Punching Autism in the face

I'm not sure if today I'm the happiest mother on earth, but I could be close to it.  Autism is a way of life in our home.  I have two kids with it, and one is severe, and one is functioning with it, and has a lot of sensory issues.  My older son is non verbal and has many issues that make it hard for him to communicate, and very hard for me/us/anyone to pull him out of his world. 

We made a huge decision to try a new experimental therapy on our oldest son Franklin.  It is called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.  In the last couple weeks he has gotten EEG's and TMS on his brain 7 times, and things are starting to happen, they first showed up on EEG, and now behavior and he is changing so much for the better.  It is not Large Enormous changes like him all of a sudden speaking in sentences.  But it's getting a TON more eye contact, he is seeking me out to play with him, not just take him potty, get him food, or open a door.  He is getting my attention to play with him,  he drags me out to the swing set, he asks for more of me to give him piggy back rides, he wanted my husband to lie down on his bed with him as he chattered away until he fell asleep.  THAT NEVER HAPPENS, he has always wanted to be alone  when it was bedtime.  My husband was nearly speechless that Franklin wanted to have all that alone time with him.  He nearly didn't know how to respond.  Amazing.

My little guy is just responding to his ABA therapy in life changing ways.  His language has just recently exploded with new vocabulary.  He is getting less echoic and more reciprocal in his conversation.  He is parallel playing with kids, he loves going to school.  And tonight the hugest of huge things happened, after 8 months of consistently and daily working on potty training, the little bastard FINALLY went on the toilet.   We nearly threw a parade in his honor.

So this week, we in our home, were busy, making strides, and fighting with all our might and punching autism in the face.

I have fought so hard this last month with behaviors, meds, changes in my kids, and have let myself go.  I have irregularly been running or doing anything good for myself,  my kids doing so well is a consolation.  However, I will make this commitment to you to get back on the fitness track and take care of myself FOR MY CHILDREN.

Rebecca