Brotherly Bonds
Though I only knew my younger brother for a very short time, I feel his presence in my life even now, nearly four decades later.
Category Archives: Acceptance
Accepted
After months of searching, C has finally been accepted into a school for children with autism. This comes after being turned down by other schools that couldn’t or wouldn’t deal with his oxygen. (Yes, this is probably discrimination, especially since … Continue reading
It’s Not a Phase
Google “autism denial” and you’ll see there are a lot of parents of ASD kids being told by well-meaning if ill-informed friends and family that their children are just “going through a phase.” To those people I’d just like to … Continue reading
Outside Looking In
Here is a photo that breaks a tiny bit of my heart. It was taken yesterday at a third birthday party for one of the girls in C’s preschool. The children—including C’s twin—were engaged in dancing, singing, pretend play, and … Continue reading
The Trouble Bag
When I was down, my grandmother would tell me, “If you put your troubles in a bag with everyone else’s, you’d probably take your own troubles back out again.” No matter how much I might wish for things to be … Continue reading
An Upside in a Downside
The downsides of having a child with two major challenges — autism and a rare lung disease — are obvious. But there is, ironically, one upside to this combination: C’s autism means he never notices the odd (and occasionally hurtful) stares he … Continue reading
Beauty in Symmetry
When we first began to notice C lining or stacking things in neat rows and piles — toys, blocks, food — we were concerned; it’s one of “the signs” parents are told to watch for, one more thing to worry over. Accompanying … Continue reading
Finding Meaning
If you’re lucky, you will have a defining moment in your life. It might not seem lucky at the time, but consider living without one. Going on this journey with C has changed me in profound ways, and we’re only … Continue reading