Autism....
   Unfortunately almost everyone knows someone with Autism...a friend, a neighbor, a relative, or even your own son. At the beginning I couldn't even say the word....I called it the A word. It was heartbreaking and devastating and turned our family's life upside-down. Here we are 5 years later....and I am finally ready to share our story.

When Autism enters your life it's like being swept up in a tornado....everything changes at once.  You learn more about yourself, your husband, friends, and family than you ever thought possible. Relationships are tested and you learn who you really are as a person, even if sometimes that's not the person you intended to be. Your life is forever changed. It's how you deal with the daily challenges that will test your character. Some days are better than others and some days you wish you could erase from your memory. There are so many struggles and challenges you will face along the way, and they will change throughout your life.
 
Autism is complicated...it's not just about a child flapping his hands or having a tantrum in the middle of a grocery store. For us it included:sleepless nights, GI issues, food allergies, supplements, seizures, IEP's, countless therapists, communication deficits, financial issues, potty training difficulties, MRI's, EEG's, constant blood work, x-rays, emergency room visits, urine tests, stool tests, and poop smearing. You can only imagine what kind of stress this can put on a marriage and a family.

 

 

 

This is OUR JOURNEY...and believe me every Autism journey is different. We were fortunate that Autism didn't enter our lives until David was 18 months old. We WERE able to experience him talking and interacting. We cherish those memories close to our hearts and hope and pray we can experience them again. Recovery IS possible and that is our dream for our son and our family. Let the journey begin.......