Hi all! I am posting a blog to hopefully help others in similar situations. I have alot to chat about, but I think I should explain where I've been first, then we can move on to where I am at and where I am going. I have alot of great information to share, but first, here's some history.
I am a mom of two boys, 17 and 19 years of age. My youngest son was officially diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome when he was 7 years old, unofficially at 4. Eight years ago I had to resign from a job that I adored, working for MCC in the Network and User Services, as well as teaching college level computer classes at Maplewoods, to stay home with my youngest son because of 'educational' difficulties.
Shortly before this big life change of events, I met Robin Russell from the Alliance at a support group meeting that was facilitated by Gena Barnhill in Liberty. A few months later she pulled me on board, with a few other moms, to form the first Walk for Autism in Kansas City. I was lucky enough to do most of my volunteer work from my computer, creating and maintaining the walk website. When I look back at all we accomplished, I realize how lucky I was to share the same space with these amazing women. Just everyday mom's making a difference in so many other lives. Now I maintain the KC Autism Services site, a site also sponsored by the Autism Alliance.
In addition to these two big things on my plate, I also returned to school to pursue a degree in Computer Information Sys/Bus Mgmt. I was under the impression that the series of events that led up to my resignation was temporary. Believing that only a couple of years of therapy would put my son back on track and we would be living the 'American Dream' again. Three years later I realized that it wasn't working out the way I had planned and changed my degree to Social Psychology.
It is funny how things don't work out the way we planned them, yet later understand that there were hidden blessings along the way. To understand all of the hidden blessings, I have to go way back in history. Growing up, I wished my brother was normal, like all the other kids. Not so much for myself, but I wanted to see him have friendships as well. As he became an adult I watched him explore the world around him and find those friendships I hoped he would always have. My brother is developmentally delayed as well, offering me a different perspective than most of my friends. I would say my brother impacted my life greatly and prepared me for what was to come.
When my oldest son was just a baby, I experienced my first setback with a career in management, that led me to a job as a teaching counselor for adults with developmental disabilities. I worked for an agency that had a dayhab program, ISL, and group homes. I was lucky enough to work with every population and in every area that they served. About two years into working for this agency, I had already had my second child and decided that the income was not going to withstand raising two children. So, I returned to college to pursue an Associates in Computer Science, while working another 1 1/2 years at the agency. When the agency decided that they couldn't continue to accomodate my class schedule, I was hired as a student worker, making more money, which ultimately led me to working for the college for several years thereafter. Now I have come full circle.
I am still a stay at home mom, trying to help my son explore the world of adolescence. Or maybe he is trying to help me understand his world while he's experiencing adolescence. Nonetheless, without those life experiences, I am not sure my heart would be the same. I can honestly say that there were some long bouts of depression, grieving the job I lost, the dream I wanted for my family, and accepting the challenges my son may experience. But when it's all said and done, the typical 'American Dream' doesn't seem all that important in the scheme of things, really...
Feel free to share your own experiences, as I believe we can all learn from each other.
