The other day, I was questioned about a comment I made 4 years ago in a newspaper story they ran on our family. The reporter, Andrea Ball, spent the better part of 18 months working with our family. She got to know us, and she got to know us well....too well, Maybe.
Andrea wrote an amazing story. It was about our children and how they were 4 years ago. She was spot on with everything she said....4 years ago.
4 years later...some things have changed.
I NO LONGER look at Autism as a doom and gloom, mercury caused my children's autism, bleak kind of thing. I look at Autism as a miraculous event that has made me a better person.
I was questioned about a comment I made about wanting to sterilize Caitlin...yes, I still feel this way. Caitlin is a severely autistic young woman who should never have to make the decision on whether or not she should carry a child. Caitlin has no interest in boys, so the only reason she would get pregnant would be from result of rape. Hard to say, but true.
I was questioned about a comment I made about vaccinations causing my children's autism. We were being wooed by a local organization who were telling me about Mercury in the vaccinations and how they made my children's guts go bad and how it caused their brains to be infected with the Measles virus which caused their autism.....okay, I went with that for about 6 months. Then I got my brain back.
I was questioned about a comment I made about taking 2 with me when I died.....I, in no way, meant I am going to kill my 2 children because they are Autistic. I said, "They better never tell me that I am going to die, because I am taking 2 with me". I could not bear knowing I was going to die and not know what will happen to my 2 most severely affected children.
I will post the story at the end of this blog.....Andrea did a wonderful job. She became part of our family when she was here.....I hope she still considers us part of hers.
So, lately I have been bitter towards Message Boards...I am done with that now.
I had my little fit and am better. It just bugged me that a certain board member thought
it was okay to post a piece about my children. I am a mother after all...
So here, without further adieu, is the very long story Andrea Ball wrote.....
I call it a bathroom read....I also call it amazing...
But please remember, It was written 4 YEARS AGO...
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/autism/1003autmain.html
Here is the video Kelly West did for us:
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/autism/video.html
About Me
- Mom26children
- I am the proud mother of 6 children. 5 of our children have autism. We do not feel our world has ended, but just begun. We do not chelate, intervene biochemically, give shots of any kind, practice ABA, etc. We treat them as we treat any humanbeing. We treat them with kindness and respect and expect the same from them. They are exceptional children.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
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15 comments:
Four years ago, there were no neuronitwits around to convince decent people to let their children rot to benefit the drug companies who poisoned them. It's too bad for your kids that you are a victim of neuroinsanity.
Hi,
Wow! I can't imagine how you do it with 6. I see so much complaining on the message boards but never from you. You set a great example of grace. *bows*
:-)
I will bookmark your blog.
As for sterilization, you know, I don't disagree with you nor do I judge you. I appreciate that you march to the beat of your own drummer - there's so much orthodoxy out there, not just from biomed, but also from ND.
Good luck...
Laura (aka cordelia525)
I just read the comment above me. LOL. Keep on keeping on.
John,
4 years ago, I did not know about you either...that is not a bad thing. That I was taken in by people looking to make a buck from our family...that was very bad.
I wish I had known about Neurodiversity back then, it would have saved me alot of trouble.
I feel more sad for your son, John. He is victim to your anger. That is heartbreaking in so many ways.
I wish him well in your endeavor to cure him.
Laura,
Hi and welcome.
Can you imagine how much anger goes to the children of the parent's who write so much hateful comments to someone they don't even know.
I really do feel sorry for the kids on the other side of this anger.
I feel sorry for the children who are "damaged" in their parent's eyes.
Jeanette
Jeannette,
Sam is a victim of mercury poisoning as is my whole family. That means we should be angry with the people who poisoned him.
About the idea of sterilizing teenage autistic girls who have no interest in boys: I know that you have good intentions, Jeanette, and I don't intend this comment as a personal attack on you, but there are several reasons why parents shouldn't be allowed to make that choice.
First of all, it is not unusual for autistics to be "late bloomers" and first become interested in romantic relationships when they are in their 20s, or even later. The fact that a teenage autistic girl is not interested in boys does not mean that she never will be. Also, it sometimes happens that a woman who has no interest in sex marries a man who also lacks the urge, because they are good friends and want to raise a child together. A person can be completely uninterested in sex but still want to be a parent.
I understand that some girls become pregnant from rape and that this is a concern when a girl has a limited ability to communicate, but hormonal birth control is very effective. There is no need to do anything irreversible.
There are several autistic bloggers on the Autism Hub who would have had no clue about how to take care of a baby when they were teenagers, but 20 or 30 years later, they're married and much more capable and doing a pretty good job of raising their families. It's very hard to predict what a teenager will be like many years later; in many cases, long-term assumptions turn out to be wrong.
ABFH,
I absolutely respect your opinion, and would really never do anything intrusive on Caitlin, but as her Mother, I worry to death.
We had her on the pill, but she gained so much weight in 2 years. She became regular so we took her off of the pill.
She is now on an exercise program and has lost almost 30 pounds.
She is really doing well.
Thanks for your words.
Jeanette
Does someone like "foresam" feel that he's wrangling members in to be on his side when he comments on blogs such as your's? I mean honestly, I only read blogs on the Autism Hub because of the stand point many of them come from. I don't seek out mercury blogs just so I can criticize, it's ineffective and boring. I hope "foresam" can let things go, live in the moment and just enjoy his kid. I know I do, whether whatever caused his Autism or not. I hope "foresam" doesn't visit my blog, because I definitely dont' want to visit his! Oh and Mom26children, I agree with everything you say.
Bonnie D,
I have only been able to rescue a few people from the cult of neuroinsanity. Children should not be allowed to suffer because their parents are stupid enough to be sucked in by this nonsense so I'll keep trying to offset the insanity with common sense. Perhaps you will be one of those people who decides to help your kid instead of letting him rot.
Hey John,
We, who like to frequent the Neurodiverse side of life are not the ones, who so to speak are cult-like.
We do not gather around a "cauldron" and chant to the higher powers that be...such as Ms. McCarthy and Dr. Wakefield.
Sounds a bit "cultier" if you know what I mean...
Jeannette,
I freely criticize the idiotic people who pretend to be spokesmen for my son. I can't speak for others who share my perspective of curing this nightmare that is autism.
From where I stand, finding "joy" in autism is beyond ridiculous.
If I had a daughter with autism, and wouldn't feel comfortable with her cognitive/decision making/self-help abilities, I would put her on birth control pills for sure. I would feel the exact way you did, I'm sure.
Which- you know- is one of the other pretty sad faces of autism.
Lillian
Jeannette, have you ever contacted Jacqui Jackson in the UK. She has seven kids I think and 5 on the spectrum. I will have to get her book, Multicoloured Mayhem, off the shelf for a recount!
The had I known then, what I know now syndrome... been there, doing that.
Best wishes.
S.
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