Joseph's EEG Results and Progress

Wow this past week went by so fast I couldn't believe it, must have been all the catch up I was playing at work. It was a good thing though because it kept my mind off of thinking of Joseph's test results from the EEG he had done the week prior for the most part. I ended up calling the neurologist office on Wednesday and his results showed NO Seizures!!!! You can imagine the relief and gratitude I felt. I just wanted to jump for joy.

When I had taken Joseph to the neurologist I had asked them to mail me a copy of the report from the visit to keep for my records. That also came in this week and was a bit shocked by some of the things he wrote that he didn't even discuss with me. He wrote in the report that Joseph was Autistic (we know this), shows OCD traits (didn't mention this when we were there), low tone in his mouth (we knew this) and low tone in his hips (he didn't mention this when we were there). There were some other things as well and called on the one person I can trust to either have the answer or find the answer we need, Joseph's speech therapist Monika. I explained to her when she came out Thursday what he said and showed her the report and she was shocked by some of this as well. In his report he also went on to say that Joseph is really good on puzzles and has an excellent memory and she agreed. She was a bit concerned with the low tone in his hips said her Mom is a Physical Therapist and she would ask her so I gave her the report to show her Mom. So most of this is off of memory, I know he had some other behaviour type of diagnosis there too but really is it that important? I guess I just take each specialists report and dissect it into tiny pieces on how I can help my son. On the other side I also don't want him mis-diagnosed or mis-labeled. Sometimes I feel like they are forgetting he is not only a person but my son and he has a name and it is not autism, OCD or what ever other diagnosis you want to give him his name is JOSEPH!!

OK I feel better and will try and stay positive here. I was reading my post from last week and noticed that one of my paragraphs got deleted somehow and it was a very important paragraph so I am going to try and redo it now though I know it won't be the same. My big brother Chris had come over last weekend to visit and of course seen Joseph as any normal Uncle does and as any Mom does was showing him all the things Joseph has learned, proud Momma moment. Later that evening I was talking on the phone with Chris about gaming systems as a matter of fact and he switched gears and was telling me how amazed he was with the progress Joseph has made in such a small amount of time. He went on to say that he was telling his wife about it and saying that is something you have to see with your own eyes amazing. Just this 5 minute conversation filled my heart with such love, joy, happiness, and pride too. I think all parents need to hear they are doing a great job with their kids and friends and family telling you how great of a job you are doing, but especially parents of Autistic children. Raising an autistic child is so much harder than you can imagine, literally it soaks up all my energy and the stress I am under is pretty extreme between work, therapy, bills, grocery shopping and having a teenager daughter too that needs equal attention and time. I am not complaining because I honestly can't say if given the opportunity I would change Joseph because then he wouldn't be the Joseph we all love and adore.

During this weeks ABA therapy Joseph has mastered (aka learned) where his Head, Tummy, Feet and now drum roll please Nose are. I am so excited, I know for many this is something your child does at a much younger age but I am sure you can share in our excitement thinking back to when your child did these things and your excitement. Another success this week is Joseph moved to the next level of PECS, Go Joseph. He is blowing this out of the water! So now he has a strip and places an icon that say "I want" and grabs the icon of what he wants such as his favorite "puzzle" rips the strip of the PECS book and brings it to say me or Jason and puts his hand on each icon as if he is reading it but instead I read it for him and say "I want Puzzle".  He does mess up from time to time, he brought me the strip yesterday that said "I want chase TV" I just had to laugh. At times he wants things that there is not an icon for so he will use another like "puzzle" I have gotten really good at reading his body and facial expressions to really understand what he is asking for. He is also babbling more and this weekend has said "Momma" like 5 times. I feel like we got "Momma" back again and hopefully it continues to stay because as I have said in the past it so hard not hearing that simple word. At night when I put Joseph to bed I tuck him in and lean over and kiss him and tell him the same thing every night "Love you and one day you will tell me you love me too back" I hope that day comes soon, very soon!!

Jenn

Touch your Nose

Someone had some yummy pizza

Touch your Head

"Shhhhh"