We will be leaving momentarily. We are once again on our way to Akron Children’s Hospital with Gavin, who is in crisis. This time however, we expect to be transferred somewhere else. I wanted to ask for everyone’s prayers, as I’m not sure how this is going to go. Gavin, as I explained yesterday, is pulling his teeth out. Partly to get money from the grandparents and the tooth fairy and partly because “it feels good when I pull them out”. He informed me last night that he also does it because it feels good and not just for the money. Maybe it’s a stemming thing or maybe some weird sensory thing but either way it has to stop.
This morning he had a meltdown and self-injured. He got himself really good this time. We called the doctors and they want him hospitalized to figure out what’s going on. We will have to employ a different approach this time so that Gavin does NOT view this as “fun” experience. Meaning, we most likely will have to go without visiting him during his stay. This HAS to be a negative experience that has a positive outcome. I can’t tell you how horrible the thought of doing that is, especially on Father’s Day. I just don’t see any other way to make this work. This is going to be a difficult time for ALL involved.
Akron Children’s Hospital will likely be a step along the way on this journey for help. We may end up in Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Dr. R’s team called ahead to let them know we are going to be leaving very soon. I want to THANK Lizze’s parents for coming to get the boys. I know they are both very tired from the family gathering yesterday AND having kept Emmett over night so Lizze and I could get some sleep. We are VERY grateful for the support. Thank you for helping with gas as well. I wasn’t sure how we were going to pull this off. So THANK YOU very much. We will try to find someone to help you with this.
Please keep my family in your prayers as we once again, try to find Gavin some much needed help. Please pray that we find it.
Please keep in mind that this video serves as documentation as to what “actually” happened. Perhaps this will also help people to have a better understanding of what families, like mine, go through. Please save any “hate mail” for someone else. I stand behind my decision to document these events.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lfIgceUzEc[/youtube]
Just wanted to say i hope things are improving (((Hugs)))
I am reading this and have the worse pit in my stomach. Must have been something in the air on the 18th. My son had a meltdown and beat the crap out of me. Cops were called. Both of us taken by ambulance. They pink slipped him but we pulled the plug at Akron General. We're going today to see the Cleveland Clinics facility. I've never put him in the hospital before. I've never been away from him. This is killing me.. emotionally, i have completely fallen apart. I know he NEEDS this.. but omg, i just feel like the worse parent in the world.
My son does the same. He self injures when he gets too emotional and far beyond what we can handle. In one situation, his face, cheeks and neck were all scratched up and bruised after we let him "calm down" in his bedroom alone. He looked like he got beat up. When I see this, I feel like a bad parent but there honestly nothing we can do other than try to prevent him from getting to that place (easier said than done). My son has high functioning Aspergers but it still effects him when things just "don't go his way". He's a teen and I am so afraid for his future because he's so high functioning, no one seems to "see" what we see.
My heart goes out to you and your family. <3
I see what you see. I was explaining to the social worker today that we are concerned about what will happen as he gets older. Some of Gavin\’s behaviors that more tolerable at a younger age WILL NOT be when he older, 16, 17,18 ect … The law is unsympathetic to kids with Autism….. No one seems to have any answers. Thank you for sharing. We are right a
there with you.
Stay strong. 🙂
THANK YOU everyone for all the support.
You are all in my prayers tonight
I'm so sorry! It breaks my heart to see our kids get so upset inconsolable. I just wish we could get inside their heads to we'd know how to help them…
I'm new to your blog but I'm thinking about you and your family today. I hope that you and your son find peace and comfort soon…
Thank you for caring 🙂
I understand all too well what you are going through. My older son Sam is 8 and is often melting down in much the same ways as Gavin. I, too, have documented some of them with video as a way of showing others the reality of what living with autism can be. Thankfully, my younger son is less aggressive but is more likely to just be over-rough in the way he deals with people.
I'm very sorry things have been so difficult lately and I hope the hospital is able to find a solution quickly.
Thank you very much 🙂
There are no words, Rob. My thoughts and prayers are with you guys are you work to find some resolution to help your little boy. He sounds so heartbroken and angry all at the same time.
When Logan does this, he actually escalates if we try to hold him and provide deep pressure, *sometimes* – so I know *a little* about how hard it is to watch your little boy go through this emotional and physical escalation and not be able to offer them the comfort you are more than eager to provide them.
*hugs*
Kat
My recent post Accepting a bit of Insanity