Oil Spill, Meditation and Eradication

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is going to impact our planet, children and grandchildren, ecology, economy, etc. for centuries to come... that is if we survive it at all!! I watch videos, view pictures and read story after story; and my heart aches for our planet and mankind. I can’t help but worry about what devastation this will behind. I pray, but I am not sure that is enough.

I try not to focus on the obvious detriment of the situation. I firmly believe in the law of attraction and know my thoughts can and do create my reality. So, I try to meditate and focus on purified waters, a healthy marine habitat and a repaired oil tank. I figure that if the scientists and engineers who are armed with technology cannot fix the massive oil rig tank, then surely our thoughts can.

Well, I have to admit that is even hard for me to ascertain. I try, but I keep returning to thoughts of destruction and greed. I cannot help but to beg the power and money hungry individuals in charge to get off their duff and do something about this before it kills not only the planet, but the people who inhabit her too!! Stop defending Big Oil and take action!!

I feel like my pleas are met on deaf ears. I contemplate that if the powers to be can make vulgar statements about the oil spill and not take proper action to remedy the situation, and then it is very possible that the same greedy bastards could be making vulgar statements to discredit concerned parents and deny vaccine injury while continuing to pump that toxicity into our bodies? Sadly, this makes me feel validated. Sadly, this is probably close to the truth.

We live in a corrupt society where money and power make us do things that are incomprehensible. We turn the cheek when it doesn’t directly affect us or when we are seemingly removed. But, I have to say that we are not removed from either of these scenarios. Our children are being vaccine damaged as well as poisoned by toxins and pesticides in their foods as well as in their toys. Just this week alone 2 children’s items were recalled for containing cadmium… Miley Cyrus brand Jewelry at Walmart and Shrek glassware at Mc Donald’s.

And yet, we think it to be so farfetched that vaccines might contain harmful ingredients? Another story surfaced this week about a congressional committee that is investigating what they are calling a ‘phantom recall’ on Johnson and Johnson division, Mc Neil’s, Motrin. Apparently, the company outsourced contractors to have individuals go into stores and buy the entire product on the shelf to prevent a nationwide recall.

There are some tainted business practices occurring and it is mankind that is paying. Of course, Sarah Palin would like to blame the ‘Radical Environmentalists’ for the recent Oil Spill, but we know better. It is a world full of greed and this too shall bite us in the ass. This spill will effect far more than the Gulf. It will affect the entire mother earth and her inhabitants. You know I think she will survive… but not without causalities. Mankind has been eradicated before, and we are not too far from it again. We are but a mere virus on her and her immune system is about to eliminate us.

I pray that I am wrong for our sake, for our children's sake, and for the sake of this planet that gives us life.

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Recall on Children's OTCs

43 Cold Medicines are being recalled by their manufacturer, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, after a discovery that they did not meet quality control!!

McNeil Consumer Healthcare in cooperation with the Federal Drug and Food Administration (FDA) are recalling Children Products:

· Tylenol Infants’ Drops

· Children’s Tylenol Suspensions

· Children’s Tylenol Plus Suspensions

· Motrin Infants’ Drops

· Children’s Motrin Suspensions

· Children’s Motrin Cold Suspensions

· Children’s Zyrtec Liquid in Bottles

· Children’s Benadryl Allergy Liquid in Bottles

(Click here and scroll down to see the full list of products being recalled.)

These products are manufactured in the United States and have been distributed in:

· United States

· Canada

· Dominican Republic

· Dubai (UAE)

· Fiji

· Guam

· Guatemala

· Jamaica

· Puerto Rico

· Panama

· Trinidad & Tobago

· Kuwait

The manufacturer stated that these products might have 1) the wrong amount of active ingredients specified in them 2) particles in them or 3) ingredients that have not meet internal testing.

You can reach the manufacturer at 1-888-222-6036 if you have questions or concerns.

Okay, now that I have shared the facts all I have to add is… HOW? At a time with all this technology and medical advancement do we have something to this degree occur? Granted they say they don’t expect any medical emergencies occurring as a result, but do they really know?

If it was alarming enough to pull what I am guessing to be millions of dollars worth of products off the shelves in 12 countries, it has to be worthy of concern. No manufacturer is going to risk losing that much money to pull a product that didn’t pose some sort of high risk consequence. I suspect we are not hearing the full truth, but that doesn’t surprise me none.

