7 Comments

  1. Beth Ching
    February 27, 2017 @ 8:49 am

    I love reading every Monday, you always say something I can relate to. My son Justin is 18 & on the spectrum. Today’s thing for me was always ordering the cheeseburger, no lettuce & tomato. Justin always tells the server that & adds with mustard & ketchup only with fries- do you got that (& reads their name tag). It seems bossy but we wanted him to be able to order his own food & be social with the server & this is the end product. I’m fine with it. My husband & I smile at the server & it’s usually good.

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  2. Melissa Baird
    February 27, 2017 @ 12:55 pm

    “…the not giving up part is in the details…” That is so helpful to me right now and clearly describes what I don’t think I would be able to articulate. It is getting up with my 8 year old son on the spectrum twice last night, just because he needed me to walk him back to his room after going to the bathroom. I’m so tired today. But I did not give up last night in those details, and it has brought me now to today, where again, my “not giving up” is in the very small details. And it is so tiring. But it feels good to know and hear you describe “not giving up” in this way. Because then I feel like I am actually making a difference when so often I feel like I am not. Thank you.

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  3. Jeannie Prinsen
    February 27, 2017 @ 1:33 pm

    Yes, definitely, the not giving up part lies in those small details. As long as I can still do those little things there is hope. I hate to think a day might come when I can’t. As always, thank you for an honest, hopeful post.

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  4. Cindy McDermott Cole
    February 27, 2017 @ 2:00 pm

    Every week I cry. I tell myself, this week I might not cry, but every week I cry. I must be honest, I cry easily, but you always make me cry…ALWAYS. Usually, Carrie, it is NOT tears of sadness. Rather, it is the pure gratitude that you are giving voice to a complicated reality. It is thankful tears that once again you remind me of the beauty in the struggle. But mostly it is the release of knowing someone else is out there, doing this dance, and we are all working towards polishing our moves, but toes will be stepped on and, obviously, tears will be shed. THANK YOU. I am swaying like the peonies and most of the time it is a beautiful thing.

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  5. Tabitha O'Connor
    February 27, 2017 @ 6:06 pm

    You always write things that I can relate to. My oldest Aspie is 25, so we are a little ahead of you, but I still have some of the same thoughts, fears and feelings. I wish I could tell you how it works out, but so far, we’re still on the journey. I suppose we will always be on the journey. There will be peaks and valleys, just as there always have been. Count the little things, the everyday things. Those count! Our son passed his second Math test in college last week. It wasn’t the highest mark in the class, but it was passing. A peak! Thank you so much for giving so many of us a voice, words to the thoughts and feelings that are sometimes so hard to put into words. Thank you for bringing us together, a community, knowing that we do not walk this path alone. We have companions who, each in their own way, understand. Thank you.

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  6. Jeannie
    March 3, 2017 @ 6:59 pm

    Carrie, NBC just did a story about Rising Tide car washes in FL. Their goal is to hire people with autism. Maybe a similar type business in NH could work. They have a lot of public support.

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  7. Heather Smith
    March 20, 2017 @ 10:46 am

    totally connected with this post. “or just my son being a jerk”. yes! what is it… sensory, chemical imbalance, normal human anger, personality … who will ever know and then what do we do to help teach. “will he ever have a friend?” yes. i get that. sigh… But we keep pressing forward… together!

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