I think that parents of autistic children will all agree that life gets a pretty through overhaul in the early years after your child's diagnosis. I was just reflecting on this as I was washing dishes, which pile up so quick due to all the GF/CF cooking done in our house.
One marker of these drastic changes that I have identified with me personally has to do with my job: bakery clerk. I have held several different positions in several different bakeries since I started as a sophomore in college ten years ago. It has been my job while my husband and I have been going to school and raising our son. Most frequently, I have been on the night crew, because those have been the hours I have been available. We manage product, provide customer service, and most of all, we clean. Boy, do we clean. I currently this position for the time being.
When I meet someone new and I mention my job for the first time, I regularly get asked, "So, do you decorate the cakes?" This occurs almost without fail. I do not blame them one bit. It is that bit of nostalgia that goes with special custom cakes. Weddings, birthdays, bridal/baby showers, etc. We celebrate them all with cakes.
I do know how to decorate. My college degree is in art, and so the creative element has always had a draw for me and I have made it my business to know how. However, being a cake decorator is a position I have never held. My availability for my job with college and family has never allowed it. I used to think that the circumstance was really one of those "too bad" things. I used to really want to be a decorator.
I have done many, many custom cakes for people over the years in my job. I have pictures of cakes I have made for family members. One summer I made two wedding cakes, one for my sister, and one for my sister-in-law. I even remember once watching a video on youtube of someone using fondant to ice a cake. The next day there was a fondant wedding cake order to do, and the decorator needed help, and so with my new knowledge I got to help her. I could not have been prouder.
Interestingly enough, I have recently found that my feelings on the subject have changed a great deal. It is all a direct result of all the changes these early years of my child's diagnoses has had. When I think about being a decorator and spending all that time with the cakes, I think, "Ice hunks of gluten with gobs of trans-fat? No thank you!"
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Growing Experience
My husband and I decided that this year we were going to grow a garden if possible, for several reasons. First, we wanted wholesome veggies that we know the source of. We wanted to learn to be more self-sufficient, and we thought that learning to do this kind of work together as a family would be great for all of us.
The fresh, wholesome veggies have been great. It makes us feel so good to feed this food to our little son because we know that these veggies we grow are not adding to any toxin burdens he has. Oh, and our garden is not done. We are are looking forward to more, and looking forward to putting some up.
We were given a little lot next to our apartment to use for the season. We are so grateful! This garden was started from seed. The first picture was taken afew weeks or so after planting. The picture of Eli and his grandma was taken just last week. Notice our reuse of shopping bags... we have tied some to the tomato cages in hopes of scaring the deer away who have discovered our garden. :)
The fresh, wholesome veggies have been great. It makes us feel so good to feed this food to our little son because we know that these veggies we grow are not adding to any toxin burdens he has. Oh, and our garden is not done. We are are looking forward to more, and looking forward to putting some up.
We were given a little lot next to our apartment to use for the season. We are so grateful! This garden was started from seed. The first picture was taken afew weeks or so after planting. The picture of Eli and his grandma was taken just last week. Notice our reuse of shopping bags... we have tied some to the tomato cages in hopes of scaring the deer away who have discovered our garden. :)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Zucchini Pile
Thanks to very prolific plants in my garden, I have been watching a pile of zucchini grow on my kitchen counter over the last two days. Tonight I set out to find a remedy. I currently have this library book called "The Classic Zucchini Cookbook" by Nancy Ralston, Marynor Jordan, and Andrea Chesman. I may need to purchase this book and keep it forever. I discovered this way easy sweet little starter dish that I had tonight next to a baked potato. The version here has been modified, of course, to fit our special diet and tastes. I have cut out the measurements, too, because I didn't use them. I am gaining a whole new appreciation for zucchini.
Zucchini Pizza Bites
medium sized zucchini or summer squash, sliced into rounds about 1/4 inch thick or a bit thicker.
olive oil
well seasoned pizza sauce (One of my favorites is muir glen organic pizza sauce.)
finely grated cheese alternative (I use vegan gourmet brand, it is a soy cheese that is casein free.)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Brush both sides of zucchini slices with oil and arrange on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roast for 7 minutes, or until slices are just tender when pierced with fork.
4. In small bowl, stir grated cheese alternative into pizza sauce.
5. Spread spoonful of sauce on each zucchini slice. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until sauce is heated through, 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve hot. :)
Zucchini Pizza Bites
medium sized zucchini or summer squash, sliced into rounds about 1/4 inch thick or a bit thicker.
olive oil
well seasoned pizza sauce (One of my favorites is muir glen organic pizza sauce.)
finely grated cheese alternative (I use vegan gourmet brand, it is a soy cheese that is casein free.)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Brush both sides of zucchini slices with oil and arrange on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roast for 7 minutes, or until slices are just tender when pierced with fork.