If you have administered or a medical facility has administered any of these products, you may want to flood their phone banks with a concerned call. And you many want to consider calling your pediatrician.

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A Checker, A Cough and A Deal With GOD!

COUGH COUGH COUGH

Me: “Sahara, did you swallow a checker?”

S: “A Checker?”

Me: “Sahara, Did you eat one?”

S: “Yes”

Me: “You ate one?”

S: “No”

Me: “Sahara did you eat this?”

S: No response

Me: “Look at me…. Did you eat this?”

S: “Eat this?”

Me: “Is the checker in you?”

COUGH ***GAG*** COUGH

Me: “Honey are you okay?”

S: Points to mouth then to the checkers

Me: “Is there one in there?”

S: “No eat.”

If you have ever tried to get concrete information from a child diagnosed with autism compromised by a severe speech and communication delay, you know just how frustrating (almost on the brink of infuriation) that this type of a scenario can be. You don’t know if the speech you are hearing is echolalia or if the gesturing is part of a game or if it is telling you something.

You feel your energy begin to swirl… faster and faster into a panic. You lose your thoughts to your fears… and cannot think straight. You can’t remember if you heard a cough earlier that day and your mind can only embrace the worse possible outcome.

On the ride to the hospital emergency room, the silence is broken by this gaspy cough… then all is quiet again. It is a busy night in the ER! You register and sit down wishing that no one else was in your midst, certainly all the other parents are thinking the same thought; begging in their mind for their child’s aliment to be more important than the next to get the care they need first.

After an hour, you get called into triage. The nurse is annoyed because she has had to print out a third wrist band for your child and because of the sensory issues you know it won’t be the last. You say you will keep it on your wrist, but are quickly put into place and told it has to be on her body. Your relief of being in triage is quickly replaced with exasperation when the nurse redirects you back to the waiting area.

As you sit there you can identify with the other parents; all emotionally tired and frustrated. Suddenly you see a man come into the ER entrance with a gunshot wound. Whispers are contagious among the parents. You sit there with the fresh images of raw flesh held up in the air with a bullet wound dripping in crimson red. You unsuccessfully try to ground yourself.

The kids have to go to the bathroom, but the policewoman redirects you to a long corridor; they are guarding the gunshot victim and interrogating people at the bathroom entrance. You try to explain what is happening, but your kids have no clue what the word ‘gang’ means and have a difficult time following any explanation.

In the bathroom, your child begins this unnerving whine… you forgot to grab her special towel that she uses to wipe herself after going potty at the house. Her sensory issues are becoming even more agitated. You begin to doubt your decision to drag the whole family to the ER… it has been 2 hours since she supposedly swallowed the foreign object and she seems fine (fine, that is, other than this hoarse cough).

You wait awhile longer, and then they call you to a treatment. One nurse, a resident and a fellow later you are told they are going to do chest and abdominal x-rays. However, it is explained that the plastic checker will not show up on a film, so they are just looking at the integrity of the lungs, esophagus and abdomen. You agree to do the x-rays and are directed to another wing where you wait another 30 minutes.

You are relieved that your child is pretty cooperative for the x-rays as you stand next to her in a heavy lead apron. You wonder if the gown was comforting to her and as she seems to melt into the cold glass x-ray table. Back to the waiting room, then to the original treatment room and finally at 2:00 am you are told that there was nothing to show concern on the films…. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a checker still in her esophagus. It is thoroughly explained that the concern now is the checker being sucked into her lung if it is indeed lodged into the esophagus. If you suspect this is happening you are instructed to call 911 immediately… this will be notable if she begins gasping of air. You sigh knowing that is the sound of the cough that triggered this whole wild goose chase.

Discharge papers take another 30 minutes to arrive. Your oldest child is overtired and snipping at everyone. The patient’s sensory input is on overdrive and is now pacing the halls and pushing the automatic door buttons. Daddy has an intense look on his face that even makes you shudder and you, well, you have completely shut down. Your family has had it and is exhausted and ready to get home.

The kids fall asleep on the way home. Your child wakes every 20-40 minutes the rest of the night with this hoarse gaspy croupy cough. You don’t dare fall asleep as the fear of suffocation has forced your eyes to stay awake. You are constantly questioning yourself whether it is just a cough or the checker moving.

