The Need for Insurance Reform....

I recently had to present a topic for a my Writing 327 class, my topic was something that is close to me, insurance coverage for autism.  We are one of the lucky ones, since our insurance covers Kami's speech therapy.  BUT, we have still spent well over three thousand dollars so far this year on autism related therapy.  Please contact you senator and congressman to let them know that we need the Autism Insurance Reform Bill (Senate Bill 555 and House Bill 2214) in Oregon to pass in the next legislative session.

How to contact you congressman.....
http://www.leg.state.or.us/house/

How to contact your senator....
http://www.leg.state.or.us/senate/

New Adventures.....

I ignored my blogs this summer, I was busy with school and kids and it was easy to let go, but now that we are back on a schedule, here I am!  Kami took a break from speech therapy up at OHSU for the summer and had fun with ballet, playing with friends and going to the beach and hiking up at Mt Hood.  But, now she on a whole new path and a brand new adventure!

Kami is in all day kindergarten with her favorite teacher, she is taking swimming lessons and is in a new ballet class.  These are major changes for a little girl who does not take to change well, but she is pushing through her anxiety and doing the best she can.  Swimming is the hardest for her, I am not sure where the fear is coming from, she loves the water, but there is something about the pool, maybe not being able to touch that causes her enormous amounts of fear, but she is facing it!

Breaking Through.....

Well, we have broken through some of the Red Tape!!! I thought it would be a gratifying event, but alas, it was not. We had a big meeting with ESD and the local school district and I left feeling undermined and seconded guessed by people who do not even know my daughter. This was a result of the fact that I am keeping Kamryn in private school, this is where I know she will thrive, succeed and most of all be comfortable. The local school district thinks she will not. I find this hard to understand, since they have not met my daughter, her teacher, or visited her school. Also, I find it hard to understand how 30 minutes of autistic care group once a month (what she would have at the public school) is really going to make such a big difference. In her current school she has more time with her teacher, smaller class size and knows her environment and schedule. This is what is going to help her. Ok, rant over! :)

Red Tape....

Last Friday Kami and I made our 90 mile round-trip up to OHSU for her weekly speech therapy, thankfully it was a gorgeous day! After her appointment with Kami's Disney princess sounding therapist, love her, we took a little walk and Kami picked some flowers.



I came home to a few messages on my phone dealing with referrals and parent interviews...AKA, lot's of red tape! When your child has a cold, you take them to the Dr, you get quick instructions on what to do that make them well. BUT, when you are dealing with treatment of autism, it is a slow, step by step process of observations, interviews and referrals. Lot's of meetings and tests of all sorts, it's a slow, slow, ongoing process, I would give anything to speed it up a little, like a left kidney, if it would move it along.

Oops, I almost said it!

So...I took all three girls to the mall this last Saturday, I know C-R-A-Z-Y! But, I had gymbucks to spend and time was running out. Kamryn was having an "ok" day, but once we got to the mall, the mass of people and noise sent her down hill fast. We headed to Gymbo, after a 1/2 hour parking space hunt, the place was packed so I parked the stroller at the front of the store and asked my oldest to stay there with the girls while I weaved my way through the crowds.

So, I hunted for the best deals I could find and some ultra cute clothes, the girls were being as good as possible under the circumstances. As I was wrapping up my shopping and headed over to the check out, a loud boom and crash echoed through out the store, followed by a eerie silence, I knew without even looking that it was Kami. She had pulled down a very large sign that is in the front window display, she was scarred and embarrassed, but fine. I apologized repeatedly to the store employees, and almost, almost said, "I am sorry, she's autistic." But, I couldn't! First I didn't want the words to pass my lips to a stranger, then I didn't want to make a excuse for her bad behavior, but I think it boils down to the fact that I don't want to label her, she is not just some autistic child, she is my beautiful, fun loving daughter.

Where to begin.....

Yes, where to begin..... I posted this post http://6weeksandcounting.blogspot.com/2011/04/big-word-had-been-spoken-and-i-am-not.html on my normal blog, well, if you can call anything normal these days. Thinking your quirky daughter may have autism and then being told she does is a heart wrenching experience. After a bit of a meltdown and a good sweat at the gym, bing became my best frienamy and after much looking, I could not find a blog, a really good blog, written my a mother of an autistic child. So, my gaol here is to do just that, have a great blog for moms like me, and lets face it anyone else who wants to read it.