Read more about the article My #Autistic son did the most amazing thing today
Autism Parenting Insight / Gavin / My thoughts

My #Autistic son did the most amazing thing today

Gavin was able to get his blood work done without any problems. In fact, I wanted to share something cool that Gavin did while he was there. It's no secret that Gavin is a creature of habit. He thrives on routine, especially for things that are scary for him like blood work. Today there was a new tech that Gavin had never met before, and instead of freaking out because of the change, he explained how he likes it done and let her draw his blood. Gavin likes the techs to count to three before sticking him and then warn him before taking the needle out. When he's done, he likes his arm wrapped in cling so he doesn't see the area the needle went into his arm. It's pretty…

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May 16, 2019
Read more about the article As an #Autism parent, my son’s violent and aggressive behaviors are very concerning to me
Autism Parenting Struggles / Gavin / My thoughts

As an #Autism parent, my son’s violent and aggressive behaviors are very concerning to me

The boys have been home about an hour or so, and I feel like we've already spent the sanity this break has allowed us to regenerate. Admittedly, it's still not much, but we were a bit saner before they arrived home. 😜 Drama ensued fairly quickly upon their return. The boys reported that Gavin had dropped what they referred to as an f-bomb. In other words, he said fuck. When we asked Gavin about this, he completely freaked out. He stomped down the steps, pointing at his brothers and screaming. It was a very aggressive and threatening reaction. I know Gavin wasn't going to hurt anyone, but that's beside the point. If Gavin reacts that way in public or when he's around people who don't know him, he would be…

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May 12, 2019
Read more about the article I try to never take breaks for granted
Autism Parenting Insight / My thoughts / Self-Care

I try to never take breaks for granted

It was a pretty quiet evening. The kids were at their grandparents, and I'm writing this after sleeping in till 10:30 AM. That felt really good, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity. Lizze and I went for a short walk last night before picking up dinner and settling into watching Wandering Earth on Netflix. I can't stress enough how important self-care is. We don't really have any plans for today, but I would like to get some things done around the house. I know rest is important, but I also want the kids to come home to a house that's in a little better shape. I'm going to work on some organizational type things and then maybe go walking this evening. I'm really thankful for the break, and I…

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May 11, 2019
Read more about the article I love my kids, but dammit I need a break
Autism Parenting Insight / My thoughts

I love my kids, but dammit I need a break

I didn't sleep well last night, and that led to us oversleeping this morning. How we start the day has a direct impact on how the day goes, and getting off to a late start isn't a good thing. Having to rush around puts the kids on edge and creates a stressful environment for everyone. We try to avoid mornings like this but sometimes our Google Hub hiccups, and the alarm doesn't go off. An interesting fact about the Google Hub, if your wifi drops, it's completely useless, even as an alarm clock. Always, set a backup. 😉 The kids made it to school, and I took Ruby walking with me in the rain. She lives for these walks each morning, and it's become our thing. While she won't go…

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May 11, 2019
Read more about the article I didn’t get much work done today but what we did accomplish made a difference
My thoughts

I didn’t get much work done today but what we did accomplish made a difference

It's been a long day, and I'm exhausted. We had a good deal of running around that needed to be done. My replacement phone finally came in, and we needed to hit the dispensary so Lizze could pick up her medicine. It's still bizarre saying that out loud or even talking about it, but it's been a godsend for her, and I'm grateful for that. Gavin has been a bit trying today. He's extra talkative lately, and I'm trying to be patient, but it's not easy. He's not doing any of this on purpose or to make life difficult. He simply lacks the impulse control needed not to say everything that pops into his head. 😀 We survived the morning and eventually picked the kids up from school before going…

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May 10, 2019
Read more about the article I’ve been taking #Prozac for about 8 weeks now
Confessions / Depression Management / Medications / My thoughts

I’ve been taking #Prozac for about 8 weeks now

I wanted to share a quick update in regards to my ongoing war with Depression. As many of you already know, I've been in a lifelong war with Depression. Recently, I shared that I went back to my doctor because I wasn't coping with life, and I was drowning in negative thoughts. About eight weeks ago, I began taking 20mg of Prozac daily, in conjunction with the Wellbutrin I was already on. I wasn't excited about going back on another antidepressant, but truthfully, the alternative wasn't an option. When I said I was drowning in negative thoughts, I was referring to constant worries about my kids, their future, my health, my wife's health, and literally everything else, all at once. Most of these worries were outside of my control and…

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May 8, 2019
Read more about the article Oh that’s where all the hand sanitizer went
Autism Parenting Struggles / Gavin / My thoughts

Oh that’s where all the hand sanitizer went

In our house, we keep hand sanitizer in key locations. The reason for that is that not everyone is mindful of proper hygiene and touching up with some Purell is necessarily a bad thing to do before touching or preparing food. We also keep hand soap in the bathroom and kitchen because that's the preferred method of hand cleansing. Anyway, we go through so much fucking hand sanitizer, and it I'll give you a clue as to why. His name begins with Ga and ends with vin. Mr. Gavin feels the need to use hand sanitizer constantly. As an example, this just happened. I finished my walk and swung by the house to drop Ruby off, as well as pick Gavin up for his bloodwork. He had just left the…

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May 8, 2019