Read more about the article Part puberty, part #Autism, and part normal teen angst  
Autism Parenting Struggles / Elliott / My thoughts

Part puberty, part #Autism, and part normal teen angst  

Elliott had a hard time falling asleep last night. He was still awake as we hit and passed the midnight hour. I'm not sure what he was struggling with, but it occupied enough of his mind that sleep wouldn't come.  Around midnight, he began complaining about his pillow feeling funny. I ended giving him my sort of nice, memory foam pillow to use for the night.  Thankfully, it seemed to help because he's currently sleeping. I'm using this awful, rainbow zebra striped body pillow that not conducive to sleep, but what Dad wouldn't give up a pillow for his son. ☺  On a side note, this thing with the pillow is just the latest sensory related issue that's popped up for Elliott. He's been having a very difficult time with…

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July 26, 2017
Read more about the article Heartbreaking: Emmett had a really rough night
Emmett John / Fever Cycle / Heartbreak / My thoughts / PFAPA

Heartbreaking: Emmett had a really rough night

I didn't write much yesterday because it was a rather trying day. Whenever I don't publish at least three or four posts a day, it's a safe bet that things aren't going so well. Yesterday was full of challenges related to Emmett's fever disorder. He was in a horrible mood for most of the day and had zero tolerance for pretty much everything. I lost track of the meltdowns, but there were quite a few.  I personally had the hardest time when it came to dinner. There wasn't anything in the house that he would eat.  Emmett's tough to feed on a good day, very challenging to feed on a bad day, and impossible when he's in a fever cycle. Last night was one of those impossible times, and it…

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July 26, 2017
Read more about the article How the IVIG infusion went
Gavin / IVIG Infusion

How the IVIG infusion went

Gavin's infusion went pretty well yesterday. For some reason, the while process went really fast, and was completed in about an hour. That was really good timing.  Thankfully, Gavin didn't appear to suffer any negative side effect and that's something we're always grateful for. ☺ 

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July 25, 2017
Read more about the article Living in #meltdown Hell 
Emmett John / Fever Cycle / My thoughts / PFAPA

Living in #meltdown Hell 

It's safe to say that we are officially inside a fever cycle. If you look at the image below, you can see Emmett's temperatures over the last couple of weeks. We crossed over the 100°F threshold, that is typical of a fever flare. If that wasn't evidence enough, his demeanor has been a kick in the nuts. Yesterday afternoon we went Pokémon hunting/walking in North Canton. The idea was having some fun while getting a bit of exercise. Things were good until we got there and Emmett was out of Pokeballs. The moment we pulled into the parking lot, Elliott caught a Pikachu with a hat on. I guess that's a big deal. Emmett couldn't get it because he needed to find a Pokestop first. Anyway, the trip was a…

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July 25, 2017
Read more about the article Why our kids with #Autism won’t be attending the funeral 
How's and Why's / My thoughts

Why our kids with #Autism won’t be attending the funeral 

I want to share why we have decided not to bring our three kids with Autism, to my great aunts calling hours, and/or funeral. In some ways, this decision was difficult, but in many others, it was easy. When it comes to saying goodbye to a loved one who's passed, it's easy to assume that everyone needs closure or the opportunity to say goodbye. In most cases, I would agree, but there are some cases in which I strongly disagree. When it comes to kids with Autism, every parent has to do what they believe to be best for their child. These decisions might not be popular but they are necessary to ensure the child's best interest. It's really important to understand that every child with Autism is different, but…

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July 24, 2017
Read more about the article The week ahead
My thoughts

The week ahead

The boys slept through the night and that's awesome. Lizze and I were exhausted but managed to get some sleep.  I'm not aware of anything going on during the first half of the week.  Towards the end of the week, we will have calling hours and need to make arrangements for that. We've decided that we will not be taking the boys to calling hours.  I'll explain why we made that decision in a later post. 

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July 24, 2017