20 Random Things That Bring Me Pleasure

1. Warm Cherry Tomatoes Straight from the Vine

2. My Children’s Laughter

3. Tender Kisses on my Neck

4. Yoga

5. The Aroma of my Mother’s Cooking

6. Rain on a Summer Afternoon

7. Mashed Potatoes Drowning in Gravy

8. Sitting on a Dock With my Feet Dangling in the Water

9. Lilacs

10. Chocolate

11. Black and White Photography

12. Hot Soup On a Chilly Day

13. Driving with the Windows Down

14. Sitting Under a Shady Tree

15. Children’s Art

16. Late Night Talks in the Moonlight

17. Walking Through an old Cemetery

18. Watching my Children Sleep

19. Memories of my Father

20. Foot Massages

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Mother's Who Don't Vaccinate... A Risk?

As mothers, we innately want to protect our children, so concerns are valid. I have been reading literature about vaccinations for the past 10 years. Some suggest that the un-vaccinated children pose a threat to the vaccinated population.

If the vaccine theory was sound, then the unvaccinated children would not pose a threat to the vaccinated population, right? Think about it.

In order to be a threat, the unvaccinated child would have to first come in contact with the disease and have the immune system fail to ward it off. Even if this were to happen… if the vaccination successfully did what it was intended to do (foster immunity towards a specific disease), the vaccinated child should not contract the disease.

This past year a vaccinated child, who sat directly behind my child, contracted whooping cough and hacked directly on my child for days, during the incubation period, before being removed from the classroom environment.

Why did my child not contract the disease?

Why did the vaccinated child contract the disease?

It is hard for me to comprehend why the majority doesn’t think about this paradox. Instead, I think the proactive parent is wrongfully accused of being unmindful of the health risks involved. These parents don’t mindlessly venture into the world of not vaccinating their children. They conduct on-going research and implement lifestyle choices that promote a healthy immune function. They are proactively seeking alternative means to the pestilence occurring in our young children and babies.

It is not my mission to tell people to or not to vaccinate; this is a personal choice between a mother, father, and most likely their physician. However, I do say to educate yourself before entering this (or any) discussion with the physician. Here are some resources on my side of the fence to get you started.

Fisher, B. L. (September-October 2004). In The Wake of Vaccines. Mothering , 38-45.

Kirby, D. (2005). Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy. New York: St. Martins Press.

Miller, N. Z. (1998). Immunizations: The People Speak! Questions, Comments, and Concerns About Vaccinations. Sante Fe: New Atlantean Press.

Vacination Risk Awareness Network. http://www.vran.org/

National Vaccine Information Center: http://www.nvic.org/

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Frustrations Facing The 'Autism Industry'

I find it difficult to comprehend how service providers can charge an exorbitant amount of money and still sleep well at night. As a parent of a child diagnosed with autism, I have researched many viable treatment modalities and service providers. Many groups advertise through books, websites, and talk shows about how beneficial their products are, but they all come with this high ticket.

More frustrating is the amount of children that go untreated or helped because the ticket is so far out of reach. It can be difficult to sort through who is valid and who is out capitalizing on the unfortunate circumstances of so many.

Many families, like ours, have gone from two incomes to one; struggling just to make ends meet. Others have exhausted all resources including refinancing a home to pay for services; left with no other options. And yet others haven’t survived the enormous stress of having a child with autism and have gone from a family to either separated or divorced; supporting two households.

I have heard some providers even say, “If they value the service they will figure out how to pay for it. Money is never really the issue.” I challenge this! I am aware of numerous valid services for these kids that are out of our financial reach.

For instance, the tuition for a private ABA school specializing in autism that still has a $6k balance due after the autism scholarship is exhausted. What about the DAN (Defeat Autism Now) doctor who is charging hundreds of dollars just to walk through the door and tens of thousands of dollars for tests, lab work, procedures, supplements and therapies… None of which is covered by insurance. What about the waiver wait list that is years long?

It is difficult enough to sort through the acceptance of a diagnosis and the muck of what is available to your child, but then once you arrive there to realize you cannot afford to get your child well... is beyond words. Unfortunately, this is the reality of so many families.

Families need resources and they need them now! Someone needs to become proactive in this shift and advocate for our children in order for them to obtain the services and treatments that are rightfully theirs.

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Quick GFCF Taco Goulash: Recipe of the Week

8 ounce Rice Penne Noodles
1# Ground Beef (or turkey)
½ White Onion Finely Diced
½ Zucchini Finely Diced
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 tsp. Sea Salt
½ tsp. Cracked Black Pepper
3 TB Taco Seasoning
2 Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes (or 2 chopped fresh tomatoes)
3 TB Fresh Salsa
3 TB Fresh Sweet Salsa
½ cup Frozen Corn
Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream
Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative- Cheddar

Prepare Rice Penne according to package.

