With the Autism walk coming up this weekend, I began to do some thinking. We have been truly blessed with the support, love, and generosity that we have received since Brycen's diagnoses. The list would be too long so I wouldn't dare thank everyone in this blog but do know that we are truly grateful to each and everyone one of you.
We have also learned alot, not just about Autism, but who are truly friends and who is truly family. It is so easy to be supportive during the "good" times but it is crucial to be supportive during the "bad" times. The "bad" times should help bring families and friends together, stengthen the relationships, not tear it apart. Helping ones that need it is not only the Christian thing to do but is the right thing to do.
One goal of mine is to ensure Brycen is surrounded by those that love and care for him. I can honestly say that I do not want anyone around him who doesn't want to accept Brycen, learn about Autism, and don't attempt to reach out to help or even show that they care .
The sad part about everything is, what did Brycen do? He is happy, adorable, full of love and energy, Autism is a part of him but it is not who he is. The one's that truly know Brycen instantly want to be apart of his life. To know Brycen is to love Brycen, it is heart breaking that not everyone can see that.
Not to get to lenghty but I am a very lucky man, I have a wife who I love dearly, my kids are my world, and Autism is in our life but it doesn't control it, our love does. Again thanks to evryone, we have needed you, and hopefully when you look at Brycen you get that warm fuzzy feeling like we do.
See you at the walk or very soon!!!
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
Helen Keller
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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Autism and Our Family
"Autism"----It's one word that can change the life of a child and family in so many ways. Autism Spectrum Disorders are being diagnosed at a rate of 1 in 68 children currently. If you do not already know someone that has been diagnosed, the statistics say it won't be long before you do.
Our son developed typically until around the time he turned 2 years old. We heard words...we saw him play with other kids...we watched as he played with his toys appropriately...we made eye contact with him...overall we understood his wants and needs. In a matter of a few months, that was all taken away from him. He began lining up toys, lost all of his words and signs except for one word "ball", ignored other kids, could not sleep through the night, lost eye contact and the ability to follow directions, and he had no way of letting us know what he wanted or how he felt. It was heartbreaking to see something happening to our child that we couldn't stop!
Brycen began receiving home therapy 1-2 times per month for about 6 months before we realized it wasn't just developmental delays. We knew it was Autism...we just didn't want to say it outloud to anyone. He was officially diagnosed with Autism (classic form and regressive), as well as Mental Retardation in August 2009 by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
We continue to learn as we make our way through this journey with Brycen and we will continue to share this journey with you on this blog! The blog has been a great therapy for us to be able to vent our frustrations and struggles with accepting that we have a child with special needs, while sharing how blessed we are to have a child teach us what life truly means. It has also been a great way to inform others of his progress and changes over the last couple of years.
Thank you for your support of Brycen and our family! We hope you are able to learn something through this blog no matter if you are a parent of a child with special needs or a neurotypical child, a teacher or therapist, a family member, or just someone that is interested in the journey that a family goes on as they learn their child is battling a life-long disorder.
Our son developed typically until around the time he turned 2 years old. We heard words...we saw him play with other kids...we watched as he played with his toys appropriately...we made eye contact with him...overall we understood his wants and needs. In a matter of a few months, that was all taken away from him. He began lining up toys, lost all of his words and signs except for one word "ball", ignored other kids, could not sleep through the night, lost eye contact and the ability to follow directions, and he had no way of letting us know what he wanted or how he felt. It was heartbreaking to see something happening to our child that we couldn't stop!
Brycen began receiving home therapy 1-2 times per month for about 6 months before we realized it wasn't just developmental delays. We knew it was Autism...we just didn't want to say it outloud to anyone. He was officially diagnosed with Autism (classic form and regressive), as well as Mental Retardation in August 2009 by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
We continue to learn as we make our way through this journey with Brycen and we will continue to share this journey with you on this blog! The blog has been a great therapy for us to be able to vent our frustrations and struggles with accepting that we have a child with special needs, while sharing how blessed we are to have a child teach us what life truly means. It has also been a great way to inform others of his progress and changes over the last couple of years.
Thank you for your support of Brycen and our family! We hope you are able to learn something through this blog no matter if you are a parent of a child with special needs or a neurotypical child, a teacher or therapist, a family member, or just someone that is interested in the journey that a family goes on as they learn their child is battling a life-long disorder.
I love Mike's post here...I would assume most people would know it was Mike that wrote this entry as our writing styles are different.
ReplyDeleteBrycen is our life...Autism is not a life we chose, but a life that was chosen for us for some reason we may never know. I once said that I think anyone could parent a child with special needs because you just do what you have to do...but I have recently changed my mind. There are some very selfish people out there that couldn't do it.
Those that are supportive and have been there over this very rough last year are a godsend to us! Words cannot express how you have pulled us through this diagnosis and showed us the good of it all. Those that have chosen not to get to know Brycen and how autism affects him (and honestly this only applies to a couple people, as we mentioned above that we are very blessed with the numbers of people that are so accepting), well...they just don't deserve Brycen in their life! Brycen is a child, first and foremost, and deserves the respect of everyone around him as he has done nothing wrong to receive less than that.
Thank you, Mike, for putting into words how I feel also...and for being MY family! Brycen and Aubree are very lucky to have a very involved and loving Dad every single day of their lives!