Here.

Great to hear from you again Ali- you know we check this blog constantly- sorry to hear you're not feeling well! Get well soon!

Ali,
From one mom to another - reading your blogs and comments and thoughts and journeys around Simon's world and amazing adventures brings me to motion - Motion to write down the unrelated, yet totally parallel living that we all experience as Mom's -- You see, I have a 12 year old, who 2 days before Christmas, at the age of 4, fell to the floor, turned blue and began what seemed like an eternity of spastic motions -- All I can remember (besides everything) is looking up to the heavens and saying loudly to God -- "NOOOO" -- It was not a plea, but a command to not take my son. Moments (or a lifetime) passed and Dutch opened his eyes, put his arms up to me and said "MOOOMMM" -- and so began our journey with seizure disorder (epilepsy) -- A journey that led me to books, neruologists and a plethora of nights praying that the abnormality on his brain scan was not a tumor or worse, but just plain epilepsy.... funny how "normal" changes in a moment.
That son is now 12, and almost 6 foot tall - healthy and happy and driving me nuts -- and so the story appears happily ended (beginning).
Ah, but the story doesn't end there -- I also have another son -- One who is 14, and a great athlete and student, who also drives me nuts -- who just got braces today -- who also just visited his endocrinologist today as well... for only months ago he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes... another round of books, searching for answers (solutions) and a cure....
A mother's world -- two boys - two adventures -- two wonderfully handsome, smart, great kids -- who literally make me crazy every day -- and then sit down at night vulnerable - vulnerable in the moments when they plead to go to a waterpark without me -- or plead to find some other way to take their sugar numbers because their fingers are numb -- and so I hold my head up and find a new tact each day -- some days it is a firm direction for them, some days a joke, some days a new medical explanation, and some days I just scream....
And then I go to bed and have a good cry -- not always a cry of fear or sadness, or even of question anymore - for who could ask "does lightening strike twice?" and be prepared for the answer -- (don't ask the question if you can't handle the answer) --
I often cry because I'm so proud and happy that my boys are special in some way - some weird way that God decided to give them something to separate them from "normal" -- and I am happy for my not normal life -- it keeps me in check - and it reminds me to stay grounded (but not always) - I am truly convinced that the strong get the heaviest loads sometimes -- and in your Simon, I am certain, there is so much love and so much to come, that the not "normal" adventures you will rise to will far exceed the average musings of most moms....
You've been given a special voice and one that reaches many -- and the sharing of information and touching common bonds that other Mom's will see and hear in your art, words and wisdom - was all placed there for a reason!
In this time of Autism Awareness I will keep your story in my days -- to share with the other folks I know who are also battling and with those to be diagnosed in the future - Somehow I do believe that in synchonicity and reaching out, do we make contact which changes our lives and those around us --
Here's to your happy adventures and to strength -- for you, your husband, your son and your family -- Enjoy that happy little boy with those beautiful, and insightful eyes!
mb

Get well soon!

Ali, this video clip was shared through a Canadian autism yahoo group. I think it is a powerful message. I hope my link works, I am not very computer savy =0/ http://www.autismcanada.org/RansomVIDEOpsa.mov

Welcome Back! Hope you are feeling better very soon!

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