As many of you know, through my facebook page, I took a little break from Autism Awareness month. It was, how should I put this, rather stressful to say the least. I was desperately planning for a quiet month, focusing on having fun with our boy, raising a little money for a great Autism organization, reconnecting with my husband, and reading. . . a lot of mindless, go-away trashy novels. What I was dealt, was far from quiet & stress-free! But, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Any one, who lives the lives we do knows that things typically don't go as planned. Here's a few "autism every day antics" that made me feel. . well. . in good company at least:
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE . . .
From Bacon & Juice Boxes, April 20th:
"I just fished a bicycle out of the pool with a skimmer. How's your freakin' day going?" (https://www.facebook.com/BaconandJuiceBoxes?hc_location=stream)
From MicahBoyGenius, April 26th:
"It's all fun and games and Autism acceptance, until your whole house smells like poop. GF pizza turned Poop pizza. True story.". . . "Just when I think I've been through everything with Micah and Autism I get a bucket of cold water to the face, so to speak. Jessica bought Micah a delicious glutton fee pizza and he was eating it up so good (yay!). Jessica said she thought he had pooped so I went to get him down. I noticed he only had half a piece left so I decided to go ahead and try some. It wasn't until I had chewed a good bit of it that I knew something had gone horribly wrong! (I mean I chewed for a while and realized something was really wrong!) I looked in disbelief as I could see Micah's fingers and face were brown and that yes in fact this nightmare was indeed happening! This pizza had a surprise ingredient and even after spitting it out it was still stuck in my mouth! So Jessica came to my rescue and cleaned him up while I took the baby and let him scream in his crib while I used toothpaste, floss and peroxide to sanitize my mouth and do my best not to vomit everywhere. The ONE time I don't put a onesie on him! I told my wife, "If anyone tries to one up me about being a parent I'll just ask, 'Have you ever eaten your kids poop? No? Then shut the #3!! up!'" JK! Anyone have any suggestions as to how to reset my pallet? Pop? Ice Cream? Something good to get my mind off it? Just thinking about it makes me queasy! ~Daddy Genius"
(https://www.facebook.com/MicahBoyGenius?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser)
From All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Theresa, April 22nd:
"Ugh! It's a PUFF POOF! Mia sometimes likes two Hello Kitty shower puffs. Tonight she was carrying them around. And she has lost one. Somewhere in this house, that is NOT the Taj Mahal in size. She is weeping, "Where's the cat?" And I have looked everywhere for for the last 45 minutes - which means it is someplace completely obscure. Here Kitty Kitty Kitty PLEASE!!!!! This autism moment brought to you by - Kim".. . .April 24th. . "Really? Welcome to autism. Here is Hello Kitty. Lost the other night. Now jammed behind Bella's bureau. I happened to look there for the VCR cleaning cassette (yes, VCR) that is also lost. And the unit won't play tapes. So one problem solved and 9,567 to go and miles to go before I sleep."
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/All-I-Can-Handle-Im-No-Mother-Teresa/103886066340794?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser)
. . . AND ON THE NOT-SO LIGHT SIDE
From Through Zach's Eyes.Autism Awareness, April 24th:
"Everyday I wish I could type something is all "Butterflies and daisies" tonight is NOT that night. Zach is fully affected by the moon phases ( I believe he is....ask any other "autism mom" their child is too) tonight Zach has been totally uncontrollable. Very high energy, screaming, jumping, swearing (yes, this sweet little boy has a mouth of a sailor!) I am very thankful to daddy for playing a video game with him. I am utterly exhausted! Full moons are something we do mot look forward too! Full moon=Full Throttle!"
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Through-Zachs-EyesAutism-Awareness/116307578558685?group_id=0)
From Stop Romanticizing Autism, April 6th:
"My brother has just broken the glass window of my room with his head for no apparent reason. Miraculously/fortunately his eyes are unharmed (as always) but has injured both his eyebrows and forehead. He was watching the TV, went outside, broke the window and came back ... relaxed ... smiling ... laughing ... and started watching TV again."
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Romanticizing-Autism/373243612771420?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser)
From Autism Whispers After Twilight, April 23rd: (not published on FB status)
" I think all would agree that sooner or later this autism life we live will catch up with us one day. Maybe not the day your child receives his/her diagnosis and maybe not even through the horrendous years of fighting doctors who tell you institutionalization is your only hope, speech therapists who inform you that your son will not be reading above a 2nd or 3rd grade level, and neurologists and psychologist who insist upon you taking a course of action that has nothing to do with healing your child. No, IT will sneak up on you when all's relatively quiet and progressing nicely for your autistic child. IT will set you back like the day you found out your kid had autism. All the years, while you were dodging bullets, scraping together the funds for therapies & treatments, lying awake at night wondering, worrying, and researching your child's autism, your health was deteriorating to the point of hyper-critical. So you see my fellow autism warrior families, if I can pass along one piece of advice to all of you coming up the ranks in this journey. . . .fight for your own health right along side your kid's!"
There are, of course, thousands of autism antics and stories to tell from so many Mom's and Dad's raising autistic kids and their wonderful siblings who contribute so much to their brother's/sister's lives. These families are the 1 in 50 that I so wish I could someday meet in person, share a cup of java, swap war stories, laugh a little, cry a little, and at the end of the day call friend.
