What a difference a year makes....
This week was the one year anniversary of Charlie's new
life. If I knew then what I know now, I
probably wouldn't have been so nervous.
What Charlie has accomplished in the past year is
AMAZING!!! A year ago he spent most of
his days in a highly anxious state which produced crying, screaming and
exclusive behavior. He didn't interact
with anyone and when asked to separate from either Kevin or myself he would
fall apart. His eye contact was fleeting
and his language barely existed. He
communicated by crying, screaming, pointing and pulling me to whatever he
wanted. The language he did use
consisted of one word at a time. Through
love, patience, and understanding we his development has increased dramatically.
Today, he gets excited when one of his Son-Rise friends come
to play. He say to them, "give me
your hand, or come on" and leads them into his playroom. His anxiety has dramatically decreased. He
laughs and plays and stays engaged for long periods of time. He asks for things with 3 and 4 word
sentences. He looks in our eyes to speak
and even will come put his hands on our cheeks and turn our eyes to his if we
are not paying attention. He shows great
interest in those around him and wants to interact. He craves affection, even asking for hugs and
kisses. This year he told me he loved
me!!! It only happened once so far but
it is something I carry in my heart with me everyday. And above all he is HAPPY. My perpetually miserable child is happy. That alone is the greatest gift Son-Rise has
given to him and us.
The program that started a year ago has evolved a great deal
as has its only student. I have learned
how to run the program more efficiently, take data better (Charlie's team knows
what a struggle that has been), what to look for in new team members and how to
let ones go that are not a good fit. The
most important lesson I, as mom and fearless leader, is to admit I cannot do it
all. I have let go of some
responsibilities and passed them off to others.
This year has also shown me what amazing friends and family
I have. I always knew I was blessed in
this department but this past year these people have stepped up to help by
their own choosing, something they did not have to do. I make it a rule not to ask my friends and
family to volunteer in the playroom. If
the volunteer I happily accept but I do not want anyone to feel pressure to
volunteer. That being said, my father,
my neighbors, and a childhood friend, and even friends of friends have given
their time in the playroom of their own volition. I hope they know how grateful I am for their
time and dedication to my family. Not
only have those in our lives volunteered to work directly with Charlie but many
have helped me by assisting me with my two daughters and helping us in
fundraising. I hope these people know how life saving they
are to us and how grateful I am for their help.
To sum all of this up, this past year has been fantastic for
Charlie and our entire family. Charlie
has grown and developed and given us more reason to believe that he will one
day catch up to his peers. We are committed
to this program for many more years. I
will not stop until he is Autism free, even if it takes my entire life. Miracles do happen and we will get the
Miracle!!!!
I want to take this opportunity to thank Charlie's team for
all that they do. Liz, Andrea, Gwen,
Meredith, and Nikki make up Charlie's current team. And especially the help and understanding I
get from my husband Kevin, parents Lucille and Ed and my beautiful daughters,
Paige and Brooke. All of this is
impossible without them.