You are exhausted! You are tired, and I mean not just on a literal level, but on a deeper more profound level. The manifestations of the autism has taken your strength and you lay awake pissed about your plight… thinking about how it would have been easier if your child could just have said whether or not she had swallowed the fucking red checker in the first place.

As you focus on the hoarse breathing of the limp child laying in your arms, you begin to beg for God to make the Autism just go away. You pray for her to find her way out of its grasps so she can have a functional, productive life. You pray for that miracle that will bring your child her speech and functional communication with the morning sun, so you don't have to guess anymore during another crisis.

And in the depth of your quiet heart you pray that she will simply make it to her next birthday;

Then in the recess of your mind you begin to search for the cure that will simply make her 'normal';

Finally, in the seat of your soul, you strike a deal with God that He will simply and miraculously heal your child tonight...

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Unity Among the Autism Community

On the eve of April - Autism Awareness month, I feel compelled to get this off my chest. See I have been holding my tongue for some time and I absolutely cannot stand it anymore. The ‘infighting’ among the autism community grates at my inner core and I find myself needing to come forth in order to release the charged feelings I am experiencing ... I understand it may not do any good, but at least I will have said my peace.

At a time when autism numbers are soaring, we need the mainstream folk to become involved. And yet, our own community cannot support one another despite our differences … How, I ask, can we possibly expect others to take a stand and advocate for us, when we can’t do so for each other? It is time to set aside our differences and unite for the greater good of the autism community as a whole.

Our children (and adults) diagnosed with autism need support, protection, advocacy, and empowerment as well as other necessities.

Personally, dare I say, that I actually relate to both sides in my own unique way; the neuro-diveristy and the pro-cure. I don’t think that makes me hypocritical. I am just a concerned mindful mother wanting the best for her child.

The nuero-diversity camp promotes that we accept our differences and honor each person in their unique sense of self. Truthfully, that really is the foundation of my personal advocacy group, Exceptional Beyond Labels. I, also, believe that despite any label (autism, aspergers, pdd-nos, ect) that each person behind the label is just that… A PERSON! They are a person not defined by this label, but rather a person defined by their unique individualization... And that person is phenomenal and capable of anything given the proper tools. Autism is not something to be ashamed of, in fact, I believe it is those on the autism spectrum that will make profound changes in the systems that are no longer working in our world(but, that is a whole different blog entry). I believe that all research and programming and legislation should include parents and adults on the spectrum ... I agree that we cannot determine their future without their input!!

On the flip-side, I find myself praying for a cure and requesting unbiased 3^rd party research. I long for a day that the ‘infantile autism’ label that limits my child is shed like the skin on a snake. I am motivated to prove the diagnosing psychologist wrong when she said to us without a blink of an eye that our young daughter would never have a productive career, meaningful friendships, marriage, a college education or independent living. I have read countless books and surf the net to wee hours of the night to discover what others are doing to help their child diagnosed with autism to 'recover', so that I might be able to pull her further into our world closer to a functional life. I have tried diets, alternative therapies, holistic medicine, traditional therapies, and anything else that was within my arm’s reach. I want, like every parent, to have my child have a bright future full of possibilities.

I don’t do these things to change her core essence, but to remove barriers so that she can have a productive future; to improve her quality of life; to reduce her fundamental frustrations that are demonstrated through a profound expressive and receptive speech delay, an heightened autonomic nervous system response, the sensory and auditory processing complications, a curious eating disorder, awkward socialization skills.... let's not forget that I do this to end the never ending fear of her risk of elopement ending in a catastrophe or to end the nightmares about what will happen to her if her parents were to tragically die or to end the fear that resides in the knowing that if someone were to violate her she would not have the functional words to tell me (and the list goes on) …

I have come to understand that some cases of autism (possibly more aspergers than infantile autism) is genetically based and hereditary while other cases are more environmental. Our geneticist concluded there was no biological foundation for the autism, yet denied environmental possibilities. That doesn't make sense to me. How can biological and environmental factors both be ruled out? This is a hot topic and has caused some to even proclaim hatred towards a certain celebrity. However, I cannot rationalize for one second how the toxins in the vaccines could possibly be safe in the amounts given to the tiny bodies our child inhabit. Yes, I know that the CDC and FDA have cleared them to be safe but common sense tells me otherwise. (I am not going to elaborate on this as there are many resources out there stating the facts… go check them out). I, also, am concerned that no one is talking about maternal vaccine history and its effects on the offspring she bears or the Rho-Gam (Anti-D) vaccine given to pregnant women with negative blood. If the toxins cross the blood brain barrier during critical fetal nuero-development could that not affect the brain and cause autistic-like symptoms?

