Why ongoing therapy is important for my #Autism family

Lizze is having a rough day and is trying to get some rest. The boys and I are off meet with Dr. Pattie for Tuesday night therapy. I guess we're stopping at the Garden Center to walk around for a bit. Emmett and Elliott want to catch some Pokémon and I just want to get out of the house.. ☺ With all the complexity, stress and challenges that we face as an Autism family, regular therapy is something I feel is extremely important. Our phychologist has known us since before the boys were born and has been working with Gavin for close to fifteen years. These sessions help me as a parent, have someone to bounce ideas off of and seek guidance from, especially when my wife and I are…

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I mention Gavin was struggling today and here’s what I’m seeing

This post was meant for yesterday but didn't get published until now. The morning didn't go as originally planned and perhaps that threw Gavin off a bit. He was definitely off this morning and it presented some frustrating situations for me. For starters, he was freaking out over his IVIG infusion. Gavin was worried about the needles leaking before he even began the procedure. This isn't uncommon for him to worry about, and I can't blame him for worrying, but the degree to which he was worried, interfered with getting his infusion going this morning. Gavin was doing some serious pacing and when he'd stop, he would lean side to side, sorta rocking back and forth. He was seriously stressed. It's sometimes hard to out my finger on what exactly…

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I’m so proud – Check out the awards my kids earned at school

I want to take a minute and share some awesome achievements the boys have made in school. We have reached the end of the grading period and awards have been given out. They have a little awards ceremony but parents aren't allowed to be there. That's sucks cause I'd love to be present. Anyway, both Elliott and Emmett have done great. Lizze and I couldn't be any prouder of them. Check out the awards below. ☺ Click the image below to open the gallery... ☺ [foogallery id="79001"]

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The judge approved my request

I received a phone call from Probate Court, to let me know that the Judge had issued a ruling. That may sound a bit dramatic but that's exactly what happened. Yesterday, I requested a copy of the adoption decree from when I adopted Gavin. Apparently, there's a rather significant process involved in doing that and that involves getting permission from the Probate Court Judge. Rather then walk in and simply request a copy of paperwork, I had to petition the Judge for permission instead. I get some adoptions are sealed but I'm seeking documentation for the adoption of Gavin, where I was one of two parties. It's not a secret or something I would have thought was protected. It's not a huge deal, I just thought it was a bit…

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I have an unplanned trip to Probate Court

We have to straighten a few things with Social Security in regards to Gavin turning eighteen and transitioning to permanent disability. One of those things requires his adoption decree which for the life of me, I cannot find. It used to be in the safe but it must have been pulled at some point and not returned. SSA called this morning and let me know we needed this ASAP. For some reason, Gavin's name is still Gavin Weaver in their records and we've no idea why. It's an easy fix but it requires paperwork we can't find. We called Probate Court and I have to write a letter, explaining why I need it. They will give the letter to the judge for approval. If she approves the request, I'll pay…

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Unfortunately, we’ve had to adjust our plans

Keeping true with the story of our lives, today hasn't gone as planned. We were supposed to be at the Cleveland Clinic for a follow-up appointment with the epilepsy center in regards to Gavin's recent EEG. Unfortunately, I'm not feeling well this morning and driving that distance would not be responsible of me to do. We already know the EEG was fine and this was more of a technicality but it was still important to us. Aside from not feeling well, we also have the more pressing issue of the car. It's getting easier and easier to share what isn't wrong with the car because the list of problems continue to grow. It's no longer worth fixing but at the same time, we don't have another option. Making the needed…

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It’s been an emotional roller-coaster this weekend and I’m exhausted

It's been an emotional weekend for all of us here in The Autism Dad household. Losing Maggie has been devastating for all, but especially for Elliott and Emmett. They're feeling the loss a bit differently because they have basically never known a time where Maggie wasn't here. They were both so young when we got her, it seems like she was always part of our family. Lizze and I have been trying to keep the boys distracted because that helps them to move forward. Saturday was pretty rough. There was a great many tears shed throughout the day and we really tried to keep the boys occupied, but it didn't always help. On Sunday, all three of the boys hung out with their Grandparents for a large part of the…

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Why did he laugh when our dog died?

If you read my last post in regards to Maggie passing away, you may have noticed that I never made mention of Gavin and there was a reason for that. I want to explain and hopefully educate my readers about what we saw or rather didn't see from Gavin that day. It's important to understand that Autism can be quite mysterious at times and even though I have experienced and a decent understanding, there are times where it's difficult for me to grasp as well. I didn't mention how Gavin reacted to Maggie passing away because I didn't want to go down that path until I'd had a chance to process everything. Let me begin by saying that people with Autism tend to struggle with emotional situations. I'm not saying…

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