4. In small bowl, stir grated cheese alternative into pizza sauce.
5. Spread spoonful of sauce on each zucchini slice. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until sauce is heated through, 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve hot. :)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Joy in the Journey
The subtitle of my blog reads: Being a parent of a child with autism is a journey to have joy in.
In case you are wondering, no, I do not look at autism disorders with rose colored glasses. I have lived with autism in my life since 1992, and with a brother and now a son with autism I am pretty well aware of some pretty ugly realities that can come into a family where there is a child that has autism.
I started blogging about autism at a time when I needed a positive affirmation to see regularly. The year I turned my blog into the autism journey blog was a year of loud displays of grief on my part, (that my son did not even respond to,) and waking up most mornings to find that while walking from his room, my four year old son's diaper had dribbled poo all the way down the carpeted hall.
When people ask me "What is your son's special skill?" or, how about this one: "So is he good at math?" I stare at them, and then when I realize they are waiting for a response, I stumble to give one. Popular culture only teaches the public about the very mild side of the spectrum, so unfortunately they really have no clue.
It has really been a hard journey in many respects. It was two years ago that we started biochemical intervention with the DAN! program. The first year was rough, but we did see some change. This last year has been MIRACULOUS. Between the medical interventions and also a very wonderful preschool program he enjoyed over the past year, which included ABA, we are at a very happy place.
To define my joy in the journey: it is PROGRESS! Making huge sacrifices on our parts and seeing progress on his, has brought us so much JOY!
In case you are wondering, no, I do not look at autism disorders with rose colored glasses. I have lived with autism in my life since 1992, and with a brother and now a son with autism I am pretty well aware of some pretty ugly realities that can come into a family where there is a child that has autism.
I started blogging about autism at a time when I needed a positive affirmation to see regularly. The year I turned my blog into the autism journey blog was a year of loud displays of grief on my part, (that my son did not even respond to,) and waking up most mornings to find that while walking from his room, my four year old son's diaper had dribbled poo all the way down the carpeted hall.
When people ask me "What is your son's special skill?" or, how about this one: "So is he good at math?" I stare at them, and then when I realize they are waiting for a response, I stumble to give one. Popular culture only teaches the public about the very mild side of the spectrum, so unfortunately they really have no clue.
It has really been a hard journey in many respects. It was two years ago that we started biochemical intervention with the DAN! program. The first year was rough, but we did see some change. This last year has been MIRACULOUS. Between the medical interventions and also a very wonderful preschool program he enjoyed over the past year, which included ABA, we are at a very happy place.
To define my joy in the journey: it is PROGRESS! Making huge sacrifices on our parts and seeing progress on his, has brought us so much JOY!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Summer Activities
These are some pics of some outings we have had this summer.
Hogle Zoo: comparing his size to the apes
These were all so fun! The zoo and Children's Museum were both in Salt Lake and both class field trips with his school. The zoo wore me out, it was so overstimulating for him that most of the time he was just running around everywhere. Once he wore himself out alittle, he really enjoyed looking at the animals.
On a hike in the canyon with Daddy
Hiking is something we are working with him on this summer. We would like for him to go on short hikes with us. Here you see his dad had to pack him out. Next time we will let him play in the water at the falls, and that will give him some hiking motivation!
Children's Museum
The Children's Museum was really nice. He loved the activities there that involved large soft blocks and cranes, water, balls, and digging. This was alittle easier than the zoo because it was in a more confined space. (And yes, he was wearing a bright orange vest so he would be easier to keep track of.)
Soon his summer program at school will be over, and I am compiling some fun educational activities for him to do for the rest of the summer locally and at home. Please let me know if you have ideas! I will post mine. :)
Hogle Zoo: comparing his size to the apes
These were all so fun! The zoo and Children's Museum were both in Salt Lake and both class field trips with his school. The zoo wore me out, it was so overstimulating for him that most of the time he was just running around everywhere. Once he wore himself out alittle, he really enjoyed looking at the animals.
On a hike in the canyon with Daddy
Hiking is something we are working with him on this summer. We would like for him to go on short hikes with us. Here you see his dad had to pack him out. Next time we will let him play in the water at the falls, and that will give him some hiking motivation!
Children's Museum
The Children's Museum was really nice. He loved the activities there that involved large soft blocks and cranes, water, balls, and digging. This was alittle easier than the zoo because it was in a more confined space. (And yes, he was wearing a bright orange vest so he would be easier to keep track of.)
Soon his summer program at school will be over, and I am compiling some fun educational activities for him to do for the rest of the summer locally and at home. Please let me know if you have ideas! I will post mine. :)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Cool Summer Salad
The other day I had a need to develop a recipe for a "summer salad" to share at a potluck. This was the result. I was very happy with it. What a great allergen-free treat that is nice and cool-- great to have on hand in hot weather when you're craving ice cream, popsicles, and jello!
