Dominick now has a Speech Therapist, Heather, who he sees on Wednesday and Friday mornings for 30 minute sessions. He sees an Occupational Therapist, Anissa, on Monday for an hour session. Ashley, our in home therapist from the Easter Seals, still comes on Wednesday for an hour to work with us. The ST and OT is less than a half mile away. Tega Cay Speaks. I should really start playing the lottery more often considering how very lucky we have been with lining up all his therapy. Ashley is such a blessing. Without her I would be sooooooo lost.
Dominick has been making such tremendous progress. Everyone working with him is amazed by his progress. I keep a daily journal of some of his accomplishments.
March 1: Speech Therapy, Dominick went into the gym area and got a sucker, he remembered where they were. He took it into the speech room and brought it to me and said, “Open” “I want sucker”. Both Heather and I were stunned.
March 3: Woke up with Dominick in my bed saying, “I wuve you!” “I pee pee” “Pee pee Potty” I took him to his potty and after a few minutes I almost gave up thinking it was too good to be true. Then the potty started to sing the potty song (Once you go to the bathroom it has a temp sensor on it so it will sing) I think it scared him like he had done something wrong. I reassured him it was okay to go potty.
March 7: Dominick took bubbles to Shannon and said, “Open”
March 8: Dominick participated in about half of the activities at Gymboree. He did sing the bubble song and remembered the actions and movements that go with the song. He has not heard it in over 6 months. He made eye contact with several children and tried to talk to two different children.
March 10: Dominick woke up, walked into living room, picked up my water bottle, drank from it and said, “It is so good, Nummy!” While watching a DVD, I put Dominick on his potty in front of TV and gave him my water bottle. He all the sudden while watching the DVD said, “Oh look.” “ A drum.”
March 14: Bought Dominick a new bath toy. When I showed it to him he asked, “What is that?” With perfect diction!
March 16: Dominick is not feeling well. Very cranky today. Not wanting to make any decisions. Not wanting to participate in any activities or answer any questions. Had to cancel hearing evaluation.
March 18: Dominick is now using, “Stop it” and “No” more. It is exciting that he can now communicate to me when he doesn’t like something.
March 22: We got to OT before Anissa. When she got there Dominick looked at her started to walk into gym room and said to her, “Come On, Let’s Go”. The psychologist opened the door to the gym and I heard Dominick say, “Hello”. Everyone was just laughing at Dominick while watching him in the gym. He is such a HAM today.
March 23: Dominick and I went to swim class. Dominick will not blow bubbles in the water. He did great kicking. He was able to climb out of the pool by himself. Put him in the daycare at the gym. He did just fine. After story time today, just before his nap, he sat up and with each hand he pretended like they were puppets and had them talking to each other. Right hand: Hello Left hand: Hello Right hand: How are you? Left hand: I am fine. How are you? And on and on. It was HILLARIOUS!
March 24: Heather, the speech therapist, did a mini evaluation on Dominick today. She said she is starting to run out of material for him. Says he is progressing much faster than anticipated. Ashley and I worked on getting him to ask for objects by using more descriptions such as color. Ashley says he is doing so great because of all the work I am doing for him. “Patting myself on the back!”
March 26: Dominick is saying, “Mommy” “There’s Mommy” “Hi Mommy” “I Wuve You Mommy”, every day several times a day!
March 28: Went to Hailey’s. Dominick and Kaitlin played together. They tossed the ball back and forth. He even tried to communicate with her. He cried when it was time to leave. Went over to Marcella’s house. He showed off! Dancing and talking. MR. PERSONALITY! Dominick has started saying “Thank you” and “Thanks”.
March 29: According to Anissa Dominick is an “A Type” personality. Meaning he will be very detailed and a great organizer. He is going to be a perfectionist. There is a little girl, Ashlyn, around 10 years old who sees Anissa after Dominick. She is severely autistic. She does not hug her parents and rarely talks or looks at people. Last week she took her nurses glasses and put them on me. She looked me right in the eye. She has tremors and bad ticks. They stopped when she was looking me in the eye. I told her thank you and she got excited and clapped. Then I asked her for “High 5” and she gave me two “High 5’s”. This week when Dominick came out of the gym with Anissa, Ashlyn looked at Dominick and said, “My baby”. She saw he had a monkey on his shirt and she said, “My Monkey”. She touched his shirt and grabbed his hand. They sat in the chairs beside each other. Dominick would look at her and she would look at him too. Dominick tried to talk to her in his Gibber Gabber. They just sat there and held each other’s hand. I am blown away by the connection Dominick and I have both made with her. So is Anissa.
April 1: Went swimming with Shannon and Sage. Sage swam up to Dominick and me. He grabbed Dominick’s arm. Dominick said, “Sage! GO AWAY!” He then tried to either push or punch at Sage. This is great progress! Not excited about him wanting to try to harm Sage but excited because Dominick is trying to communicate more about what he likes and dislikes.
April 4: Easter Egg hunt! While watching TV, Dominick started copying the Progressive Insurance commercial. He knew practically all the words and even used dramatic expressions. I truly believe he has photographic memory. I got video of it. Hilarious. Dominick is dancing to Kyle’s radio show. So cute. Loves dancing with his Mommy!
April 7: Ashley is back from vacation. Yay! Dominick is not having a great, good or even okay day. Not wanting to participate. Regressing and going into his little world again. Doing some of his repetitive behaviors and sounds. We are going to have bad days. They SUCK!
