Blogs

I was recently at an Autism fundriaser on the Gold Coast, Australia and was speaking with a young woman who has a 5 year old daughter with Autism.  As I looked at her and listeden to her I could see the anguish on her face and hear the pain in her voice, no different to myself all those years ago.  My son is now 15 and when I think back all those years ago, to me, Autism was this black abyss with no idea of the future and no light at the end of the tunnel.  For a while I felt hopeless until one day, after 6 months of daily games of "Simon Says", he finally GOT IT!!  Our screams of joy and excitement could have been heard across the globe.  It was that day that made me reaise that if he could learn a game of Simon Says then he had the ability to LEARN.  Most days are pretty good we always seem to find a positive thought to hold onto.  From all the deep lows have come great highs, from the painful tears have come extreme happiness, from the heartbreak and anguish has come fulfilling laughter and from the deep sorrow we have come closer together.  Every now and then I have to remember to look back on whee we  have come from so we can continue to look to the future. 

Brandon's Window 11/24/12 (Part 1 of 12) Autistic, Brandon's 10th Birthday Going to Legoland!!

http://youtu.be/6Xll1FRavLY

Brandon's Window 11/24/12 (Part 2 of 12) Autistic, Brandon's 10th Birthday, Legoland!! (Escalator)

Happy Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month!  I hope everyone is doing well.  Our household has been pretty good these past few months.  

Ethan is doing really well...Still not talking but slowly using more and more words.  Words to a stranger that would mean nothing but to us, my family and his teachers...Well that's all that really matters...

We survived our 1st trip to Chuckie Cheese.  The last time we tried to do a trip like that my husband came home in tears...So that was a great accomplishment.  He still had some issues transitioning but hey...Who cares if he sat and sang Happy Birthday...Some battles are not worth picking.  

Answer: It depends on what day it is! Hahaha!

Oh dear. I haven't blogged in a while. I can give you a quick run down. Zare is doing awesome, He got into the Challenge program (Highly Capable) and He is in a classroom with other kids with Behavior issues. He is actually not the most annoying kid in class anymore, Hooray! Our dogs died, and we got a puppy. A puppy which thinks that our dear little A is actually a big four limbed toy. Its not going well.

"Get rid of the puppy and Get a DOG." Says Little A. 

Yes Little A is talking. But his school situation stinks to High Heaven. He basically sits still and waits for the teacher to come and help him, if he doesn't get help with a topic he rips/scribbles his work. I am going to pull him out this year. WHERE we are going next year is still up in the air. We might have to go to private school (gulp) whereupon I will get a job somewhere as a lunch lady or housecleaner. Becuase all my job skills are outdated or useless. We might even homeschool and then drive him to all his various therapies, both sound super appealing. But drastic measures need to happen before He notices what is going on. 

http://youtu.be/5N1E0sxxyDU

CARD Austin Open House

Saturday, April 27, 2013

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

9390 Research Blvd., Ste. 100

Austin, TX 78759

Join us for a fun-filled, informative afternoon!

Meet the CARD team!

Plus, enjoy family-friendly activities

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Reception with Presentation

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Family-Friendly Activities for All Ages

RSVP BY APRIL 24 - D.PLUMP@CENTERFORAUTISM.COM

Childcare will be provided.

About Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD):

My daughter is in a special day class for Kindergarten.  She is starting to mimic the bad behavior of another student in the class.  She is talking in baby talk at home.  She is telling the teacher no when she is suppose to do work.  She has become very argumentative.  We just started getting a daily report from school this week.  Green is good, yellow so-so, red is bad, and orange is really bad.  She has gotten orange for the past two days.  An email from her teacher informed me that she was loud when she told the aide no and that Lala went to the office. 

I am trying to be positive and give her 5 minutes of i-pad time form each green face she gets.  I talk to her about the other colors.  Yesterday, there were more bad colors then good.  So no TV for her.  Any ideas on how to teach her not to copy bad behavior?  I try rewards, but what she likes changes daily.  I'm just hoping for different ideas to try and that one of them works.  Thanks.

Lala's Mom

I am a type “A” personality, a fact I used wear as a badge of honor.  No matter the problem, I prided myself as being the one who can rise above it all and conquer the world.  So, when my youngest child was diagnosed with Autism on my 33^rd Birthday – I did very little mourning.  I focused on the charge that the doctors and other professionals gave to me – fight for your son.  So I did.  I tried every treatment, did every home therapy, got him into the best school based programs, I was on my job.  My son, Jared is now turning 18 years of age and is doing quite well.  I had hoped that all of the hard work would lead to him speaking – but no miracles came my way.  He also began to have grand-mal seizures at the age of 14.  So, it has been a tough road.  But, this post is not so much about him, but me.

Through these years I raised 2 other boys along with Jared, worked full time, maintained a marriage – did it all.  But there has been a heavy price to pay.  I have never learned how to rest.