After all this mess of appointments, fear, chaos and research, I can't help but reflect back on my life...how I've treated my body pre-pregnancy. And how it has made me think about life. What "life" is all about. The quality of life, the meaning of life...why we are even here on this earth for crying out loud??!! God?? Are you sure about this one?? lol...and even better thinking about all the horrible and amazing people I have encountered - both of which have made me who I am. Today I got a call from my BCW "service coordinator" Robin. Not to brag, but the 'Babies Can't Wait' program here in Fulton County are serious angels...like a flock of dang angels! I have not spoken to one woman from BCW that hasn't touched my heart in some way.
To the point! Robin called and asked if her and Carey, our new therapy "specialist" could stop by to discuss how much time we have with Wyatt over the next few months and the approach Carey is going to take with him until the day before his 3rd birthday when he is "released" into the care of the public school system.
Again, I was overjoyed when they showed up...partly because when they called I looked like "when death becomes her." ...and I had been running franticly for 1.5 hours throwing "debris" into my closet and bathtub, doing dishes, putting on makeup, vacuuming and trying to light candles to mask the two poopie diapers I had already changed that morning, thank you Wyatt :) (you know you do that when unexpected guests come!)...also when you live in a one/one if you take your shoes off in the living room your house looks a mess. I called C and he rushed home too. (I am very proud of how he has made a point to be apart of this whole process)Once we all introduced ourselves I then explained Wyatt's "history." C and I have grown accustomed to playing a "tag-team game" if you will. I start with birth complications...he adds on the first year progressions, I chime in about how intelligent W is, then we both end on his regression of our concerns about his future, how we have been trying to sign to him for months now and how lost we feel about communicating with him. I used to cry at every single sit down with a doc or therapist, I've gotten stronger...snaps for Steph, haha.
The specialists takes notes through all of our speaking. Then I handed her a binder which I have made of literally every piece of paper I could gather having to do with Wyatt's complete doctor write up at birth, while he was in the NICU, all of his immunizations, his first speech analysis, every name and number of every doctor and therapist he has seen etc. and now of course we have gathered much more info this month from tests and results, some of these "write ups" are 10 pages long, but none the less they are in the binder and useful for anyone thats on Wyatt's team. (I've listed all items in chronological order) *On a side note, I have taken notes from books I've read of questions to ask certain doctors, therapists and specialists...such as What certifications do you have? What are your approaches to At Home Therapy? How long have you been doing this?
I usually try to let the therapists say as much as they can. I have been very pleased with "Babies Can't Wait" not only because of their years of experience, but I feel like they have seen so many "cases."
But the biggest reason I am blogging tonight is to mention a VERY interesting point Carey made to me that I had never thought of. Although what I am about to say may sound like common sense, to us worried moms it is not. As women we are the shiz at multi-tasking...making dinner, talking on the phone, answering emails, while feeding our babies, folding laundry meanwhile making a mental list of what needs to get done tomorrow!...so now-a-days I'm not positive I even have any more common sense?! Just kidding...kind of...okay not really. When Carey asked me if I thought about daycare, I stopped and said...well yes, but the last School I called, when I told them Wyatt was in the process of being tested for ASD and I was nervous about how he would adapt to keeping up with other kids his age and if they accept children like them or have ever had a child similar to him, the Director of the school changed her whole attitude and said: "well...Mrs. Waltrip...I see your concerns...hmmm, I mean, we won't turn away any child, but from mother to mother I think you are taking the right steps and maybe school isn't for him right now..."
When I told Carey this at first she was furious at director's response...which made me feel better because my husband didn't understand why I was so upset at her response, but as Carey explained it's her lack of knowledge with the Autism Spectrum that makes them want to veer away from children like Wyatt...Chad started to understand.
Then Carey explained to me, "Stephanie, stop for a second and take your feelings out of the equation. What does Wyatt really need? He needs to see examples from little people like him. However we are not going to be dishonest, but once we tour a few daycares and when we find the right fit, we are not going to tell them about Wyatt's condition. Stephanie, we want your Wyatt to be treated fairly. They can think whatever they want about him, but ultimately let's let him go for 30 days, we can start at 2 days a week and go from there." When she said this I felt horrible...and relieved! I have been so worried about how others look at Wyatt...people have said, "How old is he?! He's huge and he still has a passy? Shame on you mom for not weening him off of that!?" or..."Wow, he's a big boy and he's not talking?" While these comments may be true, they still hurt me to the core...ha, and I thought it hurt when people said hateful things when I was Miss South Carolina USA!!! LOL!-doesn't even compare! I thought hard about what she said and it made sense! I need to develop thick skin, get over it, and put Wyatt in a classroom with other children. I really do think this paired with occupational and speech therapy, we can move mountains. I don't know if me even elaborating on this will help anyone out there, but I'm sure there is a mom like me that doesn't want to make my son or myself vulnerable to more strange looks or questions. However, after hearing Carey, not only spill statistics but proof over her 30 years of experience, we are now in the process of looking at a few daycares in the Atlanta area.....C and I are very excited :)
I didn't mention last night on my blog that we have started giving Wyatt Omega-3's and Omega-6's. We are giving him lemon flavored Cod-liver oil when he wakes and before bed. We are also giving him Prim Rose Oil morning and night along with removing almost all dairy and removing all gluten. We started this 5 weeks ago, (and we have NOT started any therapy yet) but Wyatt just started saying Mama and Dada again...we are so moved by his progress from only a change in diet!...to be specific though, we do not think he is saying it in the right context, but the fact that he is using two separate consonances is a huge step in the right direction!
To touch base with what I mentioned about Lifes' meaning in the beginning, I have started to rearrange all thoughts with our existence...or at least my thoughts and reasoning...
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