In the mean time, brown ground beef. Add the rest of the ingredients to the meat and simmer.

Rinse the cooked Penne Pasta; add to meat.

Spoon into soup bowls and top with Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative- Cheddar and Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream.

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A Year of Leap and Bounds

As the yellow school bus pulled up, I felt a surge of excitement… I couldn’t contain my childish smile!

All day I wondered if Sahara would get that it was her last day of school for summer break... Or would she wake up on Tuesday wondering why we were out of routine? As the bus neared, I could see this smiling little face peering through the bottom of the 3rd window back; a spark was in her eye and she appeared to be rambling on about something that she probably only understood.

As the bus came to a screechy stop, I swear my heart skipped a beat…. Summer was here! My girl exited the bus bare foot and ready for our summer adventures. She turned to the bus driver and aid to say, “Ba-Bye…. summer”.

YES, SHE KNEW IT!!!

We skipped across the yard to the house without any worries of the week to burden us. Once inside she dumped her red backpack and carefully went through each item; sharing memories of a year of huge milestones, growth, and companionship.

This year she was able to make her first meaningful friendships with her little classmates, Ray and Addie. They were true friends as friends should be complete with purposeful play & interaction, consoling of boo-boos, and the excitement of seeing one another tomorrow. I am so pleased that she can experience the satisfaction of having true social interactions – that alone will inspire the natural desire and shift to want more of the same.

This was a year of leap and bounds not only socially, but academically as well—She had learned to print letters and write her name; sing her ABC’s as well as other songs; match colors, shapes, and animals; follow routines, participate in circle time, art, occupational and speech therapy activities,; all of her goals on her IEP had been met or close to it! She had worked hard and we have seen the fabulous outcomes for it….

I say ‘she’ because the teachers, therapists, and I had given her the space and guidance to blossom while she did all of the work. Yes, I give kudos to myself and the staff; each of us offering our unique skills and patience… but it was Sahara who demonstrated her determination to succeed. I hope inside she recognizes that her efforts and willingness to enter our world are acknowledged and seen as astounding!

I am sure that there are children who do not have the support to come out of their perceived fog… I suppose it is easier for some parents just to turn on the TV and let their child be consumed by the electronic babysitter… Or some teachers who lose sight of the quite child playing quietly in the corner…Maybe the green therapists who just don’t have the skills yet to know what to do with the ‘child that is hard to crack’. But Sahara was (and is) fortunate, she didn’t have those obstacles at home or in this school setting.

Sahara has learned naturally how to begin to foster relationships and develop cognitively. This summer will be full of adventures and learning. Integrating what she has learned this year within her natural home setting will only foster further growth.

So, as we sat there with purple hands and bare feet, I realized that it wouldn’t be long before we were able to remove the labels that some have insistently placed upon this bright little girl. I look forward to that moment about as much (probably more) than waiting for the yellow bus to arrive bringing us summer.

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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.

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Ballet Met Columbus - Momentum: An Educational Dance Program -- BRAVO!

Chaperoning a field trip is tolerable at most. Ususally I walk away with admiration of the teachers we entrust our children to and relief that I am not in their shoes.... but today was different; today I spent the afternoon being inspired by 400 youth and found myself loving it!

Ballet Met Columbus puts on a yearly program called Momentum, an enrichment program using dance as the medium to enhance 4th graders’ ‘excellence, discipline, and self-confidence’ using The Ohio Department of Education’s Dance Content Standards.

Over the school year, dance instructors come to the seven participating schools and instruct the students weekly about movement, self-control, and dance. At the end of the year the students unite as a large collective group to perform on the stage the choreographed program for their parents, teachers, next year’s performers, and donors.

The program was appropriately titled One World - One Beat. It beautifully illustrated cultures from around the world through music and dance. However, what I found more intriguing was the communion of cultures on the stage.

To see a diverse group of kids from the urban and suburban schools uniting was truly inspirational. I have never chaperoned an event that brought tears to my eyes… but today definitely triggered that within me; the kids were alive, electric, and full of confidence— a refreshing expression among a generation faced with many hard realities that were unfamiliar to us when we were kids!

The 3rd graders in the audience were so respectful and captured by the grace of the performers. I am sure they were experiencing the thrill of their schoolmates being on a theater stage and the anticipation of their own dance adventure next year.

I couldn’t help but wish that each child in the world had an opportunity to express themselves like these children did today!

Bravo!

The performance will be aired on television in Ohio... Although I couldn't get the specific information, if interested you may want to contact Ballet Met Columbus directly.

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