doctor and jumping through all the hoops, we started him on the lowest dose possible. Our dispensary offers three blends of medical cannabis. Think of it as three strengths. We…
Read MoreWhen Autism Makes People Uncomfortable
A time will come on this journey when your autistic child will make someone uncomfortable. Like really visibly uncomfortable. Maybe you are in line at the grocery store. Or in a waiting room at a doctor’s office. Or at a park. And your child will be flapping, running, grunting and loving life, just being happy, and you will see people move away from them. You will see stares. You will see looks. I want to tell you that how you react in that very moment is a really big deal.…
Read MoreWhat if you Didn’t Need Me Anymore?
My son, So many changes are happening at our house right now. Your brother is starting kindergarten in three days. You are getting a new brother in five weeks. We are still settling into our new house. And yet, with you and I, nothing has changed. We are still inseparable. I am still your person. I’ve spent time today thinking about my role as your mama. And your brothers. Sawyer is five going on fifteen. He is social. He has so many friends. Many whom ring our doorbell daily. I…
Read MoreLearning a Very Important Lesson
Someday, when your autistic child is three or four or five, you will learn a very important lesson. You will learn that it isn’t about you. Or what you are missing out on. It’s a very hard lesson to learn. At least it was for me. Because it didn’t make it any easier for my heart. By that age, you will have went through many birthday parties with a child who doesn’t care. You will plan the party, invite the guests, buy the presents, and your child will be oblivious…
Read MoreAutism From a Grandparent’s Perspective
My youngest granddaughter is visiting this weekend. I have six of these treasures ranging from ages 10 to 18. I adore them. I drive 3 ½ hours one way to go to a 30-minute concert, only to turn right around and drive back to be at work the next day. I probably have ten thousand pictures on my computer of zoo trips and vacations and holidays and amusement parks and ordinary days. I LOVE being their “Grangie”. However, a visit from my youngest, Grandgirl #4, (GG 4) requires strategic planning.…
Read MoreThe Six Most Impactful Statements Ever Said to Me (VIDEO)
Did you know that one sentence, one statement, one insult, one negative or positive comment can change the course of your life? I’ve learned that profoundly over the last seven years. My amazing kid is autistic and nonverbal. We are on our own path. We are paving our own way through this world. And many things that have been said to me over the years have changed that path. They’ve made me angry. They’ve made me smile. A few of them even leveled me so ferociously that I couldn’t get…
Read MoreHoarding and My Autistic Son (VIDEO)
Hoarding. It’s a very real behavior in our autism world. Take a peek at what our son hoards and the sheer amount. I have a feeling a lot of parents will relate, smile (and cry) at this one. Photos, DVD cases, DVD’s, VHS tapes, books, receipts, pieces of paper, etc. He gathers them all up and visually stims on them. And then once done, he chooses his favorite few, and the rest get stuffed behind dressers, entertainment centers and under beds and couches. Every Saturday I clean up his piles.…
Read MoreFood Struggles and Autism
Food struggles. Some of the hardest battles we’ve had to date. I could tell you stories people. Tonight though, Super Cooper ate a whole plate of spaghetti and meatballs. And while he ate, Jamie and I reminisced about the days where he would throw chairs and tables (yes tables) over the sight of a blueberry, an apple or any new food. Up until Cooper was five years old he ate only four foods. The same four foods for every meal. Chicken nuggets, yogurt, Goldfish crackers and veggie straws. He also…
Read MoreSibling Guilt
On our summer vacation, I had an epiphany. Well, actually, I had a meltdown, then I had the epiphany. First the meltdown: In July, our family of four took the risk and went on a family vacation. It was so needed. Our past spring had been our toughest season yet since beginning the autism journey ten years ago. We were all worn out. To our relief our vacation was off to a great start. We had seen more peace, less meltdowns, than in the past five months. We were unpacking…
Read MoreI Want Greeting Card
Last night when Cooper got home from school, he immediately ransacked his bag. He pulled everything out. Then grabbed his speech device and said…’I want greeting card.’ I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. As he got more frustrated, I got more confused. Then this morning I get a text from his amazing therapist…’Did Cooper give dad the birthday card he made?!’ And then sent these photos. I seriously almost fell out of my chair. First, my kid is a genius and amazing. Second, he used his…
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