At Least He Doesn’t…

“At least he doesn’t…” When you “at least” me as a complex parent. I feel minimized. I feel shut up. I feel shut down. I feel unheard. I feel compared. I feel invalidated. I don’t let very many people into our lives, at least not in person. Mostly because I’m spent. I’ve been spent for a darn long time. And one of the reasons I’m spent is because of things like “at least”. I know people mean well, I give them the benefit of the doubt. And I also realize…

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Mom, Dad, You have not Failed

I had the honor of meeting with a doctor today. A very important doctor. I was telling him all about my Cooper. What we’ve been through. I started at the beginning. He didn’t sleep. Not ever. Everyone told me it would get better. They said I was exaggerating. Only I knew I wasn’t. I told him it took Cooper six years to sleep through the night. And even today, it’s still a struggle. I told him about the burst ear drums. One after another. How no doctor would get close…

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Why I Cried Happy Tears when my Son was Diagnosed with Autism

I can remember everything about the day that we received a diagnosis of autism for our Hudson. I can remember that I had to go by myself to that appointment because my husband couldn’t get off work. I can remember sitting at the table across from the psychologist and what felt like a rather sterile environment considering it was a pediatric development office. I sat there with a nervous pit in my stomach, anticipating what we might talk about but at the same time fearful to hear those words. With…

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