So now you are caught up with Dominick. Now for me! I still have days when I feel like “SUPER MOM”. Able to clean the dirtiest of diapers in a single swipe, able to clean all and organize all and do all and be all and blah blah blah…
Then there are the days when I can’t do anything right. I can’t get task completed. I have 5 million tasks to get done. I am not doing enough to help my son. I am the crappiest wife in the world. I am an awful daughter and sister and friend and mother. I miss my daughter Hailey and I am not doing enough for her. I can’t return phone calls to anyone. I can’t even check my email.
It can take its toll out on you. I need an extra 5 hours in the day! I need a clone. I get no sleep usually. I miss being able to have insomnia and getting stuff done while everyone else sleeps. I have learned I have to make time for me. I have to take care of me! If I don’t I will be no good to Dominick. I also have learned that I need to ask for help. I can’t do this alone.
All of this can add a whole lot of strain to a marriage. There is just not enough time in the day. You have to make time to spend with each other. We had to make time to do something with each other that doesn’t involve ASD or Dominick. Marty and I are taking Shag dance lessons. We get to have a date on Friday nights. We get to go out and laugh. I usually only get to see him 2 maybe 3 nights a week. The second he gets home from work on Wednesday and Thursday I walk out the door. I work on some Friday and all Saturday nights. On Sunday I am so exhausted I don’t want to do anything. Communication is usually only a few words on the phone. All of this can make me feel alone in this sometimes. We are getting through it all! It just takes work!
My dad is the greatest!!! He calls me daily to ask me questions, get updates about Dominick, tell me about something new he heard about ASD, mails me articles from the paper, comes to Dominick’s therapy sessions and on and on and on. I am so proud of him. He told me he just wants to be able to talk to his grandson. He wants to know how to communicate with him and understand what it is like for Dominick. WOW!
On April 1 I put blue string lights up at Lynn’s for Autism Awareness month. Bill and Kitten allowed me to tell everyone there about my story and about ASD. I have been blown away from the stories others have of their own experiences with Autism. Their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. I had no idea it has touched so many of these people I see every week. So many people came up to me after to give me a hug, a word of thanks because they had no idea how big of a crisis it has become, to tell me about their loved one, a word of encouragement and a whole lot of praise for being a wonderful mom. All of these people from Lynn’s are such a big part of my life. I see them every week. They make me smile and laugh every day I see them. We tell each other jokes and stories. I have become so attached to them all. I look forward to seeing them. I love them and they are in my heart always.
I have some items to sale for Autism Awareness. Car and fridge magnets, pins, decals, bracelets and key and card chains. Crickett has been helping me sell them at Lynn’s. She is such a sweet heart. If anyone would like to purchase anything please contact me. Or if you would just like to make a donation I can help point you in the right direction. The family-run MOSI Foundation will match your contribution up to $1000.00 for a limited time. This is who I plan on making my contribution to. With you help we will be able to fund more research for these amazing kids.
I want to post someone else’s blog post which sums up everything I want you all to know about Autism Awareness, me and my amazing, funny, brilliant son Dominick.
BE AWARE, BY: BOTH HANDS AND A FLASHLIGHT
Be aware that if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.
Be aware that just because people don’t talk doesn’t mean they can’t communicate. And it certainly doesn’t mean they aren’t intelligent.
Be aware that sometimes our kids can’t help it. They are trying, incredibly hard.
Be aware that an open mind and a closed mouth are sometimes the best response to a situation.
Be aware that our sons and daughters are awesome.
Be aware that we will kick the butts of anyone who says otherwise.
Be aware that many public figures and organizations talking about autism don’t necessarily speak for a whole lot of us.
Be aware that a lot of the people who talk the most also have the biggest agendas and the most to profit from.
Be aware that if a parent is trying to do something with a child who is melting down in public, pause a minute, postpone judgment, and reflect on whether that child and parent are facing challenges you do not understand.
Be aware that price gouging on materials and equipment infuriates us. We know some companies do it because we have to have what they sell.
But be aware that we are now a people’s movement, and the power is shifting to us. We will find new solutions, and they will be better because we made them. And we won’t mourn when unethical companies go out of business.
Be aware that we are loyal and faithful to those who support us and unforgiving in our pursuits against those who take advantage of our children and us. And we have very, very long memories.
Be aware that we tend to be very fired up about our children and their needs, and we aren’t sorry about it.
Be aware that if anyone messes with one child, they mess with all of us.
Be aware that we are unapologetic about getting funding for special education, disability services, or other supports. If people want to argue against these programs, that’s their right. But be aware that if anyone says our kids aren’t ‘worth it’, rather than debate them on the merits or lack thereof, we’ll just tell them to go to hell.
Be aware that we are not asking for ’special rights’, which is just code language for discrimination anyway. We are working to give our children an equal chance at achieving their potential as any other child. When discussions turn toward whether a child is ‘deserving’ of such help, all children suffer, and we sink toward a moral bankruptcy that they will inherit from us.
Be aware that our children are not broken, damaged, or lost.
Be aware that the words we use matter.
Be aware that you are talking about our children – my children. And be aware that many of them take those words literally and personally.
Be aware that we may sound angry, but that’s because we are fighting for our children, and we fight this battle for them every day.
Be aware that anyone with a soul would fight for these things for their own child if they were in our shoes.
Be aware that all we want is for our children to have a chance to be who they were born to be – just like anyone else does for their own kids.
Be aware that there are a multitude of autistic adults trying to live out their dreams and aspirations. It’s not just about children; adults need services and support too.
Be aware that we are often very tired.
Be aware that we expect great things from our children, and they often humble us with how far they exceed all expectations.
Be aware that we will never give up fighting for them.
And be aware that I still wouldn’t trade my life for anything.
BY: BOTH HANDS AND A FLASHLIGHT
