Normal is BORING!

The breakdown of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mast Cell Activation Disease both are WAY more complex than what I have written here, I needed a simple way to explain each diagnosis to focus on how the combination of these two conditions impact Finn. I've been struggling at trying to write something about Mast Cell Activation Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorder. It's kind of like adding fuel to a fire, but not sure which one is the accelerant. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological condition that is diagnosed with the ADOS/ Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule with focus in areas with repetitive behaviors, sensory, social and communication. Mast Cell Activation Disease or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome is an immunological condition in which mast cells inappropriately and excessively release chemical mediators, resulting in a range of chronic symptoms, sometimes including anaphylaxis or near-anaphylaxis attacks. Primary symptoms include cardiovascular, dermatolo...

August 21st, 2014 we had a 6 month recheck eye appointment with our FAVORITE eye doc,  Dr. T . I can not say how this man & his staff have been AMAZING over the past almost 8 years (WOW 8 years!). They really have hung in there with us with Bubba & when The Beast had his 2 eye exams; I am SO happy that they like us as people & not just patients! I digress. We showed up I had my 2 plus the little guy I sit for. Ms.D says "want to you to your normal waiting area?" I nodded & smiled. This is funny because this was Bubba's panic room, we don't have to use it that way anymore now it is a Beast containment room. We got settled in then Bubba was brought into the exam room to read charts Ms. D came back stating they were going to get him started; ah hell it was a full exam today! took him back into the room a few minutes later put the drops in & the waiting/complaining begins. I actually enjoy the complaining, no seriously I do! 5 years ago I wo...

I posted on FB about how my boards were all done for our first day of school! Another Mom asked what my system looks like so here is my chaos on boards. I have 3 dry erase boards in my kitchen & magnets on the fridge for The Beast so he can know what the big things of the day are & so he can use them as tools. One board is the current day it includes work for the day & chores The second is the week with lists, things to do ect The third is my Momma board family portrait made by Bubba This is The Beasts fridge board/communication center This is what is in Bubba's room for him & friends It helps me to have to repeat everything a thousand times, now I just say check the board.... That is my crazy on boards.

Oh the things you never thought would make you happy.... Progress are the things I celebrate; my oldest went from a kid who flipped out because his clothes hurt him, food couldn't touch one another, getting his nails or haircut was like having a limb severed, going to the doctors of any kind was a WAR that left me usually bruised from the chest to the middle of my thighs, there was a time that he had to wear socks could not be barefoot even on carpet BUT the socks had to be SUPER soft because if the hem in the toe was too hard he would have a panic attack. OMG getting dirty forget about it! Bubba this weekend worked his butt off in the garage with his Dad, I am SO proud of him he got dirty! I mean laying on the garage floor with grease dirty! Auditory is one of the big things for Bubba loud, unpredictable noises, certain tones, pitches really bother him. This weekend though his Dad told him that he was going to help remove and install the rear bearings in the rear of the Chero...

LifeSchooling LifeSchooling is "homeschooling" in our home; I do not like the term homeschooling because I feel that there is a ignorant stigma around it to certain stereotypes. We are not taking the classroom, it's routine and doubling that in our home.  Bubba does Math, Social, Studies, Science, English, Computer Science, Robotics, Auto Mechanics & LIFE SKILLS. We want our kids to be kids, to enjoy & explore life; not rush through it. I want my kids to know that the house does not come with a maid or a magic fairy who cleans it when they go to sleep. Food that goes in your belly doesn't get there by just asking Mom or Dad. If you lost something there is no wand to shake & it will appear. Responsibility & Accountability are BIG in the house!  I am learning myself to hand over the reins of control in certain areas so I can teach the kids about  R & A ugh it can be hard sometimes. Our definition of schooling is to love learning, to ...

We had an end of the year PPT to discuss how Bubba was doing in class, how services were going with his speech & language pathologist. We found out that his SLP was retiring, he would have a new teacher. He was making progress with her, his teacher & para were helping him cope and effectively communicate. We discussed the plan for next year how many days a week he would be going & what session morning or afternoon.  Bubba qualified for the extended year program from PreK after his introduction period to school. Extended School Year Program a.k.a. Summer School was not what I expected. There was a little boy who did not get along with Bubba, both of them struggling with speech & communication not a great mix. One day I received a phone call letting me know that my son had hit this boy with a spoon on his forehead and gave him an egg. I felt so bad for that little boy & couldn't believe that my kid actually hit another kid. I was used to it with his panic...

Bubba was identified as developmentally delayed, deemed eligible for Special Education PreK he would receive speech & language services. After the PPT Bubba would go to school the following week, 3 days a week receiving Speech & Language services 1 hour a week! I was shocked & excited this meant that he would be going to PreK3 twice. Bubba was always good about me leaving him places he wasn't kid who had a fit when I left. I knew that is was going to be amazing for him to have to learn to communicate with other people not just me. I was terrified that he was going to flip out in the classroom when he couldn't tell them what he wanted or if he was put into a situation that he wasn't comfortable with. There were other concerns beside the delay in speech, Bubba didn't like a lot of things & not a no thank you I'm not fond of that; I mean a full blown panic attack sometimes being combative. There was a window though of how far you could push him ...