autism spectrum disorder
The Rules Have Changed
Listen, I like rules. I like order. I like a clean kitchen at night and I make my bed every morning. Hi. My name is Carrie. I live in New Hampshire with my husband Joe, our five kids, and a silly dog named Wolfie. Our second son, Jack, has autism. Autism is the conversation that […]
#LoveForGood
Autism is a beautiful phenomenon. It is a different way of thinking and an unfiltered view on life. It can also be difficult, and insidious, and deeply frustrating. Life with my son Jack and his autism has forced me to consider the ways in which we chase joy, while simultaneously live within the realms of […]
I Will Sit With You in the Dark
[May 9th, 2020] Dear Jack, Sixteen years ago today, you exploded into this world—nine pounds, three ounces of squirming pinkness. Daddy cried, to meet his new son. Today, you are over six feet tall. Your shoes look like canoes. You aren’t sleeping. I hear you moving around the house all night long—into the bathroom and […]
One Thousand Perfect Strangers
With autism in my life, I have had a lot of chances to grieve for things I thought should be mine, and his—a driver’s license, a job beyond counting widgets and sorting recycling, maybe a degree. I am not saying this so you will feel sorry for me, I promise. I am saying it because […]
My Father Was a Teacher
Whenever I go to my grandmother’s house, I ask her about the time the world turned upside down in the blink of an eye. “Well, when I was twelve, something called Coronavirus ripped through our country. It was so scary.” I nod my head, and wait. “People were dying. There weren’t enough ventilators, or masks. […]
This is Your Autism
Dear Jack, As you know, you have autism. Autism is many things. It is a delay in communication and the inability to read social cues and obsessive, perseverative behavior. It is limited interests, and trouble adapting to change in routine, and challenges with sensory processing. It is anxiety, and uncertainty, and a life lived differently. […]
The Things We Carry
Over the past fifteen years, I’ve gotten into some pretty awkward situations with my son Jack. He has asked women if they were pregnant when they weren’t, and suggested a man in Rite-Aid pick better pants. He has told his teacher her skirt was ugly, and asked the cashier if her mother was alive. You see, […]
His Name Is Jack
Hi. My name is Carrie. I am married to a man named Joe. We have five kids, and our second son has autism. When it comes to autism, there are many, many challenges. Anxiety. Rigidity. Obscurity. Paperwork. Oh, how I loathe the paperwork. I mean, it is endless. The top of the forms are all […]
An Ordinary Life
My name is Carrie. I am married to a man named Joe. I am a mother. I have four boys, and one girl. I am raising a complicated child. His name is Jack. Jack is complicated because he has autism and he’s doesn’t play any sports and he has no friends and his report card […]