Now, I do believe that the camp that takes this stance should be less cynical and sarcastic in their presentation … tastefulness goes along way. I wonder if a certain publication ever considers that their point of view would be better accepted by mainstream, the autism community, government, and big-pharm if they added a little more class to their presentation. But, their opponents create face book pages like I Hate Jenny McCarthy. So, what do you do?

This has to stop. We have to have a truce!! We have to say we can understand both perspectives and respect the needs of both parties. We have to stop organizations getting rich off of the challenges our children and adult friends diagnosed with autism face. We have to unit for the common good for all involved regardless of etiology beliefs! We have to unite to promote advocacy, education, safety, insurance inclusion, 3^rd party research, affordable early intervention, awareness of alternative and holistic health modalities, resources on self-esteem building, education advocacy and inclusion, elimination of seclusion and restraint, as well as promote things like education for mainstream professionals like the police, firemen, teachers, store clerks, life guards, and public transit authorities.

We have to put aside our differences for the greater good of our community; a community desperate for answers and desperate for acceptance.

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The Coffee Klatch presents Temple Grandin

The Coffee Klatch (TCK) is a real time twitter chat room founded and moderated by Moms of special needs children. TCK brings knowledge and empowerment into front rooms across the globe. I have found other mothers (and fathers) to be my best resource in advocacy, education and support; and TCK ranks up there with the best! Visit their web site for more information and transcripts from former shows.

Last night TCK had TEMPLE GRANDIN as their guest! I have posted some of my favorite tweet-quotes from the interview below. I do not intend to take away from the whole interview process nor do I mean to take anything out of context, but wanted to pull out some of the concepts that seemed to me to be important to emphasize. Please note, I still encourage you to view the Full Transcript from the Temple Grandin Show here.

My Favorite Temple Grandin tweet-quotes from TCK interview:

ABOUT SPECIAL DIETS

"yes it cleared up my yeast infections - I hav ecut huge amounts of suger out of my diet - with success and I talk about it in "the way"

"Im doing wheat free myself"

ABOUT INCLUSION IN SCHOOL

"You have to look at your particular situatin in your school - you might want to look at "unwritten rules of social relationships"

"there are some aspergers kids that get tortured in high school and may need to be taken out but - I am much more of an advocate for inclusion for elementary school kids - I want to emphasis that decision about this depend upon many unique variables with particular"

ABOUT MEDICATIONS

"the big mistake with antidepressants in the autism spectrum is too high a dose. some need only 1/4 to 1/2 the starter does - they are microresponders and you need to read the book very very carefully"

ABOUT SIBLINGS

"Find shared interests that they can enjoy together like painting pictures playing games sports any activity they both enjoy"

ABOUT DSM IV & DIAGNOSIS

"Aspergers according to dms IV is minor autism with no speech delay - it is not a seperate disorder - autism is a continuum to veryfrom mild and a little nerdy to no language and severe problems - Einstein in todays school system would prob be labeled autistic"

"According to DSM IV guidlines I would be HFA because I had speech delay"

ABOUT SPEECH DELAY

"I recommend that they read the book "How can I talk if my lips dont move. It is written by a person that is non verbal with autism - written Tito anybody working with non verbals should read that book"

ABOUT THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE LEARN

"You need to build on the childs area of strength."

"photo realistic visual thinkers like me are very good at art design drawing and graphics but I am really bad at algebra -some visual"

"the second type is the pattern thinker - or music and math mind - it is a more abstract form of visual thinking - these children may. thinkers can do geometry and trig"

"the third is the word mind - these children know huge amounts of verbal facts about their favorite subject "

ABOUT TEACHING

"Never taught in the abstract it has to be taught with specific examples"

"Mother told me to take my turn - turn taking was taught using board games -to understand the concept of turn taking I had to learn it"

"He took my interests and channeled them into motivating me to study - good teachers build on a child interests if a child likes trainsteach reading with trains math with trains - you want to use the motiviation of the fixation to motivate academics and career work"

ABOUT SOUND SENSITIVITY

"sometimes the sound sensitivity can be reduced if the child can get used to the sound on recording and the child can turn it up gradual"

"sound sensitivity - ear plug or head phones can be worn but - they must be off for half of the day to prevent the ears fromgetting more sensitive"

ABOUT TACTILE SENSITIVITY

"tactile - soft clothes that are well washed several times will be less scratchy"

ABOUT VISUAL SENSITIVITY

"two other things that help is using a laptop computer which does not flicker and try printing reading materials on pastel color papers"

"interventions- if visual some ppl find colored lenses are helpful - pale pink blue ligt brown and purple sunglasses"

ABOUT AUDITORY PROCESSING

"sensory probs are very variable - some have aud processing probs where difficulty hearing hard consentant sounds like D AND G"

ABOUT EARLY INTERVENTION

"keep the mind engaged"

"most imp is 20 or more hours a week of 1 to to teaching with an effective teacher. this is for very young children from 2 to 5 yrs old - not to stop at 5."

Full Transcript from the 3/28/10 Temple Grandin Show here.

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Kidney Stone Update...

The CAT scan revealed I had a total of 18 kidney stones.

5 on the right side, ranging 2-4 millimeters.

13 on the left ranging side, 2-8 millimeters.

They blasted the 6 & 8 millimeter ones on the left with sound waves... I have been passing gravel since Ground Hog’s Day.

The remaining ones have to be passed ‘naturally’. Tonight I am in severe pain and am pretty sure that I am passing one of the larger ones on the right. All I can do is drink water since the remaining stones are all 4 millimeters or less. But, do not let that size mislead you... it hurts.

I am perplexed as to how I got so many, and am darn annoyed with how much water I have to drink. All I can do is drink, send Reiki, and try to stay active... activity helps move them. However, tonight I choose to park it on the couch.

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Back in the Saddle at Riverwind Equine

It had been four long months since we had gone to the horse barn… you could feel a calm excitement in the jeep on ride there. As we pulled up Sahara yelled, “There it is!!” Emily clicked off her seatbelt and eagerly reached for her helmet and bag of apples then disappeared.

As we walked down the broken concrete path, we were met by a wet, cold, muddy day. Nevertheless, there was complete life emerging before our eyes. New horses stuck out there heads and nodded at the new people that they had yet to meet. The old ones looked up with a certain relief to see that part of their herd had finally returned.

It did not go unnoticed that many things had been tended to throughout the winter; there was a certain sense of aliveness brewing on the land and within the structures. I immediately feel enamored by the beauty of the barn, the peace it emitted and the mindfulness of all the people that congregated on this land. Each of them have uniquely become a part of our family.

The head of the Arabian herd, Silk, was so pleased to see the children. He seemed to take extra care in his footing and movements today. Emily confidently started with a walk which quickly turned into a trot and moved Silk over the 3 poles with grace. Her cantor and post was shaky a first, but the concentration and determination paid off. As she dismounted Silk, I realized that I hadn't had to walk or look away once. This meant that I either found peace within myself about my child riding this one ton creature or they worked so well together as a team that fear did not beckon me... I suppose it was both.

Silk looked at Sahara with intensity when it was her turn. She mounted him and said, "Yee Haw." They walked a few laps and surprisingly I did not have an urge to nudge my husband to walk beside them. She melted into the saddle and had such poise; her body moved with grace with each step and bump. We all laughed as they rounded the gate and heard her say, "Run, run!!" As the horse came to a stop, she spoke fluently again, "More..... Walk On." Last year at this time, Sahara's expressive and receptive language was limited at a 12 month old's ability. To hear her request that she continue her turn and to give oral commands to this beautiful Arabian Horse was music to my motherly ears.

I whole heartedly feel blessed to have this horse in our lives and treasure the moments like this one that will be forever be embedded in my children’s childhood memories. I am sure that the girls will vividly look back to their horse barn days at Riverwind Equine Boarding like I do fishing on Lake Erie aboard the Sea Breeze with my father at the helm in his faded jeans, white t-shirt and red baseball cap while my mother sat in her chair at the stern with her oversized hat and sunglasses.

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