It's Been A Week!

My apologies to my readers… I understand I haven’t blogged in 7 days, but I promise you it was for good reason…

I would like to tell you it has been for selfish reasons like we took a spontaneous vacation to Australia (ahh Mate, that would be an incredible story) or for personal reasons like I was laid up with the swine flu (now, I thought that was funny) or maybe I just didn’t have anything to say. Although, that, too, would be very unlikely, as you know — I always have an opinion to share.

Nope, I was busy doing what I do…. orchestrating treatment and trying to keep life as normal as possible for the rest of the family, sound familiar moms?

This week we fired our speech and occupational therapists for good cause.

I find it difficult to comprehend how it is appropriate to block a child from going to her mother – especially when that is the child’s routine prior to the mother leaving the room, to have a door barricaded from the inside when the child is in the room, to laugh and call the child names, and to talk amongst yourselves over the distressed child who is crying and yelling, “Let go” and “Mommy” – especially when the child is known to have auditory sensory issues.

Yet, alone, to have my parenting style critiqued because it is not the way you would raise your dogs… what?!?! During this incident I was told that our daughter wouldn’t be speaking in full sentences by age 8 because of my parenting style. Incidentally, that very afternoon Sahara said to me, “Mommy Look, come on this way!”

So, I spent the better part of the week calling and interviewing for new service providers while implementing a new behaviour modification program at home.

We received the results of the MRI; brain function appears normal. The EEG was exhausting this week. We had to awaken her at 2:30 AM, yes, I said AM! On the way to the hospital at 7:00 AM we had the windows rolled down. With the wind whirling around us we tried to keep her awake singing, “If you’re happy and you know it say there will be no ouches….”

Well, the tech was less than gentle and I felt just absolutely awful when Sahara said, "Ouch, It hurt!” I have to wonder why they can’t use markers instead of crayons to mark the child’s head…. But Sahara was a trooper, she didn’t need to be strapped down and she left all of the electrodes alone.

We have been utilizing spiritual energy healing work the past few weeks (You know, as well as I, that the power of prayer (energy) is beyond human comprehension…) and, we have seen an extraordinary increase in purposeful speech, socialization and interaction since beginning with the certified energy worker as noted above. We have one more session… so I am open to the power of God healing this girl so she may have a productive, meaningful, happy life!!

However, The Electro Dermal Screening showed Sahara was off the chart with her gastrointestinal system including 20 subsets including the gall bladder, large and small intestines, kidneys, lymphatic, appendix, liver, parasites, bladder infection, pain, etc. … the EDS shows energetic disturbances through the meridians in the body. This prompted us to contact a doctor at the OSU Center for Integrative Medicine for a gastrointestinal and nutritional assessment including vitamin and mineral deficiency testing.

The internet is plastered with information about kids diagnosed with autism having gut issue. However, since she doesn’t have first hand vaccinations, I wasn’t sure she experienced this… but looks as if she does. So, heal thy gut.

(Hmmm… I just notice that if you take the space out of ‘heal thy gut’ – you get— ‘HEALTHY GUT’…. That is pretty cool!)

In addition to all of these things happening… I am adjusting to the country’s economic crisis hitting our home front with a significant pay reduction, trying to get ready for the community yard sale, continuing to chauffeur kids back and forth to appointments and activities, keeping up on the accounts payable and paper trails, spring cleaning, helping with homework, and preparing for summer vacation….

Today is the last day of school for Sahara… Emily has a week left… so, ready or not summer here we come.

Empowering Children through AIKIDO

Siblings to a child with a disability sometimes feel like they are on the back burner. They diligently watch mom or dad take their sibling to and from therapy, specialists, and special groups. If you are trying a special diet, most likely they too will need to adjust to new foods, and forgo some of their favorites. Frustrations may add up as the sibling doesn’t ‘act’ like other children. I have found that in the autistic family construct that it is critical to the well-being of the non-disabled children to get appropriate extra attention and consideration.

So, last year we enrolled our non-disabled daughter in Aikido, a traditional Japanese martial art founded by O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba. We have found this experience to contribute towards her sense of self and confidence while appropriately gaining some attention from the parent that attends the dojo with her. She has been able create friendships among peers within a non-competitive environment.

Aikido fosters inner strength while teaching how to respond to an attacker by using the attackers force against them. Aikido teaches balance, harmony, strength and integrity; all attributes a sibling to a child with a disability needs.

Our daughter just passed her 13^th kyu, yellow belt promotion. She was so proud of herself and carried herself with poise and confidence. This is an experience that has helped center her energy and nurture her being— A perfect vehicle to empower a person who is faced with the challenges that come with a sibling with a disability.

We are fortunate to have an Aikido class for children near our home, Hilliard Martial Arts Center. If you are not so fortunate there are plenty of options available to nurture your child— you just make need to be innovative and resourceful to find them. I suggest starting with a simple “date” with the child to the park or zoo. Maybe a special lunch for two, a walk around the block, a bike ride, art class or a mom & me yoga class. Your local parks and recreation facilities may have options available for parents and children.

A crisis in America and it's not the economy!

I have decided to start blogging in order to reach out to others and educate them about things that seem so obvious to me, but not to others. For instance, did you know there is a crisis occurring in America? No it has nothing to do directly with the current condition of our economy. But worse, it does have to do with our children.

Our children are becoming more sick, disconnected and violent than ever before in our history. At alarming numbers they are being diagnosed with autism, ADHD, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and the list goes on. Instead of doing something about this, infrastructures are masking it and cashing in. Have you ever wondered what would happen if we started finding cures for these health crisis's?

I remember vividly in the 7th grade my English Lit teacher telling my class they were on the verge of finding a cure for cancer. Now, it is 25 years later and the condition of cancer continues to claim lives daily. What would happen if a cure was discovered? A more intense economic resession would be occuring. Why? Think about all of the Oncologists, Radiologists, Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacists, Janitors, Receptionists, Lab Workers, Nutritionists, Ect. that depend upon the cancer industry. I propose that it would cost us far too much in dollars and jobs than the people in charge are willing to pay.

When my dad died of pancreatic cancer in 1996 I realized that this system was not as it seemed. I, in turn, became proactive in my health -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Now that I am a mom I am even more vigilant about our daily habits and mindful about what we put in and on our bodies. I challenge others to become more proactive in their health and the health of their children!