I was absolutely convinced for about 6 months that Kannon had not only given Autism a good kick to the you know what, but maybe it also decided to go and take a nice long vacation somewhere...
Preferably cold, and miserable.
Well, I was wrong.
Kannon did give it a good fight, and it did take a break for a bit...but it's back and with a purpose. I have to say after these past few months its purpose of choice is unknown, but man is it hard to swallow.
Kannon's ticks are back, and some new ones that I have never seen him have came along too.
His verbal is through the roof. To the point of him overlapping videos mid sentence...
"Jack crawled up the beanstalk...and kissed the frog prince...so he could knock you over the head...the clock struck midnight and she ran down the stairs...fee fi foo fum..."
This goes on over and over until I physically have to redirect him to some other area and talk to him about something else, for a minute...then he's back to the verbal confusion and noise.
It really is very hard to watch.
Thank you very much Autism. Thank you for reminding me just how powerful the human brain is, and how absolutely nothing can change the neurological magic you have made all up in there.
Many people continue to ask how I do what I do.
I think what they mean is how do I "deal" with Autism and it's constant demands.
How do I juggle motherhood with Autism, because it is different...not necessarily harder, but very different.
My answer would be that I try to find those moments of magic.
Moments that mean something bigger than this reality.
I have to believe that there is a purpose to all of THIS.
I refuse to believe that these indignities Kannon suffers are without lesson...without some sort of heart opening crack that would allow hope to creep in.
My heart cannot accept that at the end of ends nothing will have been learned.
By myself, by those around me, by humanity...
Kannon has opened my world up to differences. He has opened my eyes to truth. He opened my heart to pain, light, and growth unimaginable.
I can only hope he makes it out of all of this with that smile of his...both on his face and his heart.
For the past few months all I have seen is pain, sorrow, and regret written all over both.
Autism has taken him to a different place, and that is what is very hard to deal with...these moments I don't deal with well at all.
You know what makes Autism really tough?
That all children are born pure of spirit. Pure of heart, mind and intention.
They know nothing but joy.
They wake up with the purest of desires to live life and have the most fun doing it.
A child with Autism wakes up and instantly it is taken away from them.
They have no control of it. They surrender to it. Damn do they try to enjoy the simple things, I see it everyday with Kannon and his peers...and without fail their mind/body takes over. I would say on a great day Kannon has a success rate of overcoming his brain to enjoy an experience about 4 out of ten times. The other 6 attempts he is interrupted somehow by his own ticks.
This is why Autism blows.
A child's desires, no matter how heartfelt they may be are still controlled by the brain.
Damn you Autism.
This is the best way I can explain the tough times. These days/weeks/months that roll by without notice by anyone but myself and those involved in Kannon's small world.
One of Kannon's aides asked me today, "Is Kannon o.k?...He just doesn't seem to be himself..."
Someday I hope I will never get asked this question without me having the sheer panic of actually loosing him.
I never know when he will come or go, or what parts will come back and to what degree...
It's just part of the deal.
So I look every day for the magic that I KNOW is within him.
I remember the moments of lucidity, light, and hope and I tuck them away in my mind for times like these.
We all need to be reminded of the magic every now and then.
Sometimes they are all we have to keep pushing forward...to keep pushing at all.
Some of you will know exactly what I mean. I am exhausted. I am defeated...but I will never stop moving forward out of love.
Love has to be the greatest magic trick ever.
peace :)
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