It's All About Relaxation

Griffin has calmed down considerably and his meltdowns have decreased in numbers and intensity thank goodness. His OT has taught me a trick to ask him "How is your engine running?" when he begins to get upset and that is his cue to begin to take measures to calm himself down with deep breathing. He knows that his engine can either be running too high, just right, or too low. If it is too low then he can run around or jump on a trampoline to rev up his engine and if it is just right then he know that there is nothing he needs to do. So, lately it has been working for me to ask him and he has been self-regulating no matter where we are even in Wal-Mart. I do forget to ask him when his engine is running "just right" or "too low" and do confess that I need to work on that. There are times when he is only sitting either at the computer or telling me that he is bored when I should ask him how his engine is running. Note to self: Ask Griffin how his engine is running more often.

I am praying for my Aunt Patty who is undergoing chemo for stage 4 cancer and wish that I could be with her so that I could give her hugs and show her my support. I wish that she could meet Griffin because I know that she would fall in love with him and that he would bring such delight to her. My parents are with her now which I am grateful for because she needs the support. Even if Griffin and I had the money to go it wouldn't be possible to go because we are having car problems and I don't think that Griffin would tolerate such a long road trip. I guess that we would have to fly but the last time we did that he didn't do well either. Travel is so hard, I think, for autistic individuals because it is so unpredictable besides the security check is hard enough let alone the rest of it!

I took Griffin to the doctor because he has been complaining of a stomachache and the doctor said that it is anxiety, Griffin agreed that he had been nervous. So, I made an appointment with a new psychologist to address the issues that have been bothering Griffin. I am not quite sure exactly what all is going on with him as he is not telling me the whole story. He does tell me some abstract things that don't really make sense but nothing concrete that I could change. I am hoping that if I leave the room that he will tell the doctor what is bothering him. 

I am still having an issue with Griffin coming into my bed in the middle of the night because he says that his TV scares him. So, I removed the TV and he continued to do it. I told him that 5th graders do not sleep with their mothers and that didn't work. I have tried taking away privileges and that didn't work. He is afraid and I have tried to alleviate his fears but I am not a professional so I don't know what to say. Sometimes he doesn't even know what he is afraid of he is just afraid but then I wonder if he is just holding on to me and afraid of growing up. This is why I need a doctor!