And so as April's Autism Awareness 2013's Chapter ends, rest assured a new one will begin next year full of blue this and that. Meanwhile, those of us who are members of the 1 in 50 Club will continue along our way writing our own journey's Chapters. For us there may be many new Beginnings, a few Middle Chapters, but definitely no End to our stories.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE . . .
From Bacon & Juice Boxes, April 20th:
"I just fished a bicycle out of the pool with a skimmer. How's your freakin' day going?" (https://www.facebook.com/BaconandJuiceBoxes?hc_location=stream)
From MicahBoyGenius, April 26th:
"It's all fun and games and Autism acceptance, until your whole house smells like poop. GF pizza turned Poop pizza. True story.". . . "Just when I think I've been through everything with Micah and Autism I get a bucket of cold water to the face, so to speak. Jessica bought Micah a delicious glutton fee pizza and he was eating it up so good (yay!). Jessica said she thought he had pooped so I went to get him down. I noticed he only had half a piece left so I decided to go ahead and try some. It wasn't until I had chewed a good bit of it that I knew something had gone horribly wrong! (I mean I chewed for a while and realized something was really wrong!) I looked in disbelief as I could see Micah's fingers and face were brown and that yes in fact this nightmare was indeed happening! This pizza had a surprise ingredient and even after spitting it out it was still stuck in my mouth! So Jessica came to my rescue and cleaned him up while I took the baby and let him scream in his crib while I used toothpaste, floss and peroxide to sanitize my mouth and do my best not to vomit everywhere. The ONE time I don't put a onesie on him! I told my wife, "If anyone tries to one up me about being a parent I'll just ask, 'Have you ever eaten your kids poop? No? Then shut the #3!! up!'" JK! Anyone have any suggestions as to how to reset my pallet? Pop? Ice Cream? Something good to get my mind off it? Just thinking about it makes me queasy! ~Daddy Genius"
(https://www.facebook.com/MicahBoyGenius?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser)
From All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Theresa, April 22nd:
"Ugh! It's a PUFF POOF! Mia sometimes likes two Hello Kitty shower puffs. Tonight she was carrying them around. And she has lost one. Somewhere in this house, that is NOT the Taj Mahal in size. She is weeping, "Where's the cat?" And I have looked everywhere for for the last 45 minutes - which means it is someplace completely obscure. Here Kitty Kitty Kitty PLEASE!!!!! This autism moment brought to you by - Kim".. . .April 24th. . "Really? Welcome to autism. Here is Hello Kitty. Lost the other night. Now jammed behind Bella's bureau. I happened to look there for the VCR cleaning cassette (yes, VCR) that is also lost. And the unit won't play tapes. So one problem solved and 9,567 to go and miles to go before I sleep."
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/All-I-Can-Handle-Im-No-Mother-Teresa/103886066340794?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser)
. . . AND ON THE NOT-SO LIGHT SIDE
From Through Zach's Eyes.Autism Awareness, April 24th:
"Everyday I wish I could type something is all "Butterflies and daisies" tonight is NOT that night. Zach is fully affected by the moon phases ( I believe he is....ask any other "autism mom" their child is too) tonight Zach has been totally uncontrollable. Very high energy, screaming, jumping, swearing (yes, this sweet little boy has a mouth of a sailor!) I am very thankful to daddy for playing a video game with him. I am utterly exhausted! Full moons are something we do mot look forward too! Full moon=Full Throttle!"
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Through-Zachs-EyesAutism-Awareness/116307578558685?group_id=0)
From Stop Romanticizing Autism, April 6th:
"My brother has just broken the glass window of my room with his head for no apparent reason. Miraculously/fortunately his eyes are unharmed (as always) but has injured both his eyebrows and forehead. He was watching the TV, went outside, broke the window and came back ... relaxed ... smiling ... laughing ... and started watching TV again."
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Romanticizing-Autism/373243612771420?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser)
From Autism Whispers After Twilight, April 23rd: (not published on FB status)
" I think all would agree that sooner or later this autism life we live will catch up with us one day. Maybe not the day your child receives his/her diagnosis and maybe not even through the horrendous years of fighting doctors who tell you institutionalization is your only hope, speech therapists who inform you that your son will not be reading above a 2nd or 3rd grade level, and neurologists and psychologist who insist upon you taking a course of action that has nothing to do with healing your child. No, IT will sneak up on you when all's relatively quiet and progressing nicely for your autistic child. IT will set you back like the day you found out your kid had autism. All the years, while you were dodging bullets, scraping together the funds for therapies & treatments, lying awake at night wondering, worrying, and researching your child's autism, your health was deteriorating to the point of hyper-critical. So you see my fellow autism warrior families, if I can pass along one piece of advice to all of you coming up the ranks in this journey. . . .fight for your own health right along side your kid's!"
There are, of course, thousands of autism antics and stories to tell from so many Mom's and Dad's raising autistic kids and their wonderful siblings who contribute so much to their brother's/sister's lives. These families are the 1 in 50 that I so wish I could someday meet in person, share a cup of java, swap war stories, laugh a little, cry a little, and at the end of the day call friend.
And so as April's Autism Awareness 2013's Chapter ends, rest assured a new one will begin next year full of blue this and that. Meanwhile, those of us who are members of the 1 in 50 Club will continue along our way writing our own journey's Chapters. For us there may be many new Beginnings, a few Middle Chapters, but definitely no End to our stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment