Friday, April 2, 2010

World Autism Awareness Day

Some how I didn't know this day existed until facebook told me earlier in the week. I have been stewing pondering all day about what I would write.
I have always been raw, honest and blunt about our life with Autism. For the last year, most of those posts have been joyful. We are winning right now. I don't fool myself into thinking it will always be that way, but I know we will keep fighting.

I wasn't blogging when we were in the dark, terrifying years before he was diagnosed and even a few following, I have no idea if that was for the best or not. I know I could have used the support, oh God could have I. It wasn't the fact that he was diagnosed with Autism, the label really didn't phase me. I was DESPERATE for help, for answers.

I have written before about Noah's early years...He was the sweetest baby. He almost never cried, he smiled, he made eye contact, he played games, he was always a bit delayed to meet milestones, but never enough to cause concern for his pediatrician.
Until he was three. Then I started to notice his one year old brother pass him on many things. He became more sensitive, less vocal, and had increasingly odd behaviors. I pushed his doctors to look a little closer, but my concerns were brushed aside. By four, I KNEW he had Autism and the doctor reluctantly agreed he MIGHT have PDD-NOS, but took a wait and see approach. We didn't have a full diagnosis or get help until he was six.

Those years in between were scary. Every window in our house was broken. I had stitches from him hurling hot wheels at my head. He would pour entire gallons of milk on the carpet, despite the fact our fridge was LOCKED. The house we were renting was destroyed.

All of that seems to be a haze now. When he leaps into the van at the end of the day, filled with giggles and stories of his day, all the struggles seem so far away. I posted last week about Noah's report card, the pride has yet to wane.

When you have a special needs child, there are more struggles, but the victories are all the more sweet. Noah is perfect the way he is.

3 comments:

PrincessJenn said...

Hugs. He is so lucky to have you as a mom

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

a wonderdul post....Enjoying a Saturday afternoon of blog hopping and all the Easter posts.

Hope you will stop by and leave a comment....On Sunday night I will be drawing for
$100 GOODIE BASKET.

Woo222 said...

I'm really glad you wrote about this! I didn't know you'd written about Noah's earlier years before, I guess because I'm such a newcomer to your blog, even though I feel like I've known you forever. Your honesty, your story, they are IMPORTANT. Your experience matters and can help people. Yay for you, for writing this. Even more, yay for you for knowing that Noah is perfect just as he is. You are SO right, Jenni. Sending you all my love, Susan