This is my first time to actually blog, so bear with me. Hopefully I will get the hang of this in no time :) First and foremost, I am a mom to 3 beautiful children. My oldest was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 3. She's actually my main reason for creating this blog. I hope that in doing so and in getting other's to read along, that I can help raise awareness on such a huge issue that is hitting our country. There are so many children out there being diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum that it astounds me. This is our life and I hope you will come along for the ride.
My way of dealing with our challenges is very simple....humor. If you don't have humor especially dealing with the daily struggles that I know most families with Autism face, then you will drown in a huge pool of misery, depression, overwhelming anxiety, etc. It wouldn't be a pretty sight. If there's one thing that I can instill in my children, I want them to have the ability to laugh at themselves. Laughter is the best medicine ever! I was a young mom, only about 25 or 26 when my Bri was finally given a diagnosis...heck, I'm still young at 29. At least I feel it anyway :) Bri is 6 now but so far is still pretty much non verbal and if the potty angel ever decides to visit me and get me out of potty training hell, I would kiss her! In the first 2 years, I was pretty much in a fog and determined my child was going to be cured! We tried everything from GFCF diet to whatever else treatments that I could read about....well at least the affordable ones. Realistically as most of us moms know that deal with this everyday, just about any therapy and treatments are pricey! I don't think even selling one of my organs would pay for some of the treatments out there. Nothing seemed to help. I finally kicked myself in the butt which is not the easiest thing to accomplish and realized that the best way I could help her would be to love her and try one thing at a time instead of shoving it all in her face at once. Therapy, time, love,patience, schooling, etc. has been the key to most of Brianna's progress to this day. Patience being one of the number one keys. The book of Job in the Bible is now my favorite story of all. If someone makes the comment "I don't see how you do it, how do you manage?," I often tell them to take the time and read that story.
I finally stopped looking for that magical cure. For those that have found it or think you have, I applaud you and I will do the jig with you! In Brianna's case, we work hard on developing her vocabulary and controlling her autistic meltdowns which have become fewer and fewer each day. The meltdowns are enough to wear any soul out. The movie The Exorcist doesn't even scare me anymore. In fact, if you send my daughter in there, she might could scare the demons out of the room. Send a roomful of children in there having an autistic meltdown and I promise you, the movie would be over in 5 minutes top. Am I right moms? I think Temple Grandin said it best in one of her books when she was replying to someone that asked her if she would ever want a cure. She didn't say she didn't want one but she did ask, if you take the autism out of these children altogether, where would the Einsteins in the world go?. Temple Grandin herself has created and designed some amazing things in the cattle industry. My main goal is to nuture my kids growth and in Brianna's case, hopefully nuture her to make it to her highest potential.
I have to sign off for now...duty calls!
Hope my first blog goes well....please leave comments if you'd like to hear more.
God Bless!
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