Musings and What-not

This is a story about autism... on Broadway! I follow a  page that recently shared a post about a mother who brought her beautiful Prince to one of your shows.. and the near mutiny that followed when he was deemed unworthy of being in the presence of the other patrons.  The author's words moved me beyond measure, and w hile reading his post, I became overcome with emotion. I felt anger; I felt sadness; and in the end, I felt pure, unadulterated love. As you read the following, I invite you to step into the shoes of the mother and child... from their vantage point, how would you feel?

First, there was Ice Cube joking about autism . Now, there's Amy. In the video below , one of the dog owner's states that she followed Jenny McCartney's advice about not vaccinating her pet because doing so would cause “pawtism".  #disgusted

Barring any glandular problems, solving this major "issue", whose stats have tripled in the last 30 years, isn't as challenging as most people think. Back in my day, watching television was a treat. Chores had to be done, and I had to entertain myself  outside before I was even permitted to plop my hindparts on the sofa and veg out on whatever was happening on the boob tube. I was also only permitted an hour or two, if that. But times have changed...

Labels, labels, labels! As a species, we label everything. We label people, things, and experiences. Maybe (or maybe not) that's just how life is in a world of polarities . But, labeling people can often cause pain, frustration, anger, and even, resentment.

Yes, the title of this post was inspired by a snazzy Bonnie Raitt tune, but this post isn't about her. Nope!  It's about Hollywood's latest film... that thinks it's OKAY to joke about Autism !! Take a gander at this clip from 21 Jump Street ... 21st Century silver screen version, and you'll see what I mean.

I have cried enough tears to fill an ocean, sending myself into the deepest abyss, pondering... Will he be okay when I'm gone? I've spent so much time worrying and stressing about what will happen to him tomorrow that, at times, I have allowed precious moments of my today slip carelessly slip through my hands. Germany has its Autobahn... the road I travel has a beautiful yet mysterious companion that is Autism. My journey has been one of great fascination... and frustration. There have been many twists, turns, bumps, and detours along the way. One moment, I am cruising along at a comfortable speed, letting the wind caress my face, and in a flash, I encounter a pot hole that rattles me to the core.

Most of us on this path, the path of Autism, are quite familiar with the poem having to do with Holland.  Many of us may not have planned to give birth to Autism, but for reasons we may never fully know, Autism had plans for us. As parents to these children, are we to look at ourselves as being uber special in some way? Are we truly the Chosen Ones? Are we the only ones who were somehow more prepared than others to handle a life that would be altered in unimaginable ways?

With so many children being diagnosed with Autism every day, it is easy for someone to feel hopeless, shameful, guilty, angry, and/or resentful.

As I read story after story of people performing and supporting genetic testing to eradicate autism... prenatal style, I can't help but feel sick to my stomach. This continued intolerance of a community that only wants to love, be loved and accepted, seems to be at the forefront of possible extinction . Why the fear ? I'd like to think that being in the midst of centuries old civil unrest and living in communities where mass genocide at the hands of those who have overstepped their boundaries and have become power hungry to be a significantly worse "fate".

To say I have learned more than I could have every imagined on this journey would be a gross understatement. It has been 5 years since I received my son's diagnosis, and as I look back over those years, I am awestruck by how amazing this precious boy is. Every time I look into his eyes, I see so much love... unconditional love . At times, this love seemed too overwhelming for me to embrace because I had limiting beliefs that I was unworthy and undeserving of something so pure.

I'm not a fan of doing laundry. Quite frankly, the only reason I do it at all is because I'm a pretty big fan of clean undies. But this post isn't about my underwear, and for shame on me for sharing something that intimate. ;) This post is about allergies. It's about why most people on the spectrum seem to have a ridiculously long list of the what-nots in their lives. It's about my son, and oh, it's about me too! ;)

It is hard to find someone who is not familiar with the catchy, foot stompin', butt shakin', '90s tune by Right Said Fred .  You know the one... where the megalomaniac lead singer is prancing about the video talking about how he's too sexy for this and that? Well, the catwalk's got a new gig, and it is "shakin' its little tushy" for autism.

It is common for a person with autism to have certain food allergies.  And it is also common, within the community, for those individuals to be on very restrictive diets; the more popular being GFCF (Gluten-free Casein-free). Although, precautionary measures are taken to ensure one does not consume foods containing any triggers, some thought may not be given to whether or not the allergen-free foods are manufactured by companies who do not use genetically modified ingredients.

With so many people and organizations trying to rid the world of autism, those of us who are do not think along these lines feel a sense of urgency for the greater need to raise positive awareness. While others are seeking for acceptance in how they were born, others simply want to ensure that autism is no longer part of their lives. To eradicate something that defines, in many ways, who a person is and how they interact with the world is what some scientists, researchers, and parents are attempting to do at an alarming rate.

A medical diagnosis, of any kind, can be life-altering.  A life that once offered some measure of stability would now be forever changed. In 2005, our family received two blows to our way of living.  That April, my son was diagnosed with autism, and a few months later, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. What is very interesting about the two disorders is they both affect a person’s neurodevelopment; however, the affects are experienced at the opposite ends of a person’s life.  While autism affects the youth and how they interact with the world, Alzheimer’s typically affects the elderly (over 65) and, ultimately, their interaction with the world outside.

Traveling can be challenging. Enter your neighborhood airport, and you’ll be faced with long security lines, crowded concourses, uncomfortable waiting areas, and once you’ve dealt with that, there’s still the hustle and bustle of trying to get in your seat without being ran over by other passengers seeking to do the same. Now, if you’re a person with autism, the challenge is dealing with this seemingly chaotic situation without having a meltdown.

Autism doesn’t have a "look". Down Syndrome, Spinal Bifida, and Cerebral Palsy all have one thing in common. They have a "look". When you encounter a person with one of these different abilities, you can see their uniqueness. However, if you were to encounter a person with autism, you wouldn’t know that there was more to them than what you see, and for some observers, seeing is believing.

I am often asked about how Nicholas "deals with change", and my response regularly receives raised brows for he adjusts pretty well to the new and unfamiliar.  His hand flapping may be briefly exacerbated, but the smile never leaves his face. While traveling to California which happened to be nearly a 1,500-mile drive, unlike a neurotypical child, I didn't hear, "Are we there yet?' nor did I hear sighs of anguish for being stuck in a car longer than 2 minutes.  What I did hear was laughter, singing, or silence whenever I spied him in deep thought or simply taking in the scenery.

You're probably getting tired of me always plugging Twitter , but I can't help myself!  The place rocks! A couple of weeks ago, one of my Tweeps approached me to review an auditory calming system manufactured by his company, B-CalmSound.com ! I'm all for testing new gadgets, so I said, "Yes!" At first glance, the system just looks like your average mp3 player, but it's the sound tracks that deliver the gifts.

I have been very fortunate to have met some pretty amazing people on Twitter .  There is one person who I've only recently had contact with that I find extremely fascinating.  His name is Michael Riedel, and he is an adult living on the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Michael contacted me via my book site, and we've been communicating almost daily ever since.  He is 25, gainfully employed, and has many interests.