Nobody Does It Better

Have you ever wondered why you were blessed with the kids you have? Whether you adopted or gave birth to your children, I believe they came to you because YOU were meant to be their mother. I've been told this on numerous occasions, and my testimony concerning this sentiment has grown over the years.

I think about my daughter, for example, who seems to be in perfect health but who is battling Wilson's Disease on a daily basis. If I did not advocate for her, who knows where she would be today. Then there is my oldest who is a genius (literally), but who struggles with social delay. I understand him and accept him for who he is in spite of others. I could go on and on with examples of things, but the fact is that nobody could do it better than you.

Every generation has its challenges. Hopefully each one learns from the previous one and adds knowledge and experience. As the years go on things will only get harder and more challenging. However, knowing that motherhood is a divine calling can help you in many ways. If you're lucky enough to have a living mother, then don't forget you can always call on her for advice. If not, prayer works wonders! It's amazing how much I've been able to help the "professionals" with the help of my Heavenly Father. Never underestimate the power of inspiration.

Lastly, there may come a time when your values are questioned or even challenged. Never give in! Remember that Satan is VERY real and his influence is all around us. Sometimes he comes in the form of media on t.v. or language in a book. He might even come in the form of doubt. Doubt is a very powerful thing. Just remember that TRUE happiness comes only from doing what is right. There are no shorcuts.
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Nobody does it better.... sometimes I
wish someone could.
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Dealing With "Galzin Indigestion"

My daughter has been taking Galzin now for a few years. At first we didn't have a single side effect and I was so excited. I did my research and found that many people get stomach upset with this particular drug. I was thankful that my daughter was not among those. Well... NOW we are facing some issues with tummy aches in the morning. I wanted to share what we are doing just in case anyone out there is facing the same issue.

Her dose is three times a day and so we give the morning dose with a little food. I make sure that whatever she eats doesn't have fiber. I read that fiber will basically counteract the medicine. She might eat scrambled eggs or some cheese or lunch meat. She seems to do a lot better when we remember to do this. We have been doing this for months and at her last appointment her liver enzymes were still going down. This is good news!

I have a theory about this. I know that theoretically she takes her meds on an empty stomach, but the morning dose is probably the only one she takes on a truly empty stomach. Therefore, it REALLY is hard on her little tummy. I call it "Galzin indigestion" since she is basically digesting only the Galzin in the morning. I am hopeful that it will get better with time or else she will have to get used to it. So far she is a trooper about taking her medicine. It can be an inconvenience at times, but she handles it very well.
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We call Galzin our magic blue
pill. It has been a miraculous
pharmaceutical invention!
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The Genetic Factor

I've had a recent revelation. So far at least half of my husband's siblings or close relatives have a child with a learning disability or in the autism spectrum. This definitely proves (at least in my family) that there is a genetic component.

I found this very interesting article. It was published June 9, 2010. VERY recent information about genetic research. Evidently, they have found dozens of gene mutations implicated in autism. However, if I may quote from the article: "Interestingly, not all the genetic defects were inherited from the child's parents. Rather, they seem to have arisen during fetal development or infancy." This is the part that I KNOW is the environmental "trigger" I have ALWAYS believed in!

Copy and paste the following link and you can read the entire article:

http://www.aolnews.com/health/article/latest-genetic-research-may-help-decode-autism/19509927

After Rain Comes the Rainbow

It's only when you go through trials that you can appreciate the good things. For example, I have been through some tough times with my #2 and my daughter and so now I feel like I am reaping from all my hard work and dedication as a mother. I appreciate every little thing that I perceive as progress or moving forward.

I had a story to share that I thought was appropriate. You might actually find it inspirational. Yesterday we went to the pool. We usually live at the pool during the summer. It's our favorite place to hang out. The summer break is halfway over and so the kids are starting to fight a little bit more than usual. I guess they are getting tired of being with each other 24/7. I can totally relate.

My older two were playing at the pool with a new toy that I had purchased. It is shaped like a torpedo and you are supposed to pass it under the water. It is relatively heavy and made of a hard rubber. My oldest got the idea to try and skim it over the water so that it would go faster. Well... it definitely worked, but unfortunately it skimmed over the water at top speed right into my #2's nose! Poor guy screamed his head off and blood started to gush out his nose immediately. I panicked but tried to remain calm. The blood would not stop. Luckily for me, my dear friend was with me and she knew the trick to helping it stop. We put a rolled up piece of bandage under his upper lip to put pressure on the vessel. It worked! I also put pressure at the bridge of his nose. It finally stopped bleeding and after about thirty minutes I was able to remove it without worries.

The sweet part of the story was that although they had been fighting for days and morning was no exception... when it came down to it, my #1 was worried sick about his little brother. He would not stop apologizing and kept looking at him and asking if he was okay. Later after we left the pool, he told me in private that it would be okay to let his little brother play on his laptop. (That is a major deal in our household!) Even today... a day later he is still looking out for him. My younger two wanted to go swimming and my #1 said, "No.. we can't go swimming. His nose might bleed." He was genuinely concerned about his well being.

There are two lessons I leared from this:
#1) No matter how much you see your children fight and argue, deep inside they truly love each other. It's at times like this that you see it.

#2) The cautions on toys are there for a reason. On the side of the toy is written in bold: "CAUTION: Do not throw toy above the water or at another person."
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I definitely prefer lessons
learned that don't involve
trips to the emergency room.
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Finding the Right Kind of Help

When you have a child in the autism spectrum there are many issues that you have to face as a parent. The first, and most important, is the physical AND mental well-being of your child. The physical is probably the most apparent for most parents. However, it seems like the mental or emotional part is more challenging for most.

The fact is that sometimes we need the help from professionals. Not only does the child benefit, but the parents as well. I have a friend who has great health insurance and it covers her child's visits to a Psychologist once a week! I wish I were so lucky! She takes full advantage of it and is able to not only get help for her child, but also gets counseling for herself.

I am extremely lucky to have wonderful support from family and friends. I can pick up the phone right now and I know that they would understand and be a listening ear when I need it. There are many who are not so lucky. The stigma of going to a doctor for help is slowly changing. More and more people are talking openly about it. Maybe it's the media... maybe it's that we're more open-minded. I strongly believe that the main reason is that there are more people now who seek professional counseling. There is nothing wrong with it and it doesn't make you weak. On the contrary, it makes you stronger.

My hope is that whoever is out there struggling with the decision of whether to get help or not, will do so. Don't wait. Don't wait until all hope is gone or you feel like there is no other alternative. You CAN get the support you need. There ARE people out there who understand. I promise you that there is someone out there who has the same values and thought process as you. You just need to seek them out. My friend has to drive over an hour to seek help, but she does it. It definitely puts things in perspective for me.

If you end up with someone you don't like or who doesn't have the same value system you do, then look elsewhere. You don't have to give up. I have seen how persistence pays off. This is definitely something worth fighting for.
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I urge you to check this out:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-pervasive-developmental-disorders/index.shtml
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Wilson's Disease Miracle

I realized that it has been a long time since I wrote about Wilson's Disease. It comes in cycles since my daughter has to go to Children's Hospital every six months. Every time I go I am reminded about her condition and that her health is such a blessing. I am still optimistic, but unfortunately the doctors have a way of always reminding me that she is still young and that things could change once she is older. I try not to let it get to me.

I have concluded that my daughter is a Wilson's Disease miracle. Everywhere I read that people have all kinds of side effects on their meds and so far she hasn't... except for the occasional upset stomach which seems to be remedied by giving her morning dose with a little food. Her liver enzymes are getting better. They are still not "normal" but they keep going down and are at almost normal range, which is definitely something the doctors were not expecting but were hoping for.

I have concluded that miracles happen every day. However, we have to keep our minds open. God has a silent and reverent way of teaching us. If we would just take the time to get away from all the chaos and commotion in our lives, we can actually feel his presence in our lives. I believe that our daughter is a testament of what can be achieved when we pray and have faith. I have prayed for my daughter, for the doctors, and for myself. I honestly believe that my prayers were answered and that because I acted on my promptings that we are blessed today.
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God answers prayers.
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Do You Have Autism... Or Does Autism Have You?

There is a consensus among the medical community that since there is no "known cause" for autism then we just need to treat the symptoms. I challenge the medical community to look at it this way: perhaps if we could diagnose a child EARLY on with autism then there could be less symptoms to treat!! Imagine that.... early intervention making a difference. Makes so much sense to parents.... why not the doctors?

When I found out that my child was delayed in speech I took the "bull by the horns" and got therapy. Guess what happened? He learned to speak and communicate better. His social skills improved and there was less issues with behavior.

When I found out that my daughter had Wilson's Disease I took the "bull by the horns" and got treatment. If we would have waited for her to "get sick" then we would have had a totally different prognosis.

I want to challenge all of you out there who have a child with unique circumstances to fight for treatment and services! We have to find out why the symptoms are there and what the triggers are. Don't rely on doctors giving you all the answers. You MUST do the research and do whatever necessary to give your child a fighting chance. There is a reason why you're the parent. There is a reason why your child was sent to you.

The consensus among parents is that they often feel alone and abandoned once they reach the diagnosis stage for their child. That's such a tragedy! There are tons of books, support groups, and blogs out there. Find the ones that best fit your needs. The possibilities are endless.
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When you get the chance, read
about Temple Grandin.
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