(Originally written on 08/21/2011 on other blog)
I feel extremely lucky that I have so many wonderful family/friends and therapists supporting us in our journey with autism along with all of the frustrations, hurt, love, excitement, and eye opening experiences we experience. I thought as things happen with therapists and different friends and family I want to do a weekly thing called the "Visitor of the Week" for someone special to us and especially special to Joseph in his journey. This week I have nominated Monika, Joseph's speech therapist. All I can say is "She Rocks!!!!" She is one person in the autism community I can turn to for knowledge, advice, or just to get something off of my chest. She has been there with us since Joseph's diagnosis and has taught me how to better communicate with my son and overall she has given us the skills we need to learn about Joseph and all of his amazement. When Monika walks in the room Joseph lights up and when she leaves he is so sad. We look forward to Thursday's when we get to see Monika. My Mom and Sister have both had the pleasure of meeting Monika and were both amazed at how well she works with Joseph and how sweet she is. This week Monika let me take some pictures of her and Joseph so thought I would introduce everyone to our "Visitor of the Week".
Earlier this week a friend asked me if I ever wondered what it is like inside the mind of an autistic child and it got me thinking because I never really thought what it truly might be like inside of Joseph's mind before. So I went to a great source my friend "Google" and found some pretty interesting information and came across one person's interpretation of the autistic person's point of view and she had a great analogy so here it goes as best I can remember. There was a lady who was in labor and refused to get an epidural, instead she chose for stadol and if you have ever taken stadol you are not quite in your own frame of mind. So at this point she is feeling pretty good but her back was really hurting so she asked her husband "Honey please rub my back it is hurting me really bad" and he replied "Yes dear" but did not rub her back as she had asked, she then asked again 2 or 3 more times and the husband replied each time "Yes dear, Yes Dear". After giving birth the wife asked the husband, why didn't you rub my back as I asked and the husband replied, "what are you talking about? You never asked me to rub your back". See this story is exactly what it is like to be an autistic person what the wife thought she was asking for was a back rub but the whole time she kept talking about the bird outside the window and needing to get up and do the dishes. The autistic mind can make you think and feel like you are saying one thing when in reality you aren't, and the same thing when we speak to an autistic child what we say to them is not always what they hear.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Week!!
Jenn Joe Joe with Uncle Chris (my brother)
I feel extremely lucky that I have so many wonderful family/friends and therapists supporting us in our journey with autism along with all of the frustrations, hurt, love, excitement, and eye opening experiences we experience. I thought as things happen with therapists and different friends and family I want to do a weekly thing called the "Visitor of the Week" for someone special to us and especially special to Joseph in his journey. This week I have nominated Monika, Joseph's speech therapist. All I can say is "She Rocks!!!!" She is one person in the autism community I can turn to for knowledge, advice, or just to get something off of my chest. She has been there with us since Joseph's diagnosis and has taught me how to better communicate with my son and overall she has given us the skills we need to learn about Joseph and all of his amazement. When Monika walks in the room Joseph lights up and when she leaves he is so sad. We look forward to Thursday's when we get to see Monika. My Mom and Sister have both had the pleasure of meeting Monika and were both amazed at how well she works with Joseph and how sweet she is. This week Monika let me take some pictures of her and Joseph so thought I would introduce everyone to our "Visitor of the Week".
Earlier this week a friend asked me if I ever wondered what it is like inside the mind of an autistic child and it got me thinking because I never really thought what it truly might be like inside of Joseph's mind before. So I went to a great source my friend "Google" and found some pretty interesting information and came across one person's interpretation of the autistic person's point of view and she had a great analogy so here it goes as best I can remember. There was a lady who was in labor and refused to get an epidural, instead she chose for stadol and if you have ever taken stadol you are not quite in your own frame of mind. So at this point she is feeling pretty good but her back was really hurting so she asked her husband "Honey please rub my back it is hurting me really bad" and he replied "Yes dear" but did not rub her back as she had asked, she then asked again 2 or 3 more times and the husband replied each time "Yes dear, Yes Dear". After giving birth the wife asked the husband, why didn't you rub my back as I asked and the husband replied, "what are you talking about? You never asked me to rub your back". See this story is exactly what it is like to be an autistic person what the wife thought she was asking for was a back rub but the whole time she kept talking about the bird outside the window and needing to get up and do the dishes. The autistic mind can make you think and feel like you are saying one thing when in reality you aren't, and the same thing when we speak to an autistic child what we say to them is not always what they hear.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Week!!
Jenn
Joseph using sippy cup all by himself!!!!
Checking out who is in the hallway, I am guessing this is what he does at nap time because sometimes I will be walking in the hallway and see fingers ha ha
Joseph saying "Oooohhh"
Monika our speech therapist and "Visitor of the Week"
I swear she looks more like Joseph than me!
Working on Clapping
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