Healthful Pineapple-Orange Gelatin Salad
1 box Knox unflavored gelatin (1 oz, 4 envelopes)
1 can frozen Dole juice concentrate, Pineapple Orange Banana flavor
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
3 cans mandarin oranges in mandarin orange juice, (not corn syrup,) 10.5 oz each
1 can pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice, (not corn syrup,) 20 oz each
Prepare juice as directed on frozen juice can package. Open cans of fruit and drain juice into prepared juice, (optional.) Use prepared juice to prepare 1 recipe “Fruit Juice Knox Blox” on the back of the package of Knox gelatin, cutting knox blox to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch squares instead of 1 inch as package directs. (Gelatin will take 3 hours to set in the refrigerator before it is ready to cut.) Scoop little blox into bowl and stir in drained canned fruit. This recipe is way versatile. Experiment with your own juice and fruit combinations, or try embedding fruit in the gelatin. Your family won’t even know it is good for them!
Healthful Pineapple-Orange Gelatin Salad
1 box Knox unflavored gelatin (1 oz, 4 envelopes)
1 can frozen Dole juice concentrate, Pineapple Orange Banana flavor
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
3 cans mandarin oranges in mandarin orange juice, (not corn syrup,) 10.5 oz each
1 can pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice, (not corn syrup,) 20 oz each
Prepare juice as directed on frozen juice can package. Open cans of fruit and drain juice into prepared juice, (optional.) Use prepared juice to prepare 1 recipe “Fruit Juice Knox Blox” on the back of the package of Knox gelatin, cutting knox blox to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch squares instead of 1 inch as package directs. (Gelatin will take 3 hours to set in the refrigerator before it is ready to cut.) Scoop little blox into bowl and stir in drained canned fruit. This recipe is way versatile. Experiment with your own juice and fruit combinations, or try embedding fruit in the gelatin. Your family won’t even know it is good for them!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Daytrana
This situation happened afew months ago, and I am still shaking my head in disbelief. The school district where my son attends has a psychiatrist. As part of assessing him for the next school year, we had to go in and see her. She spoke with us, and then observed Eli. She did not interact with him, or test him, and she was speaking to us most of the time he was in the room.
Diagnosis: Eli has autism and also has a hard time focusing.
She was waiting for the word to write on her little pad a prescription for him.
Daytrana, she said, was a ritalin patch. It is easy to control the dose and when he gets it, she says.
I have to admit, I was alittle taken in at the time. My husband was rightfully skeptical with the whole idea. At that time, for afew months there, Eli was getting frustrated extremely easily. I looked back on how I took ADD meds through college, but we said no thank you at this time. I discussed this with my sister later who said, "Ritalin?! I had some of that, never took it because I hated the way it made me feel."
Holy cow was that the slap in the face I needed. I remembered the similar meds I took when I was in high school and then college. I could focus on everything, right down to the way the girl's shoes in the front row didn't match her outfit. However, I felt like I was watching a show or something. I felt like I could not interact with the world around me. Do not even get me started on the "let down" effect. I could never do that to my son, my little son who does not even have the words to tell me that he feels strange.
Now that I have discovered that my inattention can be taken care of in large part by nutrition, I will never be on attention meds again.
Now just months later, Eli's general frustration level has gone down. He has been bringing home raving reports from school, without the aid of Daytrana.
I have to say that I am very concerned over the whole episode of the school psychiatrist, and I fear for families who may not be aware that ritalin is one of the most overly prescribed drugs in the whole nation.
Diagnosis: Eli has autism and also has a hard time focusing.
She was waiting for the word to write on her little pad a prescription for him.
Daytrana, she said, was a ritalin patch. It is easy to control the dose and when he gets it, she says.
I have to admit, I was alittle taken in at the time. My husband was rightfully skeptical with the whole idea. At that time, for afew months there, Eli was getting frustrated extremely easily. I looked back on how I took ADD meds through college, but we said no thank you at this time. I discussed this with my sister later who said, "Ritalin?! I had some of that, never took it because I hated the way it made me feel."
Holy cow was that the slap in the face I needed. I remembered the similar meds I took when I was in high school and then college. I could focus on everything, right down to the way the girl's shoes in the front row didn't match her outfit. However, I felt like I was watching a show or something. I felt like I could not interact with the world around me. Do not even get me started on the "let down" effect. I could never do that to my son, my little son who does not even have the words to tell me that he feels strange.
Now that I have discovered that my inattention can be taken care of in large part by nutrition, I will never be on attention meds again.
Now just months later, Eli's general frustration level has gone down. He has been bringing home raving reports from school, without the aid of Daytrana.
I have to say that I am very concerned over the whole episode of the school psychiatrist, and I fear for families who may not be aware that ritalin is one of the most overly prescribed drugs in the whole nation.
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