Single Moms Raising Autistic Sons


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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

My Little Guy is Growing Up

As you can see Griffin lost his first upper tooth and it is so bittersweet because he is growing up so fast and although I am proud of him it is still kind of sad. Lately he has shown more and more need for independence and having his own space, much more than ever before. So mommy yields to his desire and often it nearly brings me to tears. 

Yesterday Griffin had in his backpack a note from a little girl in his class that had been put in his cubby apparently. She wrote: Dear Griffin I like u Yvonne with a picture she drew of a little boy and girl holding hands...............for sure that brought me to tears! I can't believe it, that he has already gotten his first love letter and he has only been in school for 2 weeks! His shadow told me that he likes another little girl named Brittany and I asked why he had singled her out and she said that "She is very pretty and has long brown hair". But when I asked what Brittany thought of Griffin she replied that she didn't think that she noticed him but I truly doubt that he really cares.

Griffin has been getting nearly all 100's on all of his school and homework and his handwriting has improved 10 fold just in the past week. When we do homework he tries really hard to make sure that it is correct and that he stays in the lines. He is really slow and careful but that is a good thing because the speed will increase over time.

I have been "in school" for only about 3 weeks now and I am at the point where I sometimes get overwhelmed and I am only taking one class. I guess that I just need to get used to it and figure out how to pace myself. I find that I need frequent breaks or else I end up just starring at the screen while attempting to read and accomplish nothing. It is very good for me to be using my noggin once again and to have that intellectual challenge that I have been missing for so many years so I love it! Next month I will begin World Religions and I am very excited about that. For the better part of adulthood I have been fascinated with spiritual beliefs and how they all seem to have a common thread. Especially after reading Joseph Campbell which has made me more aware of not just religion(s) but also of my own spirituality. Even though I am agnostic I do consider myself to be a spiritual individual, it is something that is very personal and private.

My health has not been too good lately. About 2 or 3 weeks ago I began having episodes in the evening where my head would tingle and my skin would crawl really bad. Then I feel foggy and disoriented but had no pain. I noticed that only if I lie down it would lessen but as long as I was standing or sitting the symptoms would not go away. I went and am still going to see the neurologist for tests: EEG, MRI, sleep study, and a test for my circulation to my head. So far all I know is that my circulation is okay but we haven't ruled out seizures or having something else going on in my head. I will find out on Feb. 4th. 


Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Griffin Is In Regular Ed Class

Yes indeed Griffin is going to school again, back to the first school that he went to over 2 years ago when we first got here. I had home schooled him for almost a year before we moved into our apartment because I refused to make him go back to where he had been abused but now he is in his original school and so far he is doing absolutely fabulous! He is in the 1st grade in a regular ed classroom and I couldn't be more thrilled!!! 

He has a "shadow" who stays with him all the time and she is so wonderful and so delightful, Griffin has really taken a shine to her and he really seems to adore his teacher too. His teacher is young and simply gorgeous, her personality really shines through, it is obvious that she truly cares about Griffin. Griffin's speech path. is so energetic and so compassionate, she said that he did a great job on his first day with her. I am so excited for him and that he is getting along with all the adults so well but now I just hope that he makes some new friends as well............in time I think he will.

In the morning Griffin wakes up and gets dressed and out the door with no protests whatsoever. He eats breakfast at school and he understands that we leave without eating so that he can participate in eating at school. When it is time to do homework he does so willingly until it is finished, once in awhile if there is a lot of it he does ask to take a break.

He is so far beyond all of his 1st grade peers in reading in fact, he reads at just about the same level as I do...........no kidding! It was obvious to his teacher that his weakness is in math therefore, he will be taking math one-on-one with the special needs teacher (whom he also adores) that he used to have when he first went to that school. She is a doll and I know that she will treat him with the utmost respect and complete kindness as she did in the past.

I have started school on-line and so far it is going great, I even worked ahead a little bit and I have already finished my paper that is due at the end of the week. Taking this class is really helping me to become more familiar with learning on-line and after this semester I am sure that I will feel much more confident and will be able to take more than just one class at a time.

So, everything is going great even though my foot/ankle are still pretty messed up. I go to see the orthopedic doctor on the 23rd to see if I am going to have to have surgery or what. All in all I have no complaints............Life is Good!!!!!!!!!!!!