Read more about the article An Important Update: Anxiety, Depression and Respite
General Update / My thoughts

An Important Update: Anxiety, Depression and Respite

There's a few things I need to catch you up on. For starters, Emmett made it to school this morning however, he came home sick about lunchtime. I understand there's a stomach bug going around the school but I'm not sure he's actually sick. I totally believe his stomach hurts but I suspect that something might be bothering him and he's just unable to articulate it. It's so easy to forget that Emmett is significantly emotionally delayed because he's so stinking smart. Part of that delay involves expressive language, of which he greatly struggles with. He's doing a bit better since coming home from school. We have therapy tonight and we'll focus on Emmett. Maybe even figure out what's bothering him. Gavin's having a better day today. I'm really glad…

1 Comment
February 13, 2018
Read more about the article Emmett is struggling this morning
Emmett John / My thoughts

Emmett is struggling this morning

Emmett is struggling this morning. His tummy is upset again and he's not in a good place. He's on the verge of a massive meltdown and nothing is helping. I don't know why his tummy hurts or if it's something else that's bothering him and it's causing a tummy ache. I suspect Emmett is dealing with anxiety about something and just isn't able to telling us what it is. I'm taking a short break from trying to help him work through it because it too early and I'm already getting overwhelmed. If I don't take a break, I'm going to be of little use.

2 Comments
February 13, 2018
Read more about the article How I helped my adult son with #Autism work through a really bad day
Gavin / Inspirational Posts / My thoughts

How I helped my adult son with #Autism work through a really bad day

Today felt like a trip back in time to when Gavin was really struggling with behavioral issues. OMG did he have a rough day. He tried his best but couldn't cope well with all that went on yesterday. His Monday was thrown off because of the shift in his bloodwork schedule. That threw him for a loop and the day had only just started. When he started his IVIG infusion, both infusion sites ended up leaking and he needed to be stuck with a needle five or six times before we could get it working. His infusion going poorly sent him into a downward spiral that he would never recover from. Throughout the rest of the day he struggled with just about everything. His frustration threshold was nonexistent and he…

0 Comments
February 13, 2018
Read more about the article How helping others helps me to cope with being an #Autism parent
Autism Parenting Advice / Inspirational Posts / My thoughts

How helping others helps me to cope with being an #Autism parent

This may sound like it would be counterproductive, but one of the best ways to cope with the stress of being an Autism parent is to use your experience to help others. That's sound crazy right? I know it does but let me explain. When I first began my Autism parenting journey almost seventeen years ago, the stress was unbearable. I was on edge all the time and barely slept. I didn't know what to do and felt like I was completely lost in the dark, trying to find my way. I began blogging under the title Lost and Tired. It was basically a digital journal that helped me to process things. I could write about what I experienced or how I felt and walk away from it feeling lighter.…

4 Comments
February 12, 2018
Read more about the article Gavin’s not having a good day
Gavin / My thoughts

Gavin’s not having a good day

Gavin's having a rough morning. For starters, his routine is thrown off because he's not getting his bloodwork done today. The new day for that is Wednesday's. His IVIG infusion is leaking from the left needle and that always freaks him out. It's pretty easy to fix but it's not without additional pain. It's good that he's working through it but it's not very graceful.. Lastly, and this one is driving me crazy. He has been nonstop complaining about a hang nail on his right index finger. All of the crazy things he's endured or is currently enduring, and the kid is freaking out over a hang nail. He's always been this way and they tell me it's sensory related. Back when he suffering from very serious behavioral problems, he…

16 Comments
February 12, 2018
Read more about the article A major milestone in my battle with #Depression
Confessions / Depression Management / Medications / My thoughts

A major milestone in my battle with #Depression

I've been openly talking about my torrid relationship with depression for a long time now. It's important to speak openly and honestly because I want people to know that it's okay to talk about depression. There's no shame in battling depression and I think that when we suffer in silence, it's that much harder to stay afloat. At the same time, I understand why many people don't talk about it. Unless you're living with depression, it's very difficult to understand it. I have an update in regards to my current battle with depression. It's a big one and I'm feeling really good about it. Tonight marked the beginning of the third phase of my withdrawal from Paxil. That means I'm officially two months into the process and have one month…

0 Comments
February 12, 2018