One chance encounter can really add an uninvited fork in the road sometimes. I say uninvited because this fork was one that I had encountered before, and after much research and personal struggle I had found my way back from the wrong path and on the path meant for me and my family.
Yesterday one chance encounter add a 20 hour hiccup in my life. I met a wonderful person who had the best intentions of helping me discover possibly a new way to help Khoury handle the undesireable challenges of his ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). She suggested dietary changes (which I had looked and tried in years past), metal detoxifications, and nutritional supplements. I never tell anyone that I think they are wrong as they think they are trying to help. Her zealousness continued which I appreciate as she definitely had done her point of view research.
What I find is that those who preach a certain way to cure something are usually not taking into consideration the person they are talking too. She wanted to CURE KHOURY! Our conversation started innocently - she was a pharmacist and I was picking her brain about medications and possible options for Khoury as we have hit some huge pot holes. She quickly changed and went down an unsuspecting path.
I followed because I am a good mom and I want to know all I can to help him be the best he can. Then she talked about curing ASD. I bit! I spent half the night looking at clinics, insitutions, doctors, theories.... in the morning... I woke groggy and feeling miserable about myself and how helpless I felt.
So I turned to my therapy - get outside and walk / run the dogs!
I ran into a man who was returning from his run. As he passed I had the dogs sitting waiting and he commented - they are doing great. I said thank you and added - we are getting there - and his next comment sent me to tears - Aren't we all a work in progress, he smiled and continued on. I began walking because I felt it coming and I do now as I write. I don't WANT to cure my son, I want him to SHINE.
Now for my friends and family reading this - no - I KNOW Khoury does not need Cured and I do a lot of education to tell people that Autism doesn't need a cure - we need support for the proper medical treatments COVERED by our insurance providers, proper educational settings and systems PROVIDED by our educational systems that we pay into referred to as our public schools. A CURE???
Do you know how many FAMOUS people SHINE (in her mind suffer) are diagnoised with Autism? What would the world be like with out...
Courtney Love - yup the musician
Tim Burton - yup yup!
Daryl Hannah - famous actress
Dan Aykryod - famous actor
James Durbin - American Idol
Temple Grandin - amazing advocate and animal trainer (that is an understatement)
Tim Page - Pulitzer Prize Writer
Gary McKinnon - computer hacker who broke into high level governement/military sites (no I am not condoning the action - but he is SMART!)
Dan Harmon - creator of show - Community
Alexis Wineman - Miss Montana
MOZART
To those who say - Autism needs a cure - I ask why? Do those who say the rates are rising quick and its because of our environment - I ask - could it be that we are so much more AWARE and able to diagnosis that is why it is rising?
Please if you read this and take offense - realize I mean nothing to offend anyone for the way they believe - know that I am a mom, trying to find the best way to raise my family and hold true to the values of our life. Our son was created and born to give something to the world as was all of us - maybe his was to show me that I don't need to fix everything - because he is his perfect. It is the rest of us that need to understand that he is happy.
I am not allowing reader comments to this post - it is not because I do not want you to challenge my thinking - I think I showed that I am open as I spent the night researching what she talked about. But, I want others to be able to read this and not be swayed by someone's convictions who opposes this - if you are reading this then you know how to reach me. Let's met and talk, but please remember I am a mom on the eternal search to make sure her babies are happy, healthy, and loved!
