“I know just how you feel, I lost my cat a year ago.” I tried to muster an appropriate response; the woman meant well. But I was still raw after the death of my youngest child and tired...
Caregiver Reflections Archive
What Happens When Your Second Child is Diagnosed?
It’s not like we weren’t aware of Damek’s challenges early in his life. The speech delays at three years old, the hyperactivity and constant need to move and interrupt conversations, the inability...
Walking in the Wilderness: Seeking Out Hope in the Middle of the Mess
They showed another video from the series Healing Journeys by Andrew Womack at church today, and I didn’t cry. In fact, they begin each Sunday with one of these videos, and I never cry. When you...
Thanksgiving
Today I am home with a sick child. My complex, disabled, and now ill child. I started the day annoyed that I had to miss work. I have only been back to work (barely part-time) a few...
Alone in a Crowded Room: The Truth About Special Needs Parenting
Parenthood. It’s often touted as a miraculous journey filled with love, joy, and a sense of purpose— a transformative experience that challenges us in countless ways, but also rewards us with...
(In)Visibility: How My Daughter and I Can Be Both Highly Visible and Completely Overlooked
The world of special needs parenting is full of paradoxes. One of the most unexpected is how we and our children can both be highly visible and completely overlooked by the rest of the world....
The Forever Caregiver
For months, I have been conflicted about whether or not to put these thoughts on a page. I know people will make a judgment about me based on a piece of writing. And that terrifies me. Also, I know...
Our Child As A Baby
I was advanced material age (38) when I was pregnant with Sully and a high risk of going into labor early which led to taking shots weekly. (Did this lead to autism?) It was by far my hardest...
Standing Strong Yet Weary….
Cody is in a man’s body with the mind of a child. His body is growing faster than his mind and there are many challenges that come with that. Cody had a huge tantrum last night. Tantrum not meltdown...
Enough Is Enough
From the minute you become a parent, the overwhelming fear and concern sets in. You constantly question whether every choice or decision you make on your child’s behalf is the right one. When your...
Here We Go Again: How One Family Works in Shifts to Achieve Minimal Sleep
“This photo is what we aim for — a happy, calm, contented Josh — the snapshot that we choose to share, but the everyday reality is far from this picture.” Here we go again, I say to myself, trying...
High School Is Over, But Leaving The Nest Is Not An Option For My Daughter at This Time
As written by Linda Pollack Orleans The season I've been preparing for the past several years is here. This is the season my autistic daughter’s peers settle into their new college life or embark on...