A letter from my 61-year-old self to my 35-year-old self: Dearest Kathy, I know you're scared. It’s been obvious from the beginning that something was not right with Joel’s development. Lack of oxygen during his birth, severe jaundice, an arrogant doctor who didn’t answer your questions and didn’t insist on hospitalization for the jaundice, floppy muscles, delayed developmental … [Read more...]
Autism Answered
The park. Thanksgiving dinner. Church. Dinner with friends. The waiting room at the therapist's office. The waiting room in the doctor's office. These are just a few of the places and events where I have had the exact same conversation with countless people. I don't fault them for striking up this conversation and, in fact, I am glad they are asking questions instead of silently … [Read more...]
Go into Their World and Love Them Where They Are
I remember so vividly Alec's difficult toddler days. My son had less than a handful of words. The days were a series of one tantrum after another. I was a stressed-out mother on the brink of a personal meltdown of my own. Oh, yes, I remember those days. I loved my son desperately, but hadn't a clue how to help him. I obsessively scoured every piece of advice I could find from any expert … [Read more...]
Out on a Limb
Each morning on my drive home from taking my teens to school, I catch myself looking up as I round the first bend in the road to catch a glimpse of something I think perhaps God has placed there just for me. (Or maybe for any driver blessed with ADHD and a tendency to look everywhere but the road.) I look for a little sign of hope that makes me smile every time I see it: a bird nest, held in the … [Read more...]
What Good Can Come from These Hardships?
Friends of ours in an Asian land shared a very interesting thought: “People here love rice, but because of the shortage of land, someone developed a way to grow rice underground. Somewhere under the world’s largest city, they grow rice. Initially, the rice did not have much flavor. The reason, they discovered, was because the rice was not exposed to the elements outside – the scorching heat, the … [Read more...]
Dealing With The Holidays
Whether we are ready or not, the holiday season is upon us. Some people do not look forward with joyful anticipation to all that happens between the end of November and the beginning of January. Many start dreading Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, long before they arrive. For some, the anticipation and dread are far worse than the actual day. When my son was born and before he was … [Read more...]