Dear Jack, Next week is your birthday. You are turning thirteen. Whenever I think about your birthday, my stomach kind of drops like I’ve been riding on a really big roller coaster. Don’t get me wrong. I love you. I love the day you were born. I am so glad you are my son. It’s […]
Last week, someone named Brian sent me the following message: Let’s say the medical community announced they have a cure for autism. It’s a 15-second shot in the arm. It has no side effects, and twenty minutes after your son receives it, poof! He would turn into a perfectly normal boy. Would you give him […]
The other day, when we were on our way to the grocery store, you asked me a question. Whenever you ask a question, it doesn’t sound like a question. It sounds like an announcement because you don’t lilt your voice at the end or change your tone at all. How do. Grown-ups have it. The […]
Last Sunday, it finally felt like spring in New Hampshire. Oh sure, we still snow on the ground, but the temperature was above freezing for the first time in a week. The air felt lighter, like it was full of promise. It had been a rocky morning. My 12-year old son Jack was really mad […]
First of all, I want to apologize for tonight. I’m sorry about the way my son Jack stood in your way while your daughter was singing her solo. I’m sorry we could not get him to sit down and be quiet. I’m sorry you heard him tell my husband Joe—his father—to shut up. This was […]
My son Jack has autism. Sometimes this makes him sad. Other times it makes him angry, and frustrated, and scared. When Jack was very small I had to take him for a lot of tests so we could figure out why he didn’t talk and he screamed so much and slept so little. We were […]
My son has autism. There is no cure. At least, I don’t think there’s a cure. I mean, if there is, I haven’t heard about it. Oh sure, there are therapies and diets and ways to modify his behavior and medicine to help with his crushing anxiety. These are all very, very good things—great things, […]
Hi. My name is Carrie Cariello. I am forty-two years old. I am married to a man named Joe and we have five children. Twelve years ago, I gave birth to a baby boy with a neurological disorder called autism. It impacts the way he eats, sleeps, talks, and thinks. He is considered special needs, […]
I really enjoyed chatting with you tonight. This resort is beautiful isn’t it? Our kids just love it. Yes, we have five. Yep, only one girl. She recently decided to cut her hair short and in the airport someone thought she was a boy. She wasn’t too happy about that. I know you saw us […]
Hey there! It’s nice to see you! I know, it’s so warm out today! Feels like spring. I do, I have five kids. Did we plan on that many? Well, not exactly. We’d had our fourth—our only girl—and then my husband, Joe, made an appointment. You know, the kind of appointment a man makes when he […]
