What a ride. What a ride autism can bring in your life. You’re not only are a parent. A mother. A father. A brother. But you become a doctor/nurse. Furthermore, you exasperate every avenue that you possibly can til you find her voice.
These past six months have been a ride for sure. From hospital visits via ambulance with constant UTIs to pneumonia to strep throat and to seizure medications that literally put you over the edge.
I honestly wish that I could have experienced all of this for Brooke. I would love to extinguish the pain and especially the anxiety and stress in any given day.
The past couple months we have been reducing a medication for seizure activity. This medication was given to her at the end of January and literally caused months and days of behavior. I can say today that she is seizure medication free and seizure free!!! Her neurologist and specialist in Retts, Dr Percy, said that we may not see a seizure for two months or it could be two years you never know. I am praying and banking on forever. Our daughter became a different person with the seizure medication that she was on. We are so thankful for her to be off of it today. We also are very thankful for all the advice given to us with this medication.
I am so thankful for her companions that have stuck with her and our family for the past several months day in and day out. They not only have been a source of encouragement but accountability and sweet care for Brooke, I really have no words for them except that they are a gift from God!
Now we are having a new med change. Because there’s no longer a seizure medication, which also helped with being a mood stabilizer, her anxiety has gotten worse day by day. The anxiety is contributed to really anything and everything. We take for granted going into stores or having people in our homes and things that come our way within a day. For Brooke because she cannot express her self it is difficult for her to understand. Every day we tell her what is going on in our day and what is happening, but obviously sometimes it just doesn’t click. Her anxiety is very evident and she becomes extremely clingy and she rubs her hands constantly or she starts to pick at her skin so it starts to bleed.
As of tomorrow she is starting a new medication for anxiety. We are hoping that this really helps her become more stabilized.
As of the end of July Brooke will be home for twoyears! This jubilee homecoming obviously over exceeds any pain and stress that have come to our family. However it is stressful! Autism is a ride for sure and one sometimes that you just want to get off of. Brooke doesn’t get that choice though, she’s on it for a lifetime. As her mother I’ll be her sidekick and forever friend. Forever doctor. Forever nurse. Forever mother. Always trying to